Vintage stanley level

[butchc]

I have an old Stanley level that does not seem to be original, but would like some opinions.
The markings on the face plate are of a patent date Feb 1890. 28 3/8" long. Due to the rough nature of it, were early ones a bit less finished? Or were levels remade from partswith new wood? The pictures will show the markings.
Any constructive comments would be apprrciated.
Thanks, butch

 

[RTM]

Everything I saw looks like a 100 year old level that has been used. The shrinkage away from the brass end does not seem unusual. Some were laminated from three strips of wood. Where do you think you see new wood? The last pic? A little too close to tell, might be, grain looks slightly odd. A slightly wider view may help.

As much as the rest of it is chewed up, that bit may have been too far gone, but someone needed to keep using it.

 

[RTM]

Yours is probably a #3, brass tips (ends) but not lips (around the curves)

Stanley Tools [Catalog] : Stanley Rule & Level Co. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

28 p., illus., 20.1 cm, trade catalog

archive.org

 

[butchc]

Everything I saw looks like a 100 year old level that has been used. The shrinkage away from the brass end does not seem unusual. Some were laminated from three strips of wood. Where do you think you see new wood? The last pic? A little too close to tell, might be, grain looks slightly odd. A slightly wider view may help.

As much as the rest of it is chewed up, that bit may have been too far gone, but someone needed to keep using it.

 

[butchc]

Thanks for your review. I dont see any signs of new wood. The shrinking you refer to could account for the overlap of the brass plate on the wood, picture1. The rougness around the holes and where the plate is inlaid in pic2 and 3, 4 probsbly is just 100 years of use. Both vails are in tact and the bubbles are accurate.

 

[crguy]

I agree, it's just a well used old wood level.

 

[kwigly]

It can be dated to a narrow time gap if original, as it has Stanley's patented Feb. 18. 90 adjustable bubble, but not the Hand-Y Grip wood body that Stanley patented the following year Jun. 02. 91