Thanks, I wasn't actually sure what it is but it does look like that!Looks a bit like a clutch alignment tool
Is the taper assembled backwards? Seems like the taper should go towards the end the various diameter pieces fit on.Looks a bit like a clutch alignment tool
DSCF4045 (2) by wvwheaties, on Flickr
DSCF4046 (2) by wvwheaties, on FlickrHow did you date it so precisely?Multi-Herbrand-Duty, pretty worn. #178 compound leverage pliers. 1931
DSCF4045 (2) by wvwheaties, on Flickr
DSCF4046 (2) by wvwheaties, on Flickr
That's the date on the auction tag, and theres this one on ebay dated the same https://www.ebay.com/itm/1339482256...1291&msclkid=c50bcb744d311bcf758da9867429354fHow did you date it so precisely?
Herbrand quarter inch socket set just sold on eBay. I bid it up to $60. Sold for $366 plus shipping! Damn!!!
Yes.https://www.ebay.com/itm/295235404712?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=wKSg_jRtS2i&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=GEKQHqbYSzO&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPYWas that the set with the square shank extension with the spinning handle?
Herbrand 482 20-inch pry bar


I'm going to assume that the "ON" in your location field is "Ontario", correct?
I picked up this model 482 Herbrand 20-inch pry bar at a garage sale about 30 years ago for one dollar:Herbrand 482 20-inch pry bar
Mine is stamped with "HERBRAND" and "MADE IN USA" in upper case block text.
Here's the catalog listing from the 1966 Herbrand catalog:
Herbrand 481 482 485 pry bar 1966 Herbrand catalog pp 25
Note that the 1966 catalog only shows ONE model of the lady slipper type pry bar.
So...
Go to International Tool Catalog Library and start picking through earlier editions of Herbrand catalogs (of which there are no shortage, and unless I am mistaken this 1966 catalog I sent to them is the most recent edition they have.) And work backwards until you find those other three. Then you'll know that they can't be any younger than that.
But that doesn't answer the question about the lower case text.
Most older Herbrand stuff was marked with their logo and Herbrand name in cursive text:
Herbrand Co., Fremont OH LOGO (cursive US production)
Later U.S. made product is marked with "HERBRAND" in the upper case plain block text (as above)
At some point, Herbrand moved production from Orangeburg, South Carolina to somewhere in the vicinity of Toronto, and adopted a weird combination of an upper case serifed "H" with lower case cursive "erbrand" on some of what is believed to be Canadian production product:
Herbrand Co. (Canada?) late font
Your lower case pry bars are a bit anomalous. First time I've seen that.
Just a wild guess, but based on your location, it's possible those were made north of the 49th parallel.

^ I did not notice it at first until you posted the new photos:
YOUR piece is marked with a Capital "H" and lower case "erbrand" - which follows the theme seen on those chromed metric (12-point) sockets (none of which are marked with COO - they're in a box here right next to me, as it turns out.)
Purely speculation, but I'd call that an indicator there's some relationship between your pry bar and my sockets - era or point or origin perhaps.
upper case serifed "H" with lower casecursiveserifed and italicized "erbrand"
Even though the capital "H" is sans serif and the letters in the lower case "erbrand" are not quite as leaning (italicized) as these 60's examples, and the entire marking ("Herbrand") on that pry bar is not nearly this stylized, I'm thinking it's meant to evoke the same theme and that it could be from the same era. At any rate, this is the logo that 4.c is referring to.I cleaned up the logo with some steel wool.