Picked this up last night from a former cabinet maker in my area. The japanning on it is nearly half gone, but otherwise it is in fine condition. Does anyone know a good way to date it?
IMG_20170613_071558.jpg
Picked this up last night from a former cabinet maker in my area. The japanning on it is nearly half gone, but otherwise it is in fine condition. Does anyone know a good way to date it?
IMG_20170613_071558.jpg
The "notched box" logo started in ~1920 with the SW Hart era. The plane itself was only made from 1905 to 1958 according to Patrick Leach's site.
jtk
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
Here is a page with Stanley trade marks used on plane blades:
http://www.antique-used-tools.com/stantms.htm
The first use of the notched box started in ~1920. I do not know enough about the #148 to know if it used the SW Hart in it main brand mark.
I have a tool from around that time that has the SW Hart on the top of one of the thumb screws. You might look at the screws for such a mark.
My John Walter book didn't offer any type information on these planes.
jtk
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
I stand corrected, but japanning is the black finish on older tools employing bitumen based coating. Your bad boy looks plated.
Case of "1st" model vs. late model. Same plane, just Stanley started nickle plating a lot of their items.
In the 1880s into the 1890s many Stanley products were japanned. Around 1894 the new bright and shiny look was in and japanning gave way to nickel plating. During WWII nickel was a strategic material for the war effort and many of Stanley's nickel plated items were japanned to lessen the use of nickel.
More here:
http://www.supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan13.htm#num148
jtk
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)