To our friends and patrons, greetings. Prompted by a universal demand from our friends, and strongly feeling the need of a book that would be a work of standard value on tools and supplies… we have, with the characteristic spirit of our house, spared neither labor nor expense in producing a catalogue that will be a benefit to every buyer and workman in the line." So began an early Gesswein catalog offered at a time when all work was painstakingly crafted and finished entirely by hand. Compared to the present, considering current manufacturing knowledge and production supplies and equipment, those early days were hazardous and inefficient. Many techniques were unsafe and exposed the workers to highly toxic chemicals. The machinery that was available was powered by pulley or, at best, by gas or steam generators.