Odd B&S Caliper

[T_Curlee]

When cleaning out my fathers garage, I ran across an unusual 24" (OK, 23") Brown & Sharpe inside/outside caliper. I would expect a caliper of this size and manufacturer to have a vernier, but this one only has calibrations with 1/8th" and 1/16th" gradations. On the front of the scale it's marked "SELTZER BAU LTD LOS ANGELES, CALIF. U.S.A.", while the back of the scale it's marked "BROWN & SHARPE MFG CO. PROVIDENCE, R.I. U.S.A." along with the B&S logo. There is no vernier nor any place to mount one. Other than the markings mentioned and the scale gradations, there are no other markings on the caliper.

While I can see B&S making custom tools, I can't figure out the use of a caliper of this quality with 1/8" and 1/16" scale gradations. Anybody have any idea who Seltzer is/was and what this tool was used to measure? It will probably be something obvious once we're told.

Thanks, Tom

 

[Firebrick43]

Its just an inside/outside caliper.

Calipers were commonly available with fractional scales years ago. Not everyone needs to work to the .001" of an inch. They would be used in factory making furniture and such where the precision wasn't required. Fractional calipers are still available although mainly digital now.

 

[The Cobbler]

as mentioned, probably for woodworking , ie wood turning industry where "close" tolerances aren't that critical

 

[RTM]

There is a Jules Steltzer furniture dating back to the 1940s in LA. Bau is the German word for building, remember Bauhaus design?

Maybe it was used in their factory?

 

[T_Curlee]

Its just an inside/outside caliper.

Calipers were commonly available with fractional scales years ago. Not everyone needs to work to the .001" of an inch. They would be used in factory making furniture and such where the precision wasn't required. Fractional calipers are still available although mainly digital now.

Its just an inside/outside caliper.

Calipers were commonly available with fractional scales years ago. Not everyone needs to work to the .001" of an inch. They would be used in factory making furniture and such where the precision wasn't required. Fractional calipers are still available although mainly digital now.

I agree that some calipers are fractional - I have others that are. And while it's true that you don't need to work to 0.001" with wood, when I'm working on cabinets or furniture, I try to measure things a lot closer than 1/16th". It seems odd that someone would have a precision tool company like B&S make a custom caliper of this nature. Then there is the size. What are you going to measure that's 23"? I could see 0" to 6" or maybe much longer than 23".

One application where the 1/16th might be an appropriate would be wood turning. Possibly the large measurement capability could be used when turning a large diameter table base. It's certainly odd.

Another person (RTM) mentioned the Jules Seltzer company in Los Angeles. Currently, they don't appear to manufacture any furniture, but sell a number of high end brands. However, this doesn't mean that they didn't in years past. I rebuilt a dining room table made by the the Angelus Furniture Company in the 1920's to 1930's. They closed their doors 2 - 4 years ago and and since the late 1950's were only a retail store for other brands.

Another idea (admittedly a stretch) is that the caliper was used in the Seltzer company's show room to measure things like chair seat width, etc.

Like I said, very odd.

Thanks for the comments.

 

[Mintgrun]

Perhaps this tool was used for layout, where you're marking even increments, as opposed to measuring them.