Dang it!

[Northwoods]

Pulled some good stuff out of a waterfilled tin box this morning.  #2,3,4, and 5 of the big-logo Hinsdale open end wrenches from the 20's and 30's; a good Proto Pebble, a big one; a really nice Plomb obstruction wrench, the larger one; a 10" Barcalo-Buffalo adjustable with a good thick head; a Williams No. 474 adjustable spanner wrench marked Brooklyn-Buffalo, Pat August 11, 1914; and a cruddy little Plomb Pebble combo.  I just knew it had to be the 3/8" I have been looking for.
It was not to be.  Instead, it is my third 7/16".
The search goes on.

[leg17]

Tell me more about the Williams 474.
Picture?

[turnnut]

  the adjustable spanner must be patent number     D46260

[Northwoods]

Sorry, but I don't do pix.  But its design resembles this one, though the markings are quite different.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-JH-Williams-Made-in-USA-Adjustable-Spanner-Wrench-2-to-4-3-4-Buffalo-NY-/152569250136?hash=item2385d60158:g:n7oAAOSwBt5ZMCOu

First, the movable jaw has a forged in number, 474, and is held in place by a rounded rivet.  The body has a stamped in PATD AUG. 11, 1914.
 In the recessed handle panel:  NO.474  ADJUSTABLE SPANNER WRENCH
Opposite side:   J.H.WILLIAMS & CO., BROOKLYN--BUFFALO, U.S.A. followed by diamond W logo
Stamped outside the panel:  SPECIAL FINISH

It does not have the Williams underline logo, which was introduced in 1924, and mentions Brooklyn, as well as Buffalo.  AA states that Williams moved some production to Buffalo in 1914 and completed the move in 1919.  So, I assume it was manufactured between those two dates.

It has no owners' marks and seems to have no finish at all, but a nice patina.  Very few scratches, and really no sign of use at all on the jaw area.
Oh, and if anyone has a spare $349.99 I will entertain your offer quite favorably.  ;-) 

[Nasutushenri]

And what can be said about this one ?

Henri

[Northwoods]

Similar.
Yours is marked ALLOY.  Mine is not.
Yours gives the jaw size; mine gives the NO. 474.
Yours has no BROOKLYN forging.
Yours has the WILLIAMS underline stamp, making it post 1924.
Yours has the rivet ground smooth; mine is domed.
Yours finish appears? to show less age.

I see many versions of these on the web, but not one exactly like mine.  I have not yet found one I would trade for mine.  Looks like adjustable spanners could nearly equal Plierenches in varieties.

BTW, how does one measure these things?  From where to where?

[lptools]

Hello, Northwoods. I am guessing the size range relates to the diameter of whatever you hook the wrench on. Regards, Lou

[Nasutushenri]

Northwoods, thanks for your explanation.

The Williams spanner is probably quite common in the US, but rather rare in the Netherlands.
I bought it more than thirty years ago in Amsterdam from a dealer in surplus army and aircraft maintenance tools.
Didn't paid much.

I thought the letter "V" was a date code, but according to AA it is not.