Watchmaker tool identification?

[bosstaki]

Hi guys, can anybody help me identify this please, I picked it up at a car boot sale for a pound[emoji3]

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[rogart63]

Looks like a flea board that they used in the old days? 

Put in your bed when you go up in the morning? and the fleas will go into the holes. you could then shake the board into the open fire. 

Sorry no idea what they are for? 

[bosstaki]

Nice one mate! [emoji1303]


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[parmenion31]

i use something similar to seperate staff from the wheel by pressing it down.

[Marc]

Is it possibly a die plate for drawing out wire?

[parmenion31]

could be a wire plate  too  .

[bosstaki]

Yeah I think you might be right mate!


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[oldhippy]

Its a draw plate for wire.

[Geo]

It looks like a backing plate for Jimmy Shane's button accordion! 

[bobm12]

Come on Geo! That's too small!

Cheers,

Bob

[MilTimeCan]

Most interesting indeed.

I agree, its most likely a tool for sizing fine wire because it also appears to have a cutting blade at one end.  

Its French, Belge or Suisse.

I suspect this one is French (see further down). 

The markings say " 63 trous" which is 63 holes, "garantie" which is guaranteed which I suspect refers to reassure the owner that the sizes are accurate. The holes are beveled and very small which is also interesting, they are for fine wires. 

I think its a jewelry draw plate : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Draw_plate

Here is how it is used:

http://www.jewelry-tutorials.com/wire-make-your-own.html 

The "SHGM" identification on the tool is most likely the same of the company.

Possibly an old watch or clockmaker company because SH would most likely stand for "Société Horlogère"

I didn't see anything in the old Swiss companies: http://www.horlogerie-suisse.com/technique/l-ile-aux-tresors-horlogers/liste-des-marques-de-montres-suisses-vintages#s or modern listings https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_de_sociétés_horlogères, https://www.hautehorlogerie.org/fr/les-marques/ 

The cursive lettering on "trous" appears to be vintage pre WW2, definitely European. North American and British companies wouldn't bother with that type of additional work.     

It could be something from Morteau, in France which has a long history of making watch parts and tools:

http://www.morteau.org/index.php?id=458    

SHGM could stand for "Société Horlogère Générale Morteau".

Morteau was a thriving watchmaking community well into 1960, it had over 250 watchmaking shops and 15 factories apparently things died down as tradesmen left for Switzerland

« En 1960, se souvient-il, ­Morteau et ses environs abritaient ­encore 250 entreprises horlogères dont 15 manufactures. C’était la région de France où l’on comptait le plus de DS ­par habitant !­Aujourd’hui ? C’est le ­désert. » Chaque jour, ­pourtant, 17 000 horlogers français passent la frontière pour aller travailler en Suisse. Rien que dans la vallée de Joux, berceau historique de l’horlogerie suisse, les Français occupent 4 000 postes de travail sur les 6 000 existants. Sans eux, ni Jaeger-­LeCoultre, ni Audemars Piguet, ni même Patek Philippe ne pourraient honorer leurs commandes ! Comment ne pas profiter d’un tel ­savoir-faire chez nous ?

http://www.parismatch.com/Vivre/Montres/Pequignet-La-renaissance-de-la-haute-horlogerie-francaise-235084   

I think it may have been used for pocket watches before WW2.