Stanley Logo date question

[Larry McGarrah]

I have an old Stanley #102 plane. Yah, I know it is a cheap piece of ____ but I didn't buy it to be a work horse. I am trying to figure out how old it is but the logo doesn't match any I can find. The logo on the cutter has:

line 1) STANLEY RULE (upwards arch)
line 2) & (in the center)
line 3) LEVEL Co (downwards arch with the "o" in Co raised to the top of the C)

All I can find on internet show the "& LEVEL CO" on a straight line together making a two line Stanley logo. Impressed into the heel of the plane is 102. Would this plane be 1870s or 1880s?

[Larry McGarrah]

Here's a picture of the logo.

238330

[Brian Cameron]

It seems to me that I have seen this mark but with oltimers coming on( LOL ) I can't remember where...but Stanley had a blade with all the type curved in one line betweem 1890 and 1910..I keep looking for it tho

[James Taglienti]

It's early. Gotta be type 1 does the plane have a front knob

[steven c newman]

I have a Stanley #120, and the iron has a similar stamp. The "MADE IN USA" is in a straight line across the bottom of the circle stamp.

[Jim Koepke]

Here is some information on the Stanley trade marks.

http://www.antique-used-tools.com/stantms.htm

It doesn't match any in particular. It does look like an early mark.

My #102 cost all of $2.52. It is actually a nice little plane. Nothing super, but it can be coaxed into doing some good work.

jtk

[steven c newman]

Looks like my like #120 is about 1900 or so.

[Sam Takeuchi]

Looks like my like #120 is about 1900 or so.

"Made in..." format became a requirement in 1914. Stanley Works and Stanley Rule & Level Co merged in 1920, became the Stanley Works, but as far as I know, Stanley didn't have a habit of stamping their blade "Made in USA" until 1921 at least for bench plane (probably because it was aimed for domestic market. 1914 revision in tariff act was aimed for import products). I don't know for sure, but I think another tariff act revision in 1921 might've had something to do with Made in USA stamp. Stuff like bench plane didn't get "Made in U.S.A." cast until type 14 (1929) though. Anyway I think it's safe to say your plane is post 1914 production, probably didn't leave Stanley's inventory until they started stamping blade Made in USA in 1921. It might even be produced before 1920, didn't get stamped at the time of production or got sent back to get stamped before leaving inventory post-1921.

"Made in..." doesn't tell you when things were made, but it gives you a point of reference at least.