Stanley Rule and Level Co.

[Curious Dwight]

I found this Level in my father's garage and I'm trying to correctly identify it. The length is 12 inches. Heavy. The only information on the level is "Stanley Rule and Co. New Britain Conn USA". I cannot find any more info on the level itself. My research leads me to think it is a No. 37. There is a groove on the bottom that runs the whole length for setting on curved surfaces. Because of the lack of more info on the surface of the level, I'm not positive it is a No. 37. I would like to know the identification of it and dates manufactured. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[yatg]

https://support.stanleytools.com/hc/en-us/articles/360012605137-Where-can-I-find-information-on-the-original-STANLEY-Sweetheart-logo

"Prior to 1920 The STANLEY Works and STANLEY Rule and Level Co. existed as two separate companies.

 

[four.cycle]

Hello there @Curious Dwight and welcome to the site!

You will do well here to keep this URL handy

and this one as well.

International Tool Catalog Library is your friend.

The earliest appearance a model #37 that I have in MY stuff is 1905, but that's not necessarily any indicator of the time range the model was manufactured.
You'd have to download a mess of catalogs from ITCL, try to figure out when that model makes its first appearance in the manufacturers's catalog (as opposed to the wholesale hardware catalog pages I have archived here) and its last appearance, and from that you can make at least an educated guess.
Pretty difficult to establish an exact date of manufacture on a tool unless it's one that's been marked with a production code indicating date (common on some other brands like Snap-on and Plomb, but unfortunately not Stanley.)

These are all of the catalog pages I have which show a model 37 or model 37G
Again, you'll want to check ITCL and d/l catalogs there to try to get a more accurate picture.

 

[RTM]

36 or 37, I can't tell about nickel plating from this distance.

You can look at other catalogs in this folder to try to date it see where features change.

Stanley Tools : Catalogue No. 34 : Sept. 1942 Edition : Stanley Tools Division : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

237 p., illus., 17.8 cm, trade catalog

archive.org

Internet Archive: Digital Library of Free & Borrowable Texts, Movies, Music & Wayback Machine

archive.org

 

[four.cycle]

@RTM - I'm guessing it's pre-war.

we're cross-posting here. BK

 

[four.cycle]

I can't tell about nickel plating from this distance.

looks like it may have been plated. kind of grubby, but there looks to be some shiny underneath the dirt.
I go out on a limb and guess 37G. my best WAG anyway.

 

[crguy]

looks like it may have been plated. kind of grubby, but there looks to be some shiny underneath the dirt.
I go out on a limb and guess 37G. my best WAG anyway.

It was definitely nickel plated.