Leonard Bailey
Hartford, Connecticut
1855-1884

Tool Types

Bevels, Houstehold Tools, Metal Planes, Shaves

Directory of American Toolmakers Information

Bailey, a prolific toolmaker, was born May 8th, 1825 and died February 5th, 1905. He was granted numerous patents, especially planes, and worked for Stanley Rule & Level Co. from 1869 to 1875, a time during which they bought out two other companies, resulting in his mark being on numerous tools.

Identifying Marks

Tools marked *BAILEY* were made by Stanley (or one of his other companies) and hte name indicates him being the designer (vs. independent maker).

General Information

Bailey, a prolific toolmaker, was born May 8th, 1825 and died February 5th, 1905. He was granted numerous patents, especially for metal plane components, and worked for Stanley Rule & Level Co. from 1869 to 1875, a time during which they bought out two other companies, resulting in his mark being on numerous tools (Nelson 1999). Until May of 1869, Bailey was the owner and proprietor of his own company and factory, Bailey, Chaney & Co., which he sold to Stanley Rule & Co. See: Bailey, Chaney & Co. and Stanley Co. Smith provides a detailed survey of Leonard Bailey’s tool designs as well as a detailed chronological listing of “events as related to Leonard Bailey’s manufacturing activities after he left Boston.” (Smith 1981, 52-4) and the Bailey Chaney Co. ceased operation.
See: Stanley Co.

Photographs

Some examples of a Bailey Plane that came through the museum's inventory. This plane was acquired as part of a lot of tools from rural coastal Maine:

The Patent date stamp reading "L.BAILEY'S PATENT AUG 6.67 AUG 31.58 EXD"

References

Nelson, Robert E., Ed. (1999). Directory of American Toolmakers: A listing of identified makers of tools who worked in Canada and the United States before 1900. Early American Industries Association.

Bailey, Leonard & Co. (1876). Illustrated catalogue and price list of patent adjustable iron bench planes, try squares, bevels, rules, levels, hammers, &c., &c.Leonard Bailey & Co., Hartford, CT. Reprinted by Ken Roberts Publishing Co., Fitzwilliam, NH. IS.

Bailey, Leonard & Co. (January 1883). Catalog: Leonard Bailey & Co.'s patent adjustable iron bench planes, try squares, bevels, spoke shaves, box scrapers, &c. Leonard Bailey & Co., Hartford, CT. Reprinted in May 1975 by Ken Roberts Publishing Co., Fitzwilliam, NH.
 
 

Links

Wikipedia article on Leonard Bailey

Inventor of the Week on MIT

http://www.supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan0a.html

http://web.mit.edu/invent/iow/bailey.html

http://www.pasttools.org/articles/Bailey_patent_model.htm