Rules made of boxwood were the primary measuring tools used by workers in my trade for bench work and general use prior to the 1960s - it seemed every craftsman and apprentice carried a folding boxwood rule in his apron or overall pocket. Some older craftsmen used the ivory rules that were offered by most of these makers, but their usage was not extensive due to their expense and the (maybe undeserved) perception that they shrank and splintered with use.
In general, folding boxwood rules manufactured in England read from left to right while those manufactured in the USA read from right to left. Plain rules such as bench rules, desk top rulers, pattern maker's shrinkage rules, etc. manufactured in the USA read from left to right. Stanley and Lufkin would supply their folding boxwood rules to US customers reading left to right on special order.
This is not intended to be a survey of all boxwood rules - rather the ones I depict and describe here represent those that I have owned or used during my lifetime. I mostly used boxwood rules manufactured by Rabone, Preston & Stanley during my apprenticeship in northern England.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
John Rabone & Sons - Birmingham, EnglandThe boxwood rules produced by John Rabone & Sons (est. 1784) were renowned for their excellent design and quality of manufacture.
No. 1167 Rabone 3ft four-fold boxwood "Blindman's rule".
"Blindman's rule" was a term used to describe those with extra large and black numbers - Stanley and Lufkin actually labeled them that way in their catalogs while Chapin-Stephens marked and cataloged them as "Nearsite rules". They were particularly well liked by older workers with diminished eyesight especially in poorly lighted work areas. I liked them anyway for general use.
In 1963 John Rabone & Sons merged with James Chesterman Co. Ltd. - renowned manufacturer of high quality steel rules - to form The Rabone Chesterman Co. This company continued to manufacture measuring (and other) tools at the Chesterman Sheffield Bow Works until they were bought out by Stanley in 1984.
No. 1162 Rabone Chesterman 3ft four-fold compass hinge boxwood
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Edward Preston & Sons - Birmingham, EnglandThis prestigious English firm - renowned for their wide range of high quality hand tools - manufactured fine boxwood rules from the date of their founding in 1825 until their demise in 1933. Their folding boxwood rules have always been highly regarded by woodworking craftsmen.
No. 3111 Preston 2ft four-fold boxwood rule
Marked:
No. 3111 ..... E. PRESTON & SONS B'HAM. ENG.
TRADEMARK (EP in cartouche) ..... WARRANd BOXWOOD
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Belcher Brothers & Co. - New York City, USAThe oldest manufacturer of boxwood rules in the United States, this company was founded originally in 1821 as Thomas Belcher Co. - Belcher Brothers & Co. was in business from 1853 until 1885.
Belcher 24" plain bench rule
Plain boxwood rules - bench rules, desk top rulers, pattern maker's shrinkage rules, etc. manufactured in the USA read from left to right.
Elegant old English numbering was used on early Belcher rules
Marked: BELCHER BROs. Co. N.Y.
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H. Chapin Co. & Chapin-Stephens Co. - Pine Meadow, Conn. USAThe H. Chapin Co. (est. 1826) was a great innovator in the production of boxwood rules and several of their employees (such as Lorenzo Stephens with his son, Delos H. and Henry Seymour) went on to form their own manufacturing companies. The H. Chapin Co. subsequently merged with the D. H. Stephens Co. in 1901 to form the Chapin-Stephens Co. which produced fine quality boxwood rules (and other tools) before going out of business in 1929.
Chapin 2ft four-fold fully brass bound boxwood rule (No. 15)
Marked: NO 15 ..... H. CHAPIN ..... U.S. STANDARD
Chapin-Stephens 2ft four-fold fully brass bound boxwood rule (No. 84)
Marked: NO. 84 ..... THE C-S CO ..... PINE MEADOW ..... CONN U.S.A.
Note: These rules were also marked: THE CHAPIN-STEPHENS CO. instead of C-S CO.
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Stanley Rule & Level Co./Stanley Tools - New Britain, Conn. USAStanley Rule & Level Co. (est. 1858) - subsequently Stanley Tools - maintained an excellent reputation for producing fine quality rules of all types that were universally popular with all kinds of woodworkers. Stanley bought out and absorbed numerous smaller companies especially during the early 1900s. Stanley would supply their folding boxwood rules to US customers reading left to right in the English tradition on special order.
Stanley's least expensive 2ft four-fold boxwood rule (No. 68)
popular in school woodworking shops and with Apprentices.
Marked: NO.68 ..... STANLEY .....
Stanley's very popular 2ft four-fold boxwood rule (No. 62)
fully brass bound (discontinued after WWII)
Marked: STANLEY ..... NO. 62 and on reverse side .........
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Lufkin Rule Co. - Saginaw, Mich. USAThe Lufkin Rule Co. (est. 1869) produced fine quality boxwood rules which have always been popular and highly regarded. At one time they were the largest manufacturer of rules in the United States. Lufkin would supply their folding boxwood rules to US customers reading left to right in the English tradition on special order.
Note: Lufkin entered into an agreement with John Rabone & Sons whereby the latter company would manufacture folding boxwood rules to Lufkin's specification for the British market and mark them "Lufkin Made in England". These rules read from left to right in the English tradition.
Lufkin 2 ft four-fold boxwood rule
Marked: No. 651 ..... LUFKIN ..... MADE IN ENGLAND ..... BOXWOOD
Lufkin 12 inch two-fold boxwood rule with caliper slide
Marked: LUFKIN ..... No. 372 (36½) ..... WARRANTED ..... BOXWOOD
Lufkin 6 inch two-fold boxwood rule with caliper slide marked: LUFKIN
Marked on reverse side: NO. 171 ..... MADE IN U.S.A
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Upson Nut Co. - Unionville, Conn. USAFounded circa. 1854 in New York, this company manufactured a wide range of boxwood rules until they went out of business in 1911.
Upson 2ft four-fold boxwood rule (No. 61)
Marked: No.61 ..... UPSON NUT CO.
Several US manufacturers adopted Stanley's numbering system for their own boxwood rules - including Upson.
