Need help identifying a wrench?

[Kirok11]

Just joined, this is very cool.
So, I inherited a fair amount of tools from my Godfather. I'm going through them now but need help. I couldn't confirm what this wrench is?

Side 1:
77-18 Billings Vitalloy (registered mark).

Side 2:
HARTFORD, CONN (triangle "B" logo)
MADE IN USA.
Any help would be great, thanks!

 

[fuggle]

Billings & Spencer Company

The Billings & Spencer Company

An article on the Billings & Spencer Company and its hand tools.

alloy-artifacts.org

 

[four.cycle]

Billings / (see Billings & Spencer)

Billings & Spencer / Billings & Spencer Co., Laurel and Park St., Hartford, CT / acquired by Crescent Niagara Corp. 1962 / patent 804351 Nov 14 1905 William R. Tomlinson / http://alloy-artifacts.org/billings-spencer-company.html / http://alloy-artifacts.org/billings-spencer-company.html#history / http://toolarchives.com/index.php/node/61 / http://vintagemachinery.org/mfgIndex/detail.aspx?id=2522 / https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/charles-billings-christopher-spencer.277390/ / https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/lets-see-your-billings-and-spencer-goodies.390065/ /

List of Manufacturers and Brands of Mechanics Hand Tools

bookmark this link

Welcome to the site!

 

[Kirok11]

Thanks brother!

 

[four.cycle]

you are quite welcome. have fun poking around. no shortage of information here.

 

[Kirok11]

This is great. After reading the link, this wrench may have been manufactured right at the time Crescent came into the picture around 1962-ish. All the tools I acquired recently sat for the last 40 years. My Godfather used these tools for years prior to that. Just found something called a "Plirench".

 

[four.cycle]

^ Post some clearer photos showing the forging marks on the unit and one of the experts here might be able to offer a clue as to vintage. I'm kind of clueless on that part of it. Somewhere on that thing you'll see little letters or number or secret codes or symbols - those are your forging marks/production codes. (before we had bar codes)

 

[Kirok11]

I found some small vertical and horizontal lines next to the adjustment screw.

When I read further in the link you sent, I found this part:

"The modern face markings remained in use until the acquisition by Crescent Niagara in 1962. Crescent updated the Billings trademark to remove the B-Triangle logo, and tools produced after 1962 did not have the B-Triangle marking.

It mentions the narrowing type (between the B and the S in the "Billings" as a clue to it being no later than 1962.

So this wrench still has the B-triangle marking, so maybe it's safe to say 1926 to 1962 manufacturing date. I would guess closer to 1962 than 1926?! It's still a little vague trying to nail down the exact year but maybe an expert may know more?