Best Stanley Vintage Brace - Help Please

[Boringgeoff]

Hello G.I hunted through a pile of English braces yesterday and found two Stanley's, a 144 10 IN and a 144 10 IN Mk 3. Although the first one hasn't got any Mk on it, for the exercise I'm going to call Mk 1
It's almost identical to the Chapman by Stanley with the octagonal chuck but the length of the chuck assembly has been shortened by about 17mm. The head has a ball race thrust bearing as does the Mk 3 but lacking on the Chapman by Stanley model.

The Mk 3 has a round chuck and plastic head and handle.

The script on the frame differs between the two.

In this last photo the earlier model is the lower.
The jaws differ between the two, although of course they could be replacements. The later one has slotted openings at the back where the earlier one is blind.

As an aside, the note attached to the Mk 3 reminds me that it came from my good friend Vann in NZ, thanks Vann.
While I was sorting through the braces I found a TOGA which looks the same as Andy's and was able to add the information supplied by Andy that it is from the Buck and Hickman stable which I didn't previously know. Thanks Andy.
I hope I haven't bored everyone to death.
Cheers,
Geoff.

 

[AndyT]

Fwiw, I've checked my brace and it's just marked No 144 10" with no indication of any Mark number.

 

[Droogs]

probl'y means it's a Mk1

 

[AndyT]

I can't be very definite about the age of my 144 but it was definitely post war, and probably before the 70s.

 

[Boringgeoff]

I found two braces with 4 jaw chucks up in the shed. The first by Henry Boker of Germany looks very similar to your example Andy. I don't know anything about it, but would have guessed pre-war

The other is a cheapy with no marks on which, due to the look of the head and handle, I was assuming was Stanley.

On a trip to NZ last year I saw one for sale in a hardware shop in TeKuiti marked "Stanley Australia, Made In Taiwan."

Cheers,
Geoff.