Old Woodworking Adverts

Bm101 · 14 Jul 2019

Thanks for posting. Always like looking although I honestly can't see a point in my life I will ever own a Wadkin etc.
However, what does strike me is some of the (London) addresses.
Victoria Street. Tower Hill. Upper Thames street.
These streets are just most huge glass and steel cages for office blocks and starbucks now. Corporate London.
It's only a few years back since Limeburner Lane meant summat. Or Leather Lane. Or indeed Gropec**t Alley... if you had a certain yearning... But that's a lot longer ago than these streets were still hosting machinery manufacturers. In those terms it's a blink of an eye.
Not quite sure what I'm saying tbh. Sorry. I feel like I miss something. Just can't quite put ma finger on it and I'm not romanticizing the past. And I get economics, and I get built in obsolescence, I just don't like it.
Rant over. Pologies.
:evil:

AndyT · 14 Jul 2019

I think I see what you are getting at Chris. Back then, those companies making quality, useful stuff were important enough to command prestige offices and showrooms.
What do those glass towers celebrate now? Hedge funds, derivatives, currency trading.

Which of those industry sectors do we look on with pride and which with a sense of mistrust and doubt?

Trevanion · 14 Jul 2019

It used to be about making a good product before making pocket. Now it's about making as much pocket as possible before making a decent product. It's the reason a lot of good companies went bust, they were so rigid in their ways of making the best product possible that they weren't turning a profit by the end.

www.lathes.co.uk/wadkin-catalogues/page4.html Worth a look.

Nick. · 14 Jul 2019

Trevanion":2leq1xuo said:
It used to be about making a good product before making pocket. Now it's about making as much pocket as possible before making a decent product. It's the reason a lot of good companies went bust, they were so rigid in their ways of making the best product possible that they weren't turning a profit by the end.

I think that's a bit of a 'rose tinted glasses' view - successful companies have always realised the importance of quality vs price positioning in the market - the market and competition also changes with time, and you make that decision to build and design to the price point you want to sell into. If companies went bust, then it's likely for far more complex reasons than just 'building a good product'.. but no doubt about it they were good products.

Loving the old adverts too - thanks for finding & posting, some these are like works of art in my view - literally cut & pasted and hand drawn - Ha, I'm just old enough to remember letraset before computers could print out fonts.

Cheers, Nick.