G. Boley C60 watchmakers vise date of production

[Chase]

Hi,

I have a vintage/antique G. Boley C60 vise that I'm refurbishing. The G. Boley C60 as with other tools they made where/was/is primarily used by watchmakers and I'm hoping the watchmaking/repair community can help me with a question. 

Did G. Boley put a manufacture date on their vises? 

The number "157" is stamped on both the static jaw and dynamic jaw on my particular vise. 

Is that the date code? Or number vise produced?

Anyone know for sure how to date these vises?

Thanks

[Chase]

No one has any insight on this vise? Any old time watch/clock makers around that might know about it on this board?

At any rate, the refurbish is finished, thought you guys/gals might like to see it.

You can see more pics and read a little on the history of G. Boley and Company on my blog HERE.

[MrRoundel]

I have a friend who is into restoring old vises. Apparently, the hobby has a pretty big following. I can understand it. Nice job on the Boley. I like the blue with the white lettering.

[Chase]

10 hours ago, MrRoundel said:

I have a friend who is into restoring old vises. Apparently, the hobby has a pretty big following. I can understand it. Nice job on the Boley. I like the blue with the white lettering.

Thanks MrRoundel.

It's a candy blue over silver metallic base, clear coat overall. It's a high temp, oil, gas resistant finish.

According to a German Watch historical museum the G. Boley vises are suppose to be a very precise parallel vise. They made a rotating base for the C60 and I've only seen one with it, which was on eBay.

I didn't know if the Google translation of the German site is correct, if so then what I was referring to as a removable anvil is called a "saddle".

Now restored I can tell you it's as smooth as silk. Just a beautifully made vise. I hope to make a couple add on jaws for it such as a felt set and a poly set that clip on using the detents on the side of the existing jaws. If not magnets.. lol

I'm not into restoring vises per say, I have a few that were discarded, or left heading to the landfill such as this Boley C60 was. To me it's just a waste to throw them away when a little effort can bring something back and in some cases I can improve it and put it back in service.

Saving the planet one project at a time. 

You guys here would have salivated over all the watch and clock repair tools and stuff that got tossed out of this unit where this vise came from. Very sad... I was there last person in asked to clean it up some. This and a couple other small items were all I could salvage. They destroyed most of the rest. A clock/watch repair man's entire life discarded after his passing. 

At least this vise is still around. And I left some of the marks he made in it just because. Restored it should last another 100 or so years if cared for properly.

Still hoping to date it. Going to write the German museum to see if they can help in that regard.

Cheers..