Antique Stanley Fray No 80 Corner Bit Brace 8" Sweep Hand Drill USA

Antique Stanley / John S. Fray No. 80 Corner Bit Brace with 8-inch sweep, an unusual early American hand drill designed for working in confined spaces and corners. This example is clearly marked “FRAY No. 80” and also carries the “STANLEY RULE & LEVEL CO.” marking on the steel frame. The No. 80 is a distinctive Fray corner-brace design that was produced under Stanley ownership and is considerably less common than a conventional carpenter's bit brace. The unusual offset frame and enclosed gear mechanism allowed the operator to continuously turn the brace in areas where there wasn't enough clearance to swing a traditional brace. Period examples were intended for woodworking and trades where drilling near walls, corners and other obstructions was necessary. This example retains its substantial steel frame, enclosed gear housing, wooden head and multiple original-style wooden rotating grips. The wood and metal show an attractive, honest aged appearance with considerable original patina. IMPORTANT CONDITION NOTE: One of the screws securing the round gear-housing cover has broken/sheared off, with the remaining portion recessed/flush inside the housing. The other cover screw remains present. This defect is clearly shown in the photographs and the tool is being sold with the broken screw disclosed. No attempt has been made to drill out or extract the broken screw. The tool shows expected antique wear throughout, including oxidation, surface rust/patina, scratches, finish loss and...