Tool ID

Phil Tibbetts · Aug 5, 2022

Got this at an estate sale. Nobody there knew what it was. The graduated part of the brass scale is 10 inches long

Charles in Aus. · Aug 5, 2022

A metric hem length measurer from a Convent school . Standard equipment for any Head Mistress or Mother Superior . Also doubled as a stick for dealing out corporal punishment .

Janicholson · Aug 5, 2022

It is an antique type setting line gauge. The pts mark is for points of type face line height. Jim

MarkB_MI · Aug 6, 2022

> It is an antique type setting line gauge. The pts mark is for points of type face line height. Jim

Yes, it had me stumped until I saw the '12 PTS'. The graduated marks are in 'ems', the width of an upper case letter 'M'. For 12 point type, an em is one-sixth of an inch, so 60 ems equals 10 inches.

TimV · Aug 6, 2022

Agreed it seems to be an older example of a type setting guide. Putting 'pica stick' into your favorite image searcher will get you lots of variations on the same basic theme.

Phil Tibbetts · Aug 6, 2022

Thanks to all. I was sure somebody on here would know what it was. Now what can I use it for?

SweetFeet · Aug 6, 2022

Frame an old Newpsper article of interest... and hang this horizontally above or below the frame.

It'd look nice on an office wall.

Tool ID

Phil Tibbetts

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Charles in Aus.

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Janicholson

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MarkB_MI

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TimV

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Phil Tibbetts

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SweetFeet

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