These two Dairy industry related catalogs are in remarkable condition for their ages. The Ladd Catalog #78 from the year 1928 is a "pocket edition" measuring 5' x 9" and numbering 216 double sided pages. It has hundreds of product illustrations and photos of virtually everything that would be required to operate a dairy farm operation in the 1920's time period. Anything related to milk, butter, cheese, eggs production, processing, packaging, etc. If it relates to this industry it can be found in both of these catalogs.
The primary difference between these two catalogs is related to the time period the catalog was produced. The Dairymen's Supply Co. Catalogue No. 5 dates from circa 1900 to 1905 and has fewer illustrations (engravings) and no photos. It measures 6" x 9.25" and contains 80 double-sided pages, plus a 1 page inside back cover index. This company was formed in 1890 and at the time of this catalog was run by George R. and William Meloney. George was famed for patenting, manufacturing and selling a Milk Weighing and Automatic Registering Scales machine that was quite successful for the company. It sold for $10.00 on page 10 of this catalog which noted "Patent Applied For". He also invented other dairy related items. The patent for the weighing machine was granted in 1911 but he died unfortunately in 1915 and at that time the company changed hands and name becoming the Dairymen's Supply and Construction Company based in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania rather than Philadelphia.
Anyone who is interested in the Dairy business and its operation will treasure these historical catalogs and the information they contain. The little butter making pamphlet came from a traveling salesman's butter churn sample case and I'm adding it just as a related novelty bit of ephemera.