Small Boat Restoration: Wilcox, Crittenden and Company, Inc.

Wilcox, Crittenden and Company, Inc.

Wilcox and Crittenden Inc was the maker of all of the early Alcort bronze and brass hardware. They were one of the largest nautical hardware manufacturers in the world, based in Middletown, CT. ALcort ordered hardware from them and paid by the pound.

"In 1869, William Wilcox formed a partnership with three of the younger men of his organization, Albert R. Crittenden, E. Bound Chaffee, and Homer Churchill. Crittenden purchased a tenth interest in the business for $5,000, and name of the firm was changed to Wilcox, Crittenden & Company.

In the maritime world, steam was gradually replacing sail, and the company's 1870 catalog offered such varying products as shackles, thimbles, ring bolts, "Ereful whistles," engine-room signals, boat nails "of good Swede's steel heavily galvanized," and cotton hooks "New Orleans pattern." A new outlet for sailmakers was in manufacturing awnings and the company began stocking awning hardware as well. In 1883, Wilcox developed an improved brass grommet (which became known as the spur grommet), secured its approval as standard equipment by the British Admiralty, and eventually it was adopted by all the leading navies of the world. By the late 1880's, Wilcox, Crittenden & Company had become the largest manufacturers of marine hardware with the most diversified line in the United States.

The company survived a fire in 1907 which destroyed a large portion of the plant. They maintained during the World Wars and the Depression and by 1961, Wilcox, Crittenden & Co., Inc. was a division of North & Judd Manufacturing Co. By 1971 it was a Gulf + Western Precision Engineering Company, and by 1975, a division of Gulf + Western Manufacturing Company." (angelfire)

27 Jun 13:

Bought some bronze hardware, most made by Wilcox Crittenden. Pieces include a halyard cleat, boom blocks for wood spars, halyard blocks, cockpit hooks and some eyestraps. Made in the good old USA. One boom block will go onto Zip's boom and we will also add add sheet block to the cockpit to help manage the sheet like newer boats.

From Small Boat Restoration

21 Dec 16:

I was looking for bronze hardware on ebay and searched for Wilcox and Crittenden, they made a lot of the early bronze hardware for the Alcort Sailfish and Sunfish. I was surprised to see a compass in a small box come up, and found they were called a Captain's compass or dory compass. This compass was made in Middletown, CT around 1954. It is in a nice wooden box that measures 4 3/4 inches square with nice hasps, a cool gimbal ring and it has a beautiful dial. We will have fun using it with our fleet.

William W. Wilcox

07 Feb 19

Rounded up some more Wilcox and Crittenden hardware for use on our boats. We will make another padook with the galvanized boat hook, it feels like the perfect weight. We love the crusty patina.

The tabbed bow handles fit on the wooden Alcort Standard Sailfish, Super Sailfish and Sunfish. We are losing track of how many boats we have, but I think this is a spare :)

I'm not sure what I was more excited about, the box or the chocks inside. The chocks will go on our little Sorg Runabout WILLOW.

02 Mar 19:

A few bits from the 1954 Wiclox and Crittenden Co. Inc catalog. They made the hardware for Alcort sailboats, the Sunfish and Sailfish. We have a lot of the hardware, one of our favorites is the bow handle for the wooden Alcorts. They run about 50 dollars today on the Old New Stock market.

We also like their boat hooks.

Now we know where to get our ice pick holders!

21 May 19:

Scored a couple of bronze sheet blocks made by Wilcox and Crittenden, they go to the wooden booms on the early Alcort Sailfish and Sunfish.

27 May 19:

Had some fun painting a Wilcox and Crittenden 5 pound Navy anchor. We'll use it as a lunch hook on our Penobscot 14. High visibility so we won't trip on it.

23 Jun 19:

Because we didn't have one...Wilcox and Crittenden Foghorn...everyone else has one, right?

28 Apr 20:

We haven't started building our Rabl Midge BLUFF RATTY yet, but we did score some nice Wilcox and Crittenden oar locks on ebay.

17 Dec 20:

Scored these Wilcox and Crittenden jam cleats with sheaves on ebay, thought maybe we could use them on our catboat. Turns out they are very small, might be good for a topping lift, lazy jacks or a jiffy reef.

28 Jan 21:

Main method of propulsion for the little punt SCUPPERS wil most likely be a punt pole. Secondary will be paddle, and we might try tiny oars. If so, we have some vintage Wilcox and Crittenden removable oar locks that we'd use. We only envision using SCUPPERS in water shallow enough for a punt, so that if we capsize we could just stand up and reboard the PV (Punting Vessel).

Okay we would attach them to the gunwale. Shown below on the hull just for size reference.

15 Dec 21:

We found a nice Wilcox and Crittenden flagpole holder on ebay, along with a mahogany flagstaff and a "Skunked" flag. The flag was used to designate a bad day fishing, although Skipper thinks it was a Jedi Mind Trick to keep other fisherman from finding the good fishing holes.

14 Feb 22:

I bought Skipper some jewelry for Valentine's Day, weh says they are too big for her fingers bu not to send them back, she may find a use for them.

Bronze Wilcox and Crittenden oarlocks, size 0, which translates to 1/2 inch diameter pins.

17 Feb 22:

We found some Wilcox and Crittenden oarlocks on ebay, figured we might need them for one of our small rowboats.

We like the keeper chains, and need to add something similar to the Lugger's oarlocks.

20 Mar 22:

We gathered up all of the rigging and hardware for the Wheel Deck boat hoist, most of it is Wilcox and Crittenden bronze halyard blocks, eyestraps and snap shackles and the line is vintage Sunfish sheets. There are two different cleats that are not for Sunfish, but also Wilcox and Crittenden. One is an interesting little jam cleat.

12 May 22:

Found a few more Wilcox Crittenden items for our collection. The folding Helmsman Seat can also be used in the galley, per WC's advertisement, but Skipper seemed cool on that idea. We'll find a spot for it somewhere, maybe it becomes a portable Moaning Chair in the shop.

The Hurricane Tested nav lights were oil burners, but the seller sent little battery powered LEDs with them.

16 Sep 22:

We have this unique bronze piece from Wilcox Crittenden Inc, it is a security device for the oars and by default, a security device for the tender. We also plan to use it to keep the oars secure during trailering.