Original Irwin Auger Bits Cardboard boxes

[Moses Yoder]

I will be checking responses to this thread about 5 in the morning (Saturday) and will be offline all day tomorrow unless I can bum a hot spot off my brother's phone. We are parting out dad's stuff tomorrow (Saturday), an auction of sorts. We can spend a limited amount of our future inheritance, each sibling is allowed 5K. My dad had a very nice set of Irwin bits in a wooden case, I have seen a lot of these and would like this set for myself. I have one set already but nostalgia etc. whatever, I want it. I was looking at it today and it had a cardboard box with the wood box that is the exact right size for the wood box to fit in. The cardboard box is in bad shape, one side has fallen off and would need to be taped. It has no labels of any sort on it. It has two portions that slip inside each other, a bottom section and top section. The bottom section is red, the top is black with a gold pattern on it. I was wondering if this box is original with the set; if so I would assume it to be extremely rare. Here is a set similar to the one I m looking at (http://www.rubylane.com/item/632271-004732/Vintage-Irwin-Auger-Drill-Bit), without the cardboard box. Great appreciation will be slung around for any info.

[David Weaver]

Many of us have that exact set.

But I would gladly unload my current set to buy one from my dad's auction were he to actually have such a thing.

[Jim Koepke]

It is always good to have extra bits. You never know when you might hit an embedded piece of metal and bugger a bit.

I do not know about the cardboard box other than the "fitted" one inside the other style is sometimes referred to as a "telescoping" box.

It would not surprise me if many of the original cardboard boxes didn't even make it off the show room floor. The clerk was likely asked to dispose of it as it wasn't needed as a happy customer went home with his or her new treasure.

Others were likely given to one of the kids to hold their baseball card collection.

There may be some die hard collectors looking for such a thing. All in all I haven't heard of much collector value being given to Irwin bits. Even I do not get all tickled about them and the Irwin name runs in my family (mother's maiden name). As far as I know there is no relation.

jtk

[Moses Yoder]

Just to clarify, I would never sell this set. I am off to get it starting at 8 am this morning, stuff in the garage will sell this afternoon. We will see if Elvin (one obnoxious brother-in-law) is still talking to me after the day is over. Hoping everyone plays nice.