A couple of finds over the weekend

[Brad G]

Two braces the one on the left is Fray&Co, it is missing the thumb screw and has been replace with a bolt at sometime.
and the second is Imhoff & Lange with the thumb srew. Is the wire binding to the handle original?
The sickle is stamped S*J had a piece of dowel as a handle so I turned another. Is S*J Spear and Jackson?
Would love some more information on the braces

[Boringgeoff]

Hi Brad,

This style of brace is called a Spofford after Nelson Spofford of Massachusetts USA who patented it in November 1859 (25984) and was made by John S Fray of Bridgeport Connecticut. They were made from 1859 until about 1942 and are quite frequently found in Australia. They are also frequently found with the thread stripped and a bolt replacing the thumb screw. The wrapped wire handle is another fairly frequent modification carried out by the user to reduce the friction between the thickened handle and their hand. The Fray brace will probably have the sweep size cast under the head.
The branding also tells a story, from 1859 'til about 1869 they were stamped FRAY & PIGG after his partner, at the time, Horace Pigg, after 1869 they were just JOHN S FRAY. Sometime later, the brand went to JOHN S FRAY & CO and then after their takeover by Stanley in 1909 the brand reads THE JOHN S FRAY CO. Also the method of showing Connecticut in the brand varies between Conn and CT which I'm still trying to date.
Often such information as SPOFFORDS PATENT and the patent date appears on the frame. Spofford had another patent for this brace in 1880 (225768) which was to do with a change in the method of manufacture, which braces will usually have that date on them. He had another patent later that year (234624) for another modification which involved hinging one side of the jaw to avoid breakage which is apparently a fairly common occurrence, I've not seen an example of this patent.
He had another couple of patents in 1881 (237780 & 246233) one of which was for a method of attaching a one piece wooden handle but these are irrelevant to your brace.
At this point I should acknowledge Sandy Moss whose site www.sydnassloot.com is a handy resource for brace information.
I don't have any info on Imhoff and Lange, but I suspect they could be a British outfit, and that tightly wound wire handle could well be part of the original tool. I have a Spofford style brace branded Mathieson of Glasgow so more info on Imhoff and Lange would be appreciated.
I understand S&J to be Spear and Jackson.
Hope the above is of some use.
Cheers,
Geoff.