1920s Literature

Table of Contents:

Major Catalogs

1922 catalog thumbnail 1922 Wiss: Shears, Scissors, Tinner Snips, Razors.
Pages: 103; Size: 24cm. [The most pages of any catalog here.]

51-25 thumbnail 1925 Catalog Shears, Scissors, Tinners Snips, Razors.
Despite the word razors on the cover, there are no razors inside. This was made from photographs taken of the catalog in the Smithsonian American History archives. 80 pages. 5-1/2" × 8-1/2". Also in PDF.

1929 Catalog thumbnail 1929 Catalog Wiss: Shears, Scissors, Tinners' Snips, Pruning Shears, Hedge Shears, Grass Shears
84 pp. 23 cm, Form 52-29. Has price list in next entry. Also available as a PDF file (29 MB).


Catalogs and Price lists [some from Smithsonian American History archives]

Net-Price-Sheet-1920-02-01 thumbnail Net Price Sheet to Dealers: Revised February 1, 1920.
This was a companion to the 1919 Catalog. There also would have been a 1919 price list to go along with the 1919 catalog. Also see October 21, 1920 cover letter that came with this below. 4 pages. 5-1/2" × 8-1/2".

Price-Sheet-No-122 thumbnail Price-Sheet-No-122 retail thumbnail Price Sheets No. 122: January 1922.
Two price lists: dealer and suggested resale prices. They were a companion to the c1921 catalog that is in the Smithsonian American History Museum Library. 4 pages. 5-1/2" × 8-1/2".

Price-Sheet-No-123 thumbnail Price-Sheet-No-123 retail thumbnail Price Sheets No. 123: January 1923.
Two price lists: dealer and suggested resale prices. The catalog pages and models match up exactly with the Price Sheet No. 122, just the prices are higher. 4 pages. 5-1/2" × 8-1/2".

Price-Sheet-No-C123 thumbnail Price-Sheet-No-C123 retail thumbnail Canadian Price Sheets No. 123: January 1923.
Two price lists: dealer and suggested resale prices. The catalog pages and models match up exactly with the American Price Sheet No. 123, just the prices are different. 4 pages. 5-1/2" × 8-1/2".

Price-Sheet-No-C124 thumbnail Price-Sheet-No-C124 retail thumbnail Canadian Price Sheets No. 124: January 1924.
Two price lists: dealer and suggested resale prices. The catalog pages and models match up exactly with the Price Sheets No. 123, except the razors have disappeared. 3 pages. 5-1/2" × 8-1/2".

Price-Sheet-No-425-W thumbnail Suggested Retail Prices for West US: April 1925.
This was a companion to the 1925 Catalog. 4 pages. 5-1/2" × 8-1/2".

Price-Sheet-No-C425 thumbnail Price-Sheet-No-C425 retail thumbnail Canadian Price Sheets No. 425: April 1925.
Two price lists: dealer and suggested resale prices. This was a companion to the 1925 Catalog. 4 pages. 5-1/2" × 8-1/2".

51-27 thumbnail 1927 Wiss: Shears, Scissors, Tinners' Snips, Pruning Shears.
48 pages. Also in PDF.

pricelist1929 thumbnail Price Sheet to Dealers: March 1929.
This was a companion to Catalog 52-29 [previous entry], but was distributed separately. 6 pages. 5-1/2" × 8-1/2".


Letters

Letter-1920-10-21 Catalog Cover Letter: October 21, 1920
A cover letter for the 1919 catalog and the February 1, 1920 Net Price List.

1925-12-31-letter-AH-Winslow Response to Concession Question
Dated December 31, 1925. A response to A.H. Winslow in Vermont on a concession discount question. Has different stationery.

1927-08-23-letter-AH-Winslow Cover Letter for Sending a Show Case
Dated August 23, 1927. A cover letter for a scissor show case being sent to A.H. Winslow in Vermont.

GardeningToolsCoverLetter1928 Gardening Tools Catalog Cover Letter
Dated August 10, 1928. A form cover letter for a proof of a new jobbers salesmen's catalog page on Wiss Gardening Tools. Also in PDF.

CatalogCoverLetter1929 #52-29 Catalog Price List Cover Letter
Dated May 1, 1929. This was the cover letter for the March 1929 price list above. Also in PDF.


Dealer Marketing

W407 thumbnail "Wiss Shears and Scissors, Advertised in Newspapers and Magazines, Read by 12,641,000: This Advertising is for YOU, Mr. Dealer." This 12 page booklet for dealers is filled with the ads that Wiss was planning to run in the Fall of 1923 in newspapers and women's magazines. A list of the publications and their circulation, and a page showing dealer displays available are included. It measures 9-1/2" × 12-1/2". Available in PDF and slide show jpegs.

77 thumbnail "Wiss: National Advertising means More Sales for You, Read the Advertisements and List of Publications Inside this Folder." This 12 page circa 1927 folder is an improved version of the above. While it still has the ads that Wiss was running in newspapers and women's magazines, the pages devoted to them has been reduced and replaced with display materials and anecdotes on increasing sales. A list of the publications and their circulation, and two pages showing dealer displays available are included. The covers measure 9" × 13". Available in PDF and slide show jpegs.


Dealer Displays [most from Smithsonian American History archives]

displays1923 thumbnail Displays and Storage Boxes. A collection of 32 pages showing various display units and boxes for the dealer to use. Has 1923 prices.

74-25 thumbnail How You Can Successfully Sell Shears and Scissors. Printed 1925.

glass-counter-top-display thumbnail Picture of glass counter top display from the 1920s.

D76 thumbnail Wiss Display Service for Increasing Business in your Cutlery Department 1922

D76 thumbnail Wiss Display Service for Increasing Business in your Cutlery Department 1923

D76 thumbnail Wiss Display Service for Increasing Business in your Cutlery Department 1924

display-wiss-shears thumbnail Display Wiss Shears 1924


Dealer Material [most from Smithsonian American History archives]

goods-that-are-easy-to-sell thumbnail Goods that are easy to sell-- 5 Reasons Why Dealers Prefer Wiss Shears and Scissors

Two-New-Patterns thumbnail Two New Patterns of Wiss Scissors: With Special Selling Features. A folder showing the new Professional Manicure scissors (a cuticle scissors) and a Pedicure Scissors (the model 623-1/2). From 1926.

typed-gift-set-price-list-1922 thumbnail Gift Set lists:
• Shears and Scissors in Sets
• Special Gift Sets of Wiss Cutlery. Price list dated 6/15/23.
• Special Gift Sets of Wiss Cutlery. Price list dated 5/1/24.
• Special Gift Sets of Wiss Cutlery. Price list dated 5/1/25.

typed-lists-of-surgical-seconds-1922 thumbnail Surgical Seconds lists:
• Price list of "Surgical Seconds in stock 10/25/22"
• Typed lists of seconds, dated 1/1/24
• Letter on seconds dated 5/7/24

1922 box thumbnail Box for 764 Ladies' Oval Pattern Scissors: 1922


Consumer Material [from Smithsonian American History archives]

orange-clippers-booklet thumbnail Wiss: Orange Clippers, Pruning Shears, Thinning Shears

tinner-snips-catalog-1920s thumbnail Wiss Forged Steel Tinner Snips: Best By Actual Test

73-75 thumbnail Wiss Shears: Last A Lifetime. Printed 1923. One is now in my collection.

that-stay-sharp thumbnail Shears and Scissors that Stay Sharp: Make Sewing and Dress Making a Pleasure!. Printed 1923.

83-24 thumbnail Why it pays-- to get Wiss shears and scissors, instead of the ordinary kind.. Printed 1925.

77-25 thumbnail Wiss Barbers' Shears: Wonderful Cutters. Printed 1925.

gift-sets-wiss-shears-scissors thumbnail Gift Sets of Wiss Shears and Scissors. April 1924.

gift-sets-wiss-scissors thumbnail Gift Sets of Wiss Scissors.
Hand dated 5/1/25.

W-85 thumbnail Gift Sets of Wiss Shears and Scissors

special-gift-sets-wiss-cutlery thumbnail Special Gift Sets of Wiss Cutlery. Circa 1926.


Catalog Pages

1925-tin-snips-catalog-page thumbnail A page section in a 1925 Channon Company catalog that lists with prices Wiss Tinners' Snips.


Correspondence

Marting-Bros-envelope thumbnail Marting Bros. envelope
Sent by J. Wiss.