Unusual old nipper/stripper pliers found yesterday

[Wrenchmensch]

A flea market friend offered these good-looking 6 1/2-inch pliers to me yesterday. The "B" stamp was explained on the the boss inside both handles: "Bernard".  The other bosses inside the handle stated these pliers were made by "Wm. Shollhorn Co, New Haven, Conn U.S.A.  I don't know how old they are. 

There is a circular notch in one jaw. The seller suggested it was used for wire stripping; I guesstimate the wire could be no bigger than 14 ga.

[rusty]

Older than the stamped sheet metal pliers, because that's what they made before patenting sheet metal pliers and switching almost exclusively to making those ....

(Cutters, nippers, lineman's pliers, none seem to be all that common...)