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Spring divider (stamp HEIRA / HEFRA) — Photo 1

Dividers

1900–1960

Spring divider (stamp HEIRA / HEFRA)

Item passport

Dating
First half to mid 20th century (low confidence); earlier or later manufacture is not excluded.
Condition
The tool appears complete: two legs, ring spring, adjusting screw, knurled nut, hinge. Surface corrosion and age wear are visible. The stamp reads better after cleaning; the…

Dimensions

  • Length157 mm

Steel marking spring divider (Federzirkel) with a ring spring and a screw adjustment for the opening. Two pointed legs are joined by a hinge; a side threaded mechanism with a knurled nut sets the opening smoothly. It is used to scribe arcs and circles…

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History

Steel marking spring divider (Federzirkel) with a ring spring and a screw adjustment for the opening. Two pointed legs are joined by a hinge; a side threaded mechanism with a knurled nut sets the opening smoothly. It is used to scribe arcs and circles, transfer dimensions and divide lengths; it is not a measuring tool with a scale. Overall length 157 mm, mass 73 g, outer diameter of the spring 22 mm, maximum opening 104 mm (as reported by the owner; the measuring point is not specified). Material: steel; the exact alloy and finish are not determined.

Dating. First half to mid 20th century (low confidence); earlier or later manufacture is not excluded.

Marks and stamps

  • unattributed

Restoration

Remove loose corrosion gradually with a soft brush and a cloth with a little neutral protective oil; avoid prolonged acid etching, coarse abrasion and polishing of the stamp; after cleaning, wipe off excess oil and protect the steel with a thin conservation film; store dry. Do not resharpen the points unless necessary.

Sources

Research status

Confirmed: purpose, construction, dimensions and mass (owner data), presence of a three-element stamp. Not confirmed: exact reading of the mark, maker, country, date of manufacture and any link to HEFRA. HEFRA is an existing Polish brand historically linked to the Henneberg and Fraget firms, but similarity of letters and symbols alone is not enough to attribute this divider to it; there is no documented match of this stamp on such a tool. Historical locksmith tool catalogues and trademark registers with stamp images are the priority for further attribution. Basis: photographs of the tool and stamp, and the owner measurements and observations; card dated 16 October 2026.

Purchase and price

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