Help ID Stanley bit Brace

[ekegelmann]

I'm not sure of the model number or year this may have been made. Instead if wood the grip and top is metal, I cannot find a tool # anywhere. Near the bit area it says Stanley inside a rectangle and SW inside almost a hear with made and USA on each side. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[pendragon1998]

The SW in a heart is the Sweetheart logo from 1920-1934. Those are usually pretty desirable tools. See if you can locate a model number somewhere on it. Maybe a 929?

 

[ekegelmann]

I found it after a light cleaning. It's a 903A 10in.

 

[hsvtoolfool]

Those braces normally have cocobolo rosewood handles. Stanley spent
a brief period making aluminum tools. They were mostly for trade schools,
I think. Your brace would date from 1926 thru 1933-ish. When in decent
condition (like yours), some of these oddball aluminum tools are more
valuable than the equivalent standard model. It's just a collector thing.
So you may want to research the current market value for your 903A.
My best guess is about $100, which is slightly higher than the normal
brace.

Also, please don't "restore" the tool. Clean the grime and grease it,
but don't strip the remaining nickel plate or sand/polish the aluminum.
That totally ruins the value to collectors.

 

[Mintgrun]

Resurrecting an old thread to share this old brace. This one is marked No. 929 10-IN and is a bit newer than the one above. I'll follow the advice to let it stay looking old and resist the urge to shine it up. "Restoring tools" is a satisfying process, but erases a lot of what I find appealing... the visible evidence of its history. I may try to extract the little broken screw and replace it with one that matches the other two.