The first issue that I can find in the Catalogues to represent these tools is in 1909, but as always these tools may have been introduced a little earlier.  The ‘Rounders’ were available in 3/8″; 7/16″; or 1/2″.

It can be seen that the Dowel Trimmer was to put a bevelled edge on the very end of the dowel, whereas the Dowel Rounder was used to put a rounded profile to the end of the dowel.

The 1928 Catalogue shows these pages:

By 1938 we have these pages:

The 1959 Catalogue shows that the Dowel Rounders have been de-listed:

The 1965 Catalogue shows this Dowel Sharpener as being much shorter:

The last mention of the #1636 Dowel Sharpener is to be found in the November 1969 Price list at 10/6d.  By 1971 there is no listing of this tool.

In this section I will try to outline the tools that MARPLES manufactured that were associated with Picture Framing.

Below are the listings that I can find in the catalogues. There are no  entries to show that the production of a picture frame was an issue that was beyond the capabilities of the average craftsman before 1888 but then we find this:

By 1897 the range has expanded a little:

1909 sees the inevitable change of numbering system:

Next is the 1921 Catalogue, truncated due to the past war:

The next large catalogue, 1928, is shown below:

We then jump to the next full sized catalogue of 1938:

After the war the next full catalogue is published 13 years later in 1959!!:

We then come to the 1965 Catalogue:

By the time that the slim 1971-2 catalogue came around:

The table below was constructed from all the information gleaned from the 1909 onwards catalogues. The information on these products prior to 1909 is available for you on the pages above.

It is curious that item #6826 in the 1921 Catalogue appears to have been swifly re-numbered to #6836 in the 1928 Catalogue. I do not know whether the initial insertion of 1921 was a numbering error or whether this is a true re-numbering.

Shamrock Mitre Planer:

This heavy duty double sided mitre planer #6798 is first seen in the 1909 Catalogue and was available into the 1928 Catalogue but not shown in 1938.
Marples must have bought out the Patent on ‘Hutchens Patent Mitre Shooter, [which was available before 1909] in order to continue production.
It had 2 opposing cutters which were actuated by a side lever as shown below:

Mitre Cutting Machine:
First seen in the 1897 Catalog as Item #2163 and in 1909 as Item #6800. This machine was overtaken by the ‘Imperial Mitre Cutting Machine, which was slightly bigger and therefore #6800 is not seen in the 1921 Catalogue:

M1; M2; M3 and M4  Mitre Block and Mitre Box:

In the September 1989 Price List we see that Marples Ridgway introduced 2 new Mitre Boxes and 2 new Mitre Blocks:

These were short lived in that by early 1991 they no longer appear for sale.

#6806  Marvel Mitre Cutter was the best Mitre Cutter jig that Marples produced. It had reversible jaws and was only made 1959-73.

#6807 Mitre Cutting Clamp. was first produced by Marples Ridgway in Feb 1984.  It was to replace the #6808 but with no saw guide adjusters and was basically a cheapened product. It was available until 1996

#6808 Junior Mitre Cutter. This aid was produced from 1959 to 1983:

#6809 Combination Square and Mitre Cutter:
Actually the number 6809 was originally ascribed to ‘Amateur Corner Cramps in 1909 but this tool was swiftly replaced by #6810 ‘Improved Corner Cramps’. The number 6809 was then taken up in 1965 by the ‘Combination Square and Mitre Cutter‘ as shown below and this tool was eventually de-listed in 1983.

#6814 Brass Mitre Templets are first to be found in 1897 {#2157G} in sizes 3.1/2″; 4.1/2″ and 6″.[Actually there was a Brass Mitre Templet shown in the 1888 catalogue, but of a more solid design than later] . Re-numbered #6814 in 1909, the line continued but after WWII the 3.1/2″ size was dropped,  the tools being eventually dis-continued around November 1963.  Shown below are 2 sizes of Templets.

#6815 Iron Mitre Templets, were only ever available in a 6″ size and between 1909 and August 1973.  Nickel plated:

#6816 Mitre Blocks :

I can trace the exact same Mitre Block back to 1897 and forward to its’ possible demise in 1993. Unfortunately you will not find too many of these tools because they have been sawn into extinction by the owners NOT inserting a thin strip of wood on the base to prevent the oversawing of the manufactured slots. This is most prevalent in the Mitre Boxes….too many have been destroyed by not accurately adjusting the saw guides and NOT putting a strip of wood on the base portion.

You will see that there were a number of Item# changes with time, as well as a change in length.  In 1897 they are listed as ‘Beech Mitre Blocks‘ #2150E and with 10″; 12″; and 16″ lengths.

In 1909 although the picture ‘number’ is wrong [8616] the text is correct with a new number of 6816 and this number endured until the product was  discontinued[but see October 1990].  But it is still available in the 3 lengths as before.

As with many other tools, after WWI this product is not listed as being available, but it re-appears in 1928, but now only as 10″ and 12 “ lengths.

The Catalogue entries for 1938 and 1959 are the same, having the same item number and both 10 and 12 inch lengths.    1959 is shown here:

In 1965 the entry has been reduced to just a 10 inch size:

Catalogue #16 shows a similar entry of #6816 which persisted to September 1972 when the number was changed to M6816, still with only a 10 inch length being available. This state of affairs lasted until at least November 1980, but in the February 1984 list the number has been changed to MR6816 and the length is indicated as 10.1/2″ [Marples/Ridgway].   Curiously the listing of March 1986 states the length as being again 10″, but this must be an error as in August 1987 it is again listed as being 10.1/2″.
This persisted until the July 1989 listing which indicates that the number is now MW2 [10.1/2″]. There is an MW1 shown at 9″.

By May 1991 the number has reverted to MR6816 and this number lasted until the de-listing of this tool around 1992.
Below are shown 2 photos of a 6816 10″ c.1972

#6820 Beechwood Mitre Boxes were available 1909-1982 and they came in two sizes ‘To take Mouldings up to’  3″x2″ and 4″x 2″.  As of catalogue 1928 these were called No. 1 and No.2. These were the basic no nonsense box with no metal saw guides [#6821]   See below:

#6821 Improved Mitre Box.  Improved in that it was the same as #6820 but was fitted with metal saw guides. To saw ‘square’, one end was utilised having a projecting base piece… 1928 Catalogue image below:

As with #6820 there were 2 sizes [No.1 and No.2] which could hold mouldings 3×2 inches and 4×2 inches respectively. Below is the information leaflet that appeared in many of these Mitre Boxes.

I believe that when the firm was renamed Marples Ridgway the metal guides were replaced by plastic:

When Marples Ridgway introduced their cheap MW series [7/89] [see above] the MR6821 was dropped but re-appeared in May 1991.  BUT although named MR6821 this iteration did not have any saw guides! [So in essence was a #6820!!]  It also had no base extension to enable ‘Square’ cuts.

Around mid 1992 this Mitre Box was no longer offered for sale.

#6844 Mount Cutting Knife.  These knives were only available 1928-1938

 

These wood scrapers encompassed 4 varieties. The M79 Box Scraper was used to scrape stencil marks or paper labels off the sides of packing cases [when items were shipped in square wooden boxes, such as Apples etc.]. The M80 Woodworkers’ Cabinet scraper was used to put a fine finish on a quality article. The Scrapers numbered #1890 [Double blade pattern and #1893 Single blade pattern] were inexpensive general scrapers unsuitable for fine work.

M80 Cabinet Scraper:

 The M80 Cabinet Scraper was made from Cast Iron and had raised handles, a reversible 2.3/4″ blade and was 11″ long. It is first listed in the March 1936 Pocket Catalogue and is last shown in the March 1940 Pocket Catalogue and always for sale at 4/6d. I can find no reference to indicate that this item was continued after the War and therefore these are always to be found with a Black painted base, if you can even find one!

 

Box Scraper M70:

The M70 was designed to remove the paper labels that were affixed to the sides of wooden crates that were generally used to transport fruit and vegetables. [So the idea of re-cycling of articles was in evidence way before the 1990s!]   The tool is first seen in the March 1936 Pocket catalogue.

It was continued until March 1964, but does not appear in the Catalogue #15 of 1965. It was introduced at 4/- each and went to 15/6d each by 1964. I do not know whether it was continued in production throughout the War years, but it is listed in March 1940 and November 1951.  We must suppose that pre-war issues were painted Black and post-war (1945<) issues were painted Red. The 2 examples that I have are both pre-war and show different blade markings according to age. The older issue has a larger thumb turn-screw than the later example, which displays the central ‘Diamond’ pattern. {see below}

                       TURNSCREWS later known as SCREWDRIVERS.

From the catalogues it appears that ‘Turnscrews‘ were one of the earliest tools manufactured by   Wm. Marples and the earliest reference I have is the 1846 Broadsheet shown here:

By the time we get to the 1861/2 Catalogue the range has increased somewhat, but keeping the same prices:

The 1873 Catalogue shows these pages:

1897 Catalogue:

1909 Catalogue:

1921 Catalogue:

1928 Catalogue:

1938 Catalogue:

1959 Catalogue:

1965 Catalogue:

1971 Pocket catalogue and Supplement:

The Two Tables presented below represent the Screwdrivers listed by both Description and then Item Number.   The third Table describes the Short Forms used to describe the items therein listed.

The Table [below] shows the Item # against the Description and an estimate of the Years that model was available.  Again, it must be noted that the years given are the years that the Screwdrivers can positively be identified in Catalogues and therefore were probably available slightly before and after the dates given.

                                  GALLERY of SCREWDRIVERS:

This Turnscrew is I believe only mentioned in the 1897 Catalogue as #723 a Gent’s Fancy Turnscrew  2.1/2″-4″. Also stated as being made of ‘Best Hardwood’ this example shows Rosewood, but Boxwood  and Ebony [above] was also available:

The earlier screwdrivers of this type had a longer wood ‘cylinder’ immediately above the ferrule, shown below. The earlier being at the top:

Above is Item#1997 Engineer’s Square Shank 1938-1965.                                                                                              This one is War Dept. from 1952.
I also have a 1.3/4″ example [shown below] which is not shown in the main catalogues of 1938 or 1959. It is however is also marked WD 1952. This small size may have been short lived.

Above is Item #2016 Radio Screwdriver and was available in assorted colours of [Age variable] Brown, Green and Red. 1931-1971
Later versions were Black, Green and Red.
Lengths changed with years:
1938    2.3/4″
1959-71    3 or 4″

Below are Items #1988 Round Blade [Electricians’] Screwdriver with Insulated Plastic Moulded handle. Available 1931-1971.
4″ Black
5″ Green
6″ Red
8″ Black

Here below is what I believe to be Item# 1977  Dumpy Electricians’ Screwdriver.These were available 1955-1965 and this example is a later one.

 

At first glance just a Screwdriver, but  in reality a great ‘turnscrew’ for adjusting the Cap Iron/Cutter screw on plane blades, but was described as a ‘Short, Strong Flat-Blade Motor Turnscrew‘. Beech Handle.

 

Available #1972 (1909 Cat.) 1.1/2″-2.1/2″.
Available #1992 (1928-1938 Cats) as 1.1/2″-3″.
Available #1992 (1958 Cat.) as 1.1/2″-2.1/2″ .
Not shown in the 1965 Catalogue.

A Short Cabinet blade Motor Turnscrew is first found in 1909 as Item #1973A:

At that time is could be had as 1.1/2″ ; 2″ and 2.1/2″. It was always a Worked Oval Beech handle.
In 1928 it was re-numbered to #1995 and a 3″ size was added to the range. The 1938 Catalogue shows exactly the same listings and it was not until the 1959 Catalogue that we see that only a 2.1/2″ size was available.

I have no doubt that the range was reduced starting in the War years. It was last listed in the Nov. 1963 Price List.  Note the bulbous nature of the blade:

Above is an Old and trusted Screwdriver pattern #1950. LONDON PATTERN
Beech handled and Brass Hooped  1897-1965+
Sizes by years:
1897-1909:     3;4;5;6;7;8;9;10;12;14;16;18″
1921:                  3;4;5;6;7;8;9;10;12″
1928-1938:     3;4;5;6;7;8;9;10;12;14;16;18″
1959:                 3;4;5;6;7;8;10;12″
1965:                 4;6;8;10″
These are GREAT screwdrivers!

Below is Item #1985 Electrician’s Round Blade Black Fluted Hardwood handle with Steel Ferrule.
Available 1938-1959+
1938:   1.5;2;2.5;3;4;5;6;8;10″
1959:   3;4;5;6;8;10″

Below are #1984 Electricians’ Round Blade Turnscrew which was re-numbered from #1976 in 1928.
Available 1909-1965. Octagonal Boxwood handle with a Brass Ferrule.
Earliest variety has 2 incised rings at the top and bottom of the Octagon. [Top in the photo below]
The ‘MARPLES, SHEFFIELD ENG.’ impression is shown in the 1959 Catalogue and was probably in effect before that.  The second style is shown in the middle of the photo and has 2 incised rings at the top of the Octagon and 2 down close to the Ferrule. [Also see photo below that gives a better view].  The third style has  1 incised ring at the top of the Octagon and 2 two rings down close to the ferrule.[below]

The newest 4th style shown above has 1 incised ring just below the octagon and one above.    The blade is first described as being 3/16″ in the 1938 Cat.
As can be seen in the above Catalogue pages, the length of the blade did vary widely with time, from 1.1/2″ to 10″.   [I may have to re-visit this issue soon as it may not be totally correct]

Below is shown the short lived Item# 1989 Electricians’ “Safety Turnscrew”.  Introduced in April 1935, it lasted until 1938+ .

Here is another short lived Electrician’s Turnscrew numbered #1979.1/2 ‘Electrician’s light Cabinet Turnscrew with Octagonal Boxwood handle and brass hoop’. It had an almost ‘London Pattern’ handle but without the bulbous end and came in inch sizes from 3″ to 10″ but and can only be found in the 1928 and 1938 catalogues, wherein both listings are exactly the same:

 

Item #1966 [above] is a Turned Oval Ash Cabinet screwdriver with a Steel Ferrule . Marked on the handle with a Black Semi-Oval MARPLES mark and having a Brown ‘hat’!
The 2 examples shown here above illustrate that they were manufactured with both a stamped mark or an electro-etched mark and are seen in the 1971 Catalogue.  They were probably a replacement for #1967 which had a Turned Oval Beechwood handle.[below]

This #1967 was available 1909-1965+ and was replaced by #1966 around 1971.  The SEOVAL mark on the handle is in Silver. But below is a later example having the same inscription in BLACK.

The very latest examples of #1967 show that the Ferrule is now steel with Chrome plating but the blade is not marked at all. [below] . This is probably from around the latter part of production of the #1967 …..c.1978.

Item #1968 is a Turned Oval Boxwood Handled Cabinet Screwdriver with Steel Ferrule.  Similar in all respects to #1966 and available 1909-1971+ it again is to be found with stamped and/or electro-etched markings and Black SEOVAL mark .
Sizes are to be found in the Catalogue listings.

There were 2 different fonts that show the differences from the ‘stamped’ [S] variety and the ‘etched’ variety [E].   Not only were the [S] earlier and with better Boxwood but they had a different script to the later [E] variety. The top photo below shows the [S] is more upright…  (the ‘M‘ in MARPLES has a more vertical style ) whereas the other ‘M‘ in the later [E] variety has the M in MARPLES showing the legs splayed outwards. Basically on the  same length Screwdriver the earlier variety [S]  will have a shorter length script on the handle. [See all of this below]

A very late example of this #1968 Turned Oval Boxwood handled screwdriver is shown below having an applied MARPLES sticker over where previously had been a stamped in MARPLES mark. Probably c.2000

I have never seen this before…The item # 1968 being stamped into the Boxwood handle….?? War Department?…

 

 

In the 1909 Catalogue there appears a slim screwdriver, Item #1977 ‘Electrician’s Cabinet-blade Turnscrew’, worked-oval Boxwood handled.  In 1928 this item# became #1983 [available 3″-10″].  This was a much slimmer version of it’s larger brother Item#1968.  It endured thus until c.1965. Below is the larger #1968 {above} with the Slimmer #1983 {below}

Below that again are the two stamped marks on each side of the blade close to the shoulder of #1977, and there was no order as to what inscription was to be in line with the MARPLES stamp on the wooden handle.

Midget or Lock Turnscrews were available 1928-1965  in sizes 1″; 1.1/4″ and 1.1/2″[only the latter in 1965]. Item# 2010 had hardwood handles and 2010B had Beech handles. Presumably therefore #2010 [more expensive] may have been Rosewood. Below is #2010B at 1″ and having room only for a stamp ‘Marple & Sons‘
Below is another example of #2010B:

The Ratchet screwdrivers shown below # 1994 had ‘worked-oval’ handles and available 3″-10″ long  1959-1965.  These are later examples.

Here above is a perfect set of ‘SlimGrip‘ screwdrivers.
Item #1964. is shown in the 1965 Catalogue and may have been available for only a short time before/after that date.
Splitproof and Flameproof handles were available only in 4″; 6″ and 8″sizes as shown here.

Above is an old Copper engraved printing block from probably c.1900.

 

Item #1986 [above] was available c.1955-1971.  ‘Electrician’s Round Blade screwdriver with Transparent ‘Splitproof’ Handle. The 1959 Cat. shows an available range of 3-10″ [above] but by 1965 this had been reduced to 4,6 and 8″ only. The picture above shows a full Red handle but this was changed  to the well known Splitproof yellow and red handle later [below]

Item #1976 Round Blade Turnscrew with ‘Splitproof’ Transparent Handle moulded on to Flanged Blades. [ with Cross-Ground Point] was available c.1955-1969.  Available initially in 4″ [1/4″ shaft]; 6″ [5/16″]; 8″ [3/8″] and 10″ [3/8″] in 1965 only the 4″;6″ and 8″ are offered. The last listing that I can find for these screwdrivers is in the Price List of 1st November 1969. See photos below:

Below is Item#2015 which was available c.1931-1940. ‘Radio Turnscrew’.     It had a 2.3/4″ blade length and a knurled Ebonite handle.

The Screwdriver below I can identify in the 1897 Catalogue where it is described as a ‘Cabinet Turnscrew ‘Firmgrip‘ with Boxwood handle’.           Item # 709 available 3″-10″. The one shown here has the early Registration ‘Diamond’ which would place it pre-1884, but it is not shown in 1873.          In 1921 it is described as having a ‘Fluted handle’and available 3″-12″.          It remained in production until c.1935.

The Screwdriver below is an oddball!  It was manufactured specifically for the War Dept and is dated 1941 but does not appear in any MARPLES catalogue. The shaft is made of BRASS and I must surmise that it was to be used in Munitions factories because it could not ‘spark’.  Unfortunately the end of the blade has been misused.

The Screwdriver set [below] is numbered #2002 and had a Phillips head on one end and a Flat screwdriver on the other end, the ‘blade’ being  reversible in the handle.  I can first find it listed in the Catalogue No.15 of 1965 but then the Price List of 1st Nov 1969 indicates that this product was ‘Withdrawn‘.

So it was introduced just before 1959 and withdrawn around 1969.

                         MISCELLANEOUS TOOLS

Did you know that they had named pencils?

#452B Plain Steel Grip Lamb Castrators.

 

 

 

 

 

Drill Stand.
This circular stand is only shown in the 1938 Catalogue:

Just Information:

This rare piece of information shows a Stanley Rule and Level Co No.66 Hand Beader box which has a top label that indicates that the item was imported and distributed by William Marples & Sons Ltd.  This shows that Marples were helping Stanley sell their tools in the UK around 1910-1930 [Judging from the style of the box label].

Below is a Timberscribe which may also be shown elsewhere on this site!