unknown level

[Rustn Dust]

Does anyone recognize what this level is for?  I think it's mahogany, 76-5/8" long, 5" wide and 1+" thick.  Each end has a hard rubber roller that can be flipped up and down, maybe to adjust height.  It looks commercially made, but I don't see any marks.  I thought at first it was a mason's level, but a Google search under that name doesn't show anything similar.  It does look a little like the rail track level shown here http://cprr.org/Museum/Ephemera/track_level.html , but it does not have a height gage.

[rusty]

The shape is more modern than the one in your link, but, it is too long to be a track level anyhow (typical is 63")

hmm

[scottg]

I would guess its for plumbing of some sort.
 Drain lines? Culverts?? Floor drains at a gym shower?
 Anything with a known mandatory minimum slope.
 yours Scott

[HeelSpur]

Maybe it is for door jams, looks about the right height.

I've got an 8 foot level in the rafters of the garage
no clue of what it was used for (its wood).

[OilyRascal]

Are the glass vials banana shaped (curved glass)?  Does it have a vial for the horizontal plain, plumb (vertical plain), and for a 45 degree angle?

I'd say if it has all three vials, it's likely a carpenters level.  It's relatively long at 63" so IF the 45 degree vial is missing look to see if there are plomb vials on either end.  I would not be shocked to see a carpenter's level configured (in that length) with plomb vials on either end and absent the 45.

Most modern iron-workers levels I've seen are magnetized somewhere, somehow.  You may want to check for magnetism.

My gut reaction, however, was a line level given it appears it could be hung or suspended.  Having said that, I find a line level practically useless.  I can't imagine a modern day line level being made of mahogany and with such detail.  We have transits now, and cheap ones.

I think whatever it turns out to be the two swiveling hooks/eyelets, whether it has a 45 degree vial, the placement of the plomb vials, AND the unique angle on the wood stock will have been clues.

[Rustn Dust]

No curved or angled vials.  1 horizontal vial each on both sides of  the hand slot, that allow level to be read right side up and upside down.  Double vertical vials outboard of each horizontal vial allowing plumb reading either end up, or down.   Except for the brackets holding the hard rubber rollers, there's no metal, magnetized, or otherwise on the level.

[rusty]

Hmm, well, vertical vials would be useless for a track level, as well as a line level, it is starting to sound somewhat general purpose...
tho the rubber feet are certainly a mystery...

[RWalters]

@HeelSpur, I think you're right on the money. Johnson Level and Tool makes a door jamb level with rollers (the 778J) very similar in design to this one, although theirs is 78" long. In the product listing it says "Rollers at each and of this 78 in. level can be positioned against level's edge to compensate for irregular material being levelled or plumbed."

[Rustn Dust]

Aha!  The mention of rollers is enough for me to call it a door jam level.  I keep it leaning in a corner, and everytime I walked past it, I would think what the heck are those rollers for.  If not for them, I would have called  it a big ole level and forgot about.  I'm still not clear exactly how the rollers are used, but at least I have something to call it. 

[Rustn Dust]

Just ran into this on another site's forum using Rusty's information:  "It's the one with the roller spacers that you flop around the end onto the business edge so you can plumb door jams that are bowed into the opening from top to bottom hinge without the level touching the middle.  Once the hinges are plumb, you flop the spacers back and lean into it to straighten the jam for middle shims."  Thanks everybody.