Date of Gerstner toolboxes

I'm thinking of buying an older gerstner for my tools at home, and was wondering if there was any group intelligence on the age of Gerstner boxes.

When did the latches change?
when did the labels change[from the old oval to the square]
when did they stop with the raised panel front?
When did they stop using the little washers behind the drawer pulls?

Try this site.

http://www.gerstnerusa.com/

2-Ton

Gee never woulda thought of that..........they want 35 bucks to date a specific chest

more interested in general info, which is not on the gerstner site

Have not looked, but is there a Yahoo group for Gerstner aficionados, there seems to be one for most everything else?

nope

I've recently been searching for much of the same information keighg posted about in this thread. I am normally a fairly competent hand with a search engine but I've found very few specifics online in a couple of days searching. It could be that with Gerstner still in business and providing a dating service, now $50, people are reluctant to share specifics on datable features. I would throw out a few more questions in addition to keith's such as how long were the tin drawer bottoms available? What about discontinued model numbers? There are probably other datable changes as well?

I recently picked up a W52 11 drawer chest with a matched WB62 7 drawer base. I dont think either is very old but still...I really like to know all I can about the treasures I drag home. I have read in another thread here that the first two numbers of the lot # were the year made and also that it is the last two numbers that denote dates. I doubt it is quite that easy or Gerstner would have a heck of a time collecting the $50 fee for reading the number and they do request quite a few pictures to perform the service. The Gerstner crew is on vacation for a couple of weeks for the 4th but if nothing turns up I suppose that is where I'll go eventually. Ed.

Ed, I believe your W52 box was offered in the early seventies as that was the first appearance of walnut on apprentice boxes in our shop and apprentices weren't offered a choice you got what was available oak, vinyl, and walnut. The W62 & WB62 were first offered in 1976 I believe as I bought mine in January 1977 from a color brochure offering them as a new product offering. Price of W62 was $200.00 and WB62 was $70.00 in 1977. In 1998, upon retirement, both boxes retailed for $900. Craig

Thanks Craig, that is exactly the kind of information that seems so hard to find online. A dated brochure announcing a new product is about good as it gets for the start of a model run. It is easy to believe that the late 70's or early 80's is likely when my boxes were produced. Given the prices from then it looks like Gerstner has managed to stay a step or two ahead of inflation. I just checked their site and now walnut is a special order "exotic" wood for more $$$. Ed.

Glad I was able to provide you with info you were looking for. Here is some info of general interest, Gerstner offered a solid cherry jewelry box in either the late seventies or early eighties about the size of a W42 box for $575 if I remember correctly. Craig