hard to find oversized 1910 no. 20 hardbound yale & towne mfg. company hardware catalog

all original heavily illustrated yale and towne hardware manufacturing company "catalogue no. 20" featuring a nicely organized and thorough compilation of yale products datng from the early 1900's. the catalog includes, but not limited to, a sizeable collecton of padlocks, cabinet hardware, door closers, deadlatches and entrance door lock sets. the forest green hardcover has a detailed gold stamped lettering running along the front cover and binding. the catalog's cover has some tearing along the top and bottom of the spine, but no damage to the book's binding and all 915 pages remain fully intact. the yale & towne manufacturing company was established in 1868 by linus yale sr. and henry towne in stamford, connecticut. in 1861, linus yale, jr. was inspired by the original 1840's pin-tumbler lock designed by his father, thus inventing and patenting a smaller flat key with serrated edges as well as pins of varying lengths within the lock itself (the same design which still remains in use today). yale jr. died in new york on december 24, 1868, never knowing that his company would become one of the leading manufacturers of locks throughut the country and beyond. henry towne later expanded the company with the additon of materials handling in 1875. the hardware catalog measures 11 x 12 1/2 inches.