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Yankee Braces - A Type Study of Sorts
by George Langford
February 17, 2007 - Revised September 5, 2008

Group H - Two twelve-inch swing 2101-12 IN braces made for the Bell System
by the North Bros. Division of Stanley Tools.

These two braces are closely alike, except that the one at upper right has a cracked wrist as shown in the image to the right of this panel.  They each have chucks simply marked "Yankee" and the first two patent dates stamped into the knurled bottom enclosure ring of the ratchet mechanism.  That means they were manufactured in the short period between January 13 and November 25 in the year 1925, before the application for the third patent was filed.  They are therefore of earlier manufacture than the braces with all four patents cited.

Cracked wrist of brace at upper right

Both braces are fully and smoothly functional and original. 

The brace, at upper right with the cracked wrist, is designated B&D-H1, has lost about 80% of its nickel plating.  It is priced at
SOLD.

The brace at lower left, designated B&D-H2, has retained about 90% of its nickel plating but has lost all of the red paint from its "YANKEE" trademark, so it also is priced at SOLD.

Upper image is the pad of the brace at top right.

Lower image belongs to the brace at lower left.


A pair of twelve inch swing Yankee braces

Both heads, left brace's on top



Pad of brace at upper right


Pad of bottom left brace