John Fray Ratchet Brace 6 Inch Swing Rosewood

Unavailable
Offering this very rare, late 1800's era ratchet brace marked "THE JOHN S. FRAY CO. BRIDGEPORT CONN. U.S.A." on the steel swing arms. This brace is used and is in good++ working order with some wear noted. All the threads, adjustment, internal hardware, chuck, and jaws, spindles, handles etc. have minor wear, but work properly, as per design. The chuck is rather unique with a one piece, split jaw that appears to has been tested and will hold both round shank and tapered shank brace bits very well, or holds them true on center, and tightly also. The brace metal may have been nickel plated when original, but is just a nice polished surface now with the except of the spindle rosewood handle retainer at the handle end which has some nickle plating still intact. We do note some scratches on the chuck knurl, a few tiny dings elsewhere on the steel, but no rust or pitting, very clean and oiled, ready to use. The rosewood has lots of tiny dings, a few past owner's intials on the end handle, but solid, not cracked, nice dark wood grain, fully functional. A very rare, quality made brace in the hard to find smallest swing! John S. Fray Co. manufactured several different models in the late 1800's, later Fray Co. manufactured both Fray and Stanley brand braces up until the 1920's era. This brace is basically the same as the Stanley No. 919 and has a Fray's 1/8/89 ratchet patent, and a Bartholomew's patent 11/2/1908 chuck on it. Both the Fray and the Stanley were made at the Fray facility.

Item Details

Reference #:
T30019
Quantity
0
Category
Tools
SubCategory
Department
Antiques (approx100yrs)
Year
1910's-20's
Dimensions
(Width x Height X Depth)
x x
Weight
Unknown
Condition
Good++
Material