I have only included information here on the Braces that relate to Woodworking Tools. Many other Engineers’ and other braces may be found in the catalogues.
I can trace MARPLES involvement in the production of the Iron based braces back to the 1846 List and they were probably made slightly before that time especially since it is shown there as an ‘Improved’ version! Only a Scotch Improved Iron Brace is mentioned at this time which is the same tool as advertised below in the 1861 Catalogue.
The 1873 Catalogue has this entry:
By 1897 products have drastically increased with the introduction of the ‘American Pattern’ brace with all of its’ refinements:
The 1909 Catalogue [below] has all the usual Item number changes to confuse us.
The 1921 Catalogue, shortly after WW1, shows the usual reduction in commodities [which rebounded by 1928] :
The 1928 Catalogue:
By 1938 we see this detail:
By 1959 things were completely different:
And by 1965 [below] the bottom of the barrel has been reached, since nobody then wanted to actually turn a handle to bore a hole, it had to be electric, hence the demise of the Brace and Bit. 
In the Price List of May 1966 here are the prices, followed by those of Nov 1969:
1440 28/3d 33/6d.
1445 34/- 40/-
1452 47/6d withdrawn
1475 19/6d 24/-
The last information I can find is in the Supplemental Catalogue of 1971 wherein is noted a #1440 10″ as being still available.
I hope to have some real examples up here soon, but I am still working on them. A Brace is the hardest tool to restore adequately and takes many hours of work on each one. Most are found in a very bad state of repair and though cheap to buy, cost much in hours of work, and then some of them simply cannot be restored!!
Here you will find a list of Brace Item numbers and the years that they were produced. Please note that I start this list at 1909 due only to the complexity of changed descriptions, changed item numbers and the fact that it is hardly likely that you will find any decent braces before 1909 because they all received a hard life!!
The dates given are only an estimate and are the dates found in the catalogues and price Lists. Therefore the real introductory date may be a few years before the date given and the real end of production date may be a couple of years after the date shown. This * means that these braces do NOT appear in the 1921 Catalogue, due to the fact that they are either Nickel Plated or discontinued.
1405 <1909
1406/7 <1909
1420 1909-April 1961
1421 1909-1938*
1424 1909-1938
1425 1909-1938*
1426 1909-1914?*
1427 1909-1914?*
1440 1909-1971
1440A 1938-Sept. 1955
1441 1909-1938*
1445 1909-June 1970
1446 1909- Nov. 1963*
1447 1909-1938
1447A 1938-?
1450 1909-1938
1451 1909-1928*
1452 1909-Nov. 1969
1455 1909-1938*
1460 1928-1938
1470 1909-1914?*
1474 1959-Nov. 1963
1475 1909-June 1970
1476 1909-1938*
1480 1909-1938
1481 1909-1938
1482 1928-1938
1490 1909-1921
1491 1909-Nov. 1963
1493 1909-1914?*
1494 1909-1914?*
1495 1909-1938
1495.1/2 1909-1938
I will be showcasing some MARPLES braces below in numerical sequence:
The Wagon Builders’ Brace:
This is one of the oldest Braces produced by MARPLES since 1873 when it was numbered #365 [Waggon Iron Brace]. No size is stated there. By 1897 the production increased to include #472 as the 14″ ‘usual size’ and #472A available in sizes 10,11,12,13,16 and 18 inch sweeps. By 1909 the name had changed forever to ‘Wagon Builders’ Brace’, was renumbered to #1420 and now was only available in 10,12,14 and 16 inch sweeps. The 1921 Catalogue shows the same details but in 1928 the 16 inch sweep was dropped from the line. In 1938 although the same sweeps [10,12 and 14 inches] are listed there had been a slight design change in that the bulbous steel centre handle had been changed to the now standard revolving wooden handle. Below is the 1928 Cat. entry followed by 1938, showing the different handles.
The 1959 Catalogue shows that only the 14″ sweep was available and by April 1961 the Price List shows ‘withdrawn’.
Below is a later example #1440
More examples will be coming Aug 2025……………….
Extension Bit Holders:
These long bit holders enabled the workman to drill a hole much longer than the length of the actual bit. It appears that they were first available in the 1909 Catalogue and were available as a holder with an Octagon Holding Cap [#1496 seen below] and as a cheaper item with a ‘Thumbscrew Socket’ [#1497]. Both these types, throughout their history, were only available 10″-24″. In the 1928 Catalogue #1496 is described as having a ‘Chuck’. Both were last listed in the December 1959 Price List.
