Hand-Stamped Framing Square, J.F. Brown $3.00

[tshusker]

Would love to hear what anyone may know about Mr. J.F. Brown and his hand-stamped framing square. I've seen a few other tools marked as made by "J.F. Brown," and that the DAT has a "J.E." Brown (typo perhaps) from 1841, but I'd like to know more - if anyone has more. Would really like to nail down an approx age of this square, so appreciate your help.

The body length measures 24", and the tongue 17". The body is 1-15/16" in width, and the tongue 1-7/16". For both body and tongue, the outside graduations are 8ths, and the inside are 4ths. The two blades also taper in thickness, from 3/16" thick at the heel, to 1/16" at the ends. The square weighs 2 lb 8.4 oz.

Thanks, All!

 

[neophyte]

The square was likely “hand divided” given the age.
Stanley supposedly only stopped hand dividing their rules somewhere between the 1870s and 1890s.
Rabone in the UK seemed to follow a similar timeline.
Tapering is still done on traditional Japanese carpenters squares.
I was unaware that it was also done on older Western squares.
I would presume maybe it was a result of forging out bar stock, although it could also be a result of forge welding or brazing/soldering two steel bars together, and then filing the transition smooth.
The corner would also be where most stress would be located so maybe that would explain the reason to keep the area thicker.
Jim Bode Tools had a JF Brown sash plane at some point, which makes me suspect JF Brown was not an actual manufacturer, just a retailer, or wholesaler.

 

[neophyte]

A quick web search seems to indicate others have come across carpenters squares similar to yours, stamped “J.F. Brown” with potentially the same “$3.00” also stamped, and the same taper.

Your square us also clearly marked “J.F. Brown”.
I sort of wonder if there could be some connection to Joseph Rogers Brown, one of the founders of the Brown & Sharpe manufacturing Company.
Certain names seemed to have been fairly common 200 years ago, do there could certainly have been others with initials similar to J.F. Brown, or J.E. Brown, or J.R.Brown.
Joseph Rogers Brown was born in 1810, and his father supposed was a successful clockmaker, with Joseph Rodgers fully operating the business from 1841 to 1853.
He supposedly designed a highly accurate linear dividing engine in 1850 and then Lucian Sharpe became his partner in 1853.
Clockmaking requires carefully divided gears, if the “clockmaker” is actually making or modifying movements, and marking measurements on dials, if the clockmaker is involved in finishing the clocks as well.
These are the same basic skills needed to make a carpenters square, and not that far off in size, and hand dividing squares might certainly compel a person to with the necessary skills to design a dividing engine to be quicker, and more productive.
I wonder if there were any siblings that might had similar names as well ?

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Joseph-Rogers-Brown

 

[RTM]

I won't re reference DAT here . Sharing your data here on where you found the initial dates you shared elsewhere, can reduce rework later this week.