Private Lugnutz said:
When I accepted the host job last year, I have to admit I was a little worried about the negative effect it would have on my own collecting. I thought it would sap my focus, time, and energy. The truth is I had my personal best year ever, and by far, as a collector. So good that I fear I may never have another year like it again!
That was one of your
Hostus Emeritus's last posts in 2018.
If my first haul of the year for 2019 is any indication - I may have to (gladly) eat those words!
The box with the four different leads (rheostat, shunt, rheostat with grnd, drive-pin), is a WWII
17-T-5775 Model QMC Low Voltage Circuit Tester made by Heyer in Belleville, NJ, dated 1-1942, with the Operating Manual, dated 5-1942. It's for regulators, generators, starters, batteries, and combined circuit level testing. One of these were in every 2nd Echelon Set No. 2 (along with Sets No. 1 through No. 9 in a mobile or fixed-site automotive maintenance depot just behind the FLOT). They aren't unicorns, but they aren't too common, either. It's the first one I have ever seen in the wild.
The binoculars are British, H. Watson & Sons, London. Not dated as far as I can tell so far, but they have the M.O.D. broad arrow symbol and a "
Opticians to Her Majesty's Government" marking. Whether they are WWII or earlier they are going to ride in the panniers rack on my BSA WDM20!
The vintage DOE wrench is a
CORNWELL-A and the vintage snips (I am not familiar with this type of handle enough to name them, but I really like them!) are
WISS, a venerable and renowned brand made right here in NJ.
The ratchet is a very early (40's?)
MAC X2R, 3/8-inch drive, undoubtedly made for MAC by Herbrand, with a "PAT. PEND." marking on the flip side. It goes to the very early (40's?) NOS box of
"MAC" SOCKETS, 3/8-inch drive, also marked
The Mechanics Tool & Forge Co, SABINA, OHIO.