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Prewar Planes were made from somewhere around the late 1880's to WWII and there were many modifications to the models over that time. I have not personally seen wedge versions, or versions with exposed screws in the sides, though I have seen pictures of planes with those features made by Spiers. Top left is a 5 , to the right is a slighter later 2, below and to the left an A5
Pre War A5
Adjusters
Lever Cap Screw
Stamp
Infill
STEEL
Planes sold prior to about 1913 were not equipped with the Norris adjuster. So if the plane has no adjuster, or groove for an adjuster, it is a pre war plane.
There are a number of different adjusters, and the stem gives some indication of type. The earliest adjusters will bear a patent date of 1913 , with the patent number 11526-13. The later adjuster shows the updated patent in 22. Click the photo to enlarge it. Handplane Central has photos of 2 different style adjusters http://www.handplane.com/the-norris-adjuster. Mine appears to be a cross in that although it has the 1913 stamp, it has a traveler with at internal thread - but the stem does not narrow as shown in the post 1930.
The stem of the adjuster on the right is broached into the knurled cap.
Post war adjusters do not list patent dates on the screw.
The early pre war planes had a lever cap screw that had a button or cusp on the top.
Again, there are no precise dates for this, though around 1916 has been suggested. If it has a cap screw that has a cusp, it is likely a pre war plane. Prewar planes also came with smooth top lever cap screws. The post war planes all have a smooth top.
Once you get used to the different stamps, the way the Norris London Stamp appears on the plane seems to be quickest way to determine whether the plane is pre war or post war.
The earliest stamp I have seen is the simple Norris London in two opposing arcs with no model numbers, located very high up near the neck of the lever cap. Later, the shape of the lever cap changes slightly, and a model number is set between the Norris and London. I have read that started around 1922.
Finally, the words patent adjustably are added and the logo moves further down the lever cap. Postwar stamps are a little lower down the lever cap and have a different appearance. I have just seen another variation, though it was on an A50, the names Norris and London are at the top of the neck in opposing arcs, and the words "patent adjustable" are in a arc just underneath. The location is so high up on the lever cap that the p and the e are at the very sides of the cap.
Postwars are always an ebonized beech, while prewars are typically rosewood - though this is of little help in making a determination from a picture. Unless you see obvious signs where the ebonizing has worn off, in pictures the ebonizing can look a lot like rosewood. Also, the rosewood in the prewars can vary from a very dark black looking almost as dark as ebony, to lighter browns of the same color family as mahogany.
Norris made both dovetailed steel planes ( 2, 3, 4 , 5, and 6) as well as cast malleable iron planes. The cast planes were less expensive, likely because they were easier to make. At some point, the dovetailed steel planes were stamped "Steel" on the toe.
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