Type periods
Type 1. 1867-1869
Type 2. 1869-1872
Type 3. 1872-1873
Type 4. 1874-1884
Type 5. 1885-1888
Type 6. 1888-1890
Type 6A 1891-1892
Type 7. 1893-1899
Type 8. 1899-1902
Type 9. 1902-1907
Type 10. 1907-1909
Type 11. 1910-1918
Type 12. 1919-1924
Type 13. 1925-1928
Type 14. 1929-1930
Type 15. 1931-1932
Type 16. 1933-1941
Type 17. 1942-1945
Type 18. 1946-1947
Type 19. 1948-1961
Type 20. 1962-1967
REF: R.K.Smith Typing 		 
Stanley Bailey Plane Sizes and Dates of Manufacture
common
name		 Size Bed
Length		 Blade
Width		 Period Corrugated
Sole		 Aluminum
A + Size.		 STEEL
S + Size.
smooth 1 5-1/2 1-1/4 1869-1943      
smooth 2 7 1-5/8 1869-1961 1898-1943    
smooth 3 8 1-3/4 1869-1984 1989-1970    
smooth 4 9 2 1869-1984 1898-1970 1925-1935 1926-1942
smooth 4-1/2 10 2-3/8 1884-1961 1898-1961    
smooth 4-1/2 H " 2-1/4 1902-1924      
jack 5 14 2 1869-1984 1898-1970 1925-1935 1926-1942
jr.jack 5-1/4 11-1/2 1-3/4 1921-1983 1921-1942    
jack 5-1/2 15 2-1/4 1898-1937 1898-1937    
jack 5-1/2 15 2-3/8 1938-1958 1938-1958    
jack 5-1/2 H 15 2-1/4 1902-1924      
fore 6 18 2-3/8 1869-1970 1898-1970 1925-1938  
jointer 7 22 2-3/8 1869-1970 1898-1964    
jointer 8 24 2-5/8 1869-1961 1898-1961    
REF: Patrick Leach; "Patrick's Blood and Gore"
1. Lengths varied by +/- 1/2" or more due to differences among casting molds.
2. "H" series were extra heavy castings noted as "Size + H", e.g., "4-1/2H".
3. Aluminum or steel example: "A4" cast in bed or "S4" stamped in bed, etc.


*** Notes for MegaChart Spreadsheet
***1. SW Iron logos
  • SW ("SweetHeart") #1 = Stanley in notched rectangle interrupted with heart containing "SW" and with New Britain, CONN. U.S.A. in 2 lines beneath.

  • SW ("SweetHeart") #2 = Stanley in notched rectangle interrupted with heart containing "SW" and with MADE IN U.S.A. in 1 line beneath.

  • SW ("SweetHeart") #3 = Stanley in notched rectangle with heart beneath containing "SW" and with MADE IN U.S.A. in 1 line beneath.
***2. Notched Rectangle logo
  • Has facing notches at left and right ends of rectangular window containing "STANLEY"; also called "BB" logo.
***3. Type 6  =  1888-1890:   Type 6a = 1891-1892.
***4. 4/19/92 Patent Date
On some irons, a mis-stamp appears as "Pat. Ap'l 18 92"
***5. Iron Logo, 1909
In 1909 only, irons appeared with logos consisting only of the name "STANLEY" in 5/32" tall letters.
***6. Lever cap background colors

HELP! There is some present confusion regarding timing. The embossed logo first appeared in 1925, with application of various colors in the recessed background. Order of appearance, thanks to Patrick Leach, was:

  1. No embossing; Pre-1925
  2. "STANLEY" in black japanned background; 1925
  3. "STANLEY" in orange, and rarely, red background;
  4. "Stanley" in plain background with lanishing (machine sanding) marks on lever cap's surface - done for a short time during WWII;
  5. "STANLEY" in orange background;
  6. "STANLEY" in yellow background.
In its own inimitable way, Stanley of course tossed in whatever was in the bin, so that color may indicate the probable time of the cap's manufacture, but may not necessarily be definitive with regard to actual era or Type. Orange is entirely unreliable. One would think that definitive times of manufacture might be discovered for black (japanned); (first) orange; red; and yellow (Type 20?); and which might provide a reasonableness check for some planes.

See Ed Minch's note near bottom of Additional Info page.

I'd picked up on the 'net somewhere that black background was exclusive to Type 16s, but that appears to be hogwash.

If you can shed light on this issue, please send an EMail!