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Derek Cohen's RUSSELL JENNINGS
auger bit set [SOLD]
by George Langford, Sc.D.

Russell Jennings starts his US Patent No.12,318 text with a desciption of what was wrong with the current style of auger bit (usually ascribed to L'Hommedeau):
L'Hommedeau bit description
paragraph 2
Russell Jennings auger bits - 4/16ths through 16/16ths
The design that Russell Jennings patents is at left in the patent drawing and at the top of the detail at right.  The L'Hommedeau style which he deprecates is at right in the patent drawing and at the lower right of the detail view of the drawing at right.
US Pat. No. 12,318
detail

Various styles of maker's mark:
Only one bit, the No.5 (5/16ths inch) has the patent date, Jan. 30, 1855, stamped on the shank, so it's older than 125 years.
Various steel-rule dies were used ...

4
No.4 size
11
No.11 size
5
No.5 size
5
No.5 size
6
No.6 size
12
No.12 size
7
No.7 size
13
No.13 size
8
No.8 size
14
No.14 size
9
No.9 size
15
No.15 size
10
No10 size
16
No.16 size
Each shank is stamped with the size of the hole to be drilled, expressed in 16ths of an inch.  One bit, the 7 1/2, is an intermediate size, 15/32nds of an inch (confirmed by micrometer measurement).  I'll have to fill in with a real No.7 !

Sizes on shanks
Nearly all the bits had to have their cutting edges and spurs touched up in order that they cut cleanly and draw into the wood. They were all tested on both soft wood and dogwood, a hard, dense wood native to southeast Pennsylvania.  One bit had been sharpened on the wrong side of the cutting edges and had to be touched up quite a bit more.  All are relatively unworn.
Larger spurs & screws
Smaller spurs & screws
Here's that No.7 size bit (drills a 7/16ths inch hole) to fill out the above set.
Russell Jennings No.7 (7/16ths inch) auger bit
Fine screw point
This bit didn't need any sharpening !

Makers stamp: Russell Jennings