William Ford Stanley (1829-1909) founded his firm in 1853, making drawing and surveying instruments and in 1866 published the first edition of his Treatise on Drawing Instruments. This became the standard work on the subject and eight editions were produced up to 1925. The head office and works were latterly at Avery Hill Road, New Eltham, London SE9. They became part of the Sime Darby Group c1977 and were finally liquidated in 1999.
A 10 inch, electrum bound, three tier, oak case of Stanley instruments of the highest quality, probably circa 1880. The upper tray contains a full set of instruments in electrum and ivory with, additionally, beam compass fittings and a proportional divider. The second tray contains an ivory sector, ivory rule and ivory protractor. The bottom of the box contains a set of Stanley vulcanite French curves. The non-original six inch compass shown in the picture has since been replaced with a Stanley one. The compass fittings include two extension bars and both type A and type B points.
A Stanley, rosewood veneered, box of nickel silver instruments. This would have been one of the cheaper boxes in Stanley's range since the instruments have plain points and do not have knee joints. It dates from the nineteenth century.
A larger, eight inch mahogany box of nickel silver instruments dating from about 1900. Although they still have plain points and are without knee joints these instruments are of quite a good quality. The case also contains an ivory scale rule and an ivory parallel rule.
There is another eight inch box of Stanley Instruments, an oak one, shown on the Home page.
A set of Stanley drawing instruments from c1900. They are mainly made of electrum. The pen handles and rule are ivory, and the case is covered in brown leather.
Early pattern spring bows by Stanley, probably late nineteenth century.
Stanley railway curves. The set originally contained fifty pear wood curves of which only forty remain.
Stanley made a number of different types of beam compass fittings. These are their Swiss pattern ones. Besides the two plain points and pen and pencil inserts, there is a "type A" spring loaded point seen in the trammel with the adjusting screw.
Stanley “La Trobe patent” beam compass fittings in a mahogany case.
A detail pen by Stanley.
This view shows the Stanley version of the vernier protractor, made of nickel-silver or electrum. About 1900.
A Stanley 26 inch pantograph in its fitted case.
"Stanley" flat pattern compasses, which were actually made by J J Threadwell & Sons. Identical instruments were also retailed by Charles Baker, Cooke Troughton & Simms, and Threadwell themselves.
A set of three spring bows of the C spring type said to be Stanley and to date from 1933.
One of a set of 23 brass architects stencils, stamped W F Stanley, Gt Turnstile, Holborn, London WC. The stencils are: 8mm - SECTION THROUGH, FIRST FLOOR, SECOND FLOOR, ROOF PLAN, ELEVATION, GROUND PLAN, PLAN, and 4mm - SCALE FEET TO INCH, MORNING ROOM, DRAWING ROOM, LADIES, GENTLEMEN, BATH, W.C., COOK, STORE, COALS, LARDER, KITCHEN, DINING ROOM, BED ROOM, LIBRARY, SCULLERY.
A Stanley tubular beam compass with three pull out sections. It measures 13 inches closed and 37 inches fully extended. At the left end is a micrometer screw for fine adjustment. There are pen and pencil inserts, a type B point and one short and two long plain points (one of the latter being an addition). It probably dates from the late nineteenth century. In the 1900 edition of his book, Stanley said that they were not much in demand by then as they were not very steady. The case is Morocco covered and lined with silk and velvet.
Six inch diameter folding arm protractor signed Stanley, London dating from about 1900. Made of electrum, it has an inset silver scale and silver vernier scales on both arms reading to one minute of arc. For fine adjustment it has a clamp and tangent screw. These were typically used for plotting theodolite readings. It has a mahogany case.
Triangular section scale rule and case. The scales are: inches, 1/2; inches 1/16ths, 3 in; 1 1/2, 3/4.
W F Stanley British Empire pattern set made for the government in 1919. All the instruments in the upper tray are dated 1919, as is the case. They all also have individual serial numbers and the case has serial no. 4960. The instruments are electrum and steel and the pen handles are ivory.. The two crow quill pens in the base are probably not original. This is a very early example of a British Empire series set. The spring bows are the steel type rather than the ‘C’ spring type usually associated with this pattern