1960–1989

HELIOS INOX, vernier caliper with reference tables

Helios, Esslingen · Germany

Item passport

Maker: Helios, Esslingen
Country: Germany
Dating: Presumably 1960s–1980s; a wider period in the second half of the 20th century is possible.
Condition: According to the owner: exact zero, smooth travel, no play; surface marks of use.

History

Mechanical vernier caliper for outside and inside linear measurement: fixed beam, sliding jaw carriage, measuring jaws and vernier. Helios brand (logo in an oval), stamps INOX and MADE IN GERMANY. Material: metal, presumably stainless steel (INOX marking). The slider carries an engraved table "Metr.-Gew." for metric threads (outside diameter, core diameter, pitch, drill diameter; for M2, pitch 0.4 mm and drill 1.55 mm). The beam has two columns labelled "kg per Meter", "Eisen" and "Eisen multipli. mit 1,278", probably for calculating the mass of bar stock per metre. The nominal range and graduation cannot be reliably determined from the photographs.

Dating. Presumably 1960s–1980s; a wider period in the second half of the 20th century is possible.

Marks and stamps

documented
documented
documented

Restoration

Keep the original finish, engraving and patina. A soft dry cloth and a very thin film of neutral oil on non-working surfaces are enough; do not abrade the scales or use acid cleaners. Check readings against gauge blocks or reference gauges before precise work.

Sources

Research status

The dating is a working hypothesis; no direct catalogue match for this version has been found. According to the 2011 HELIOS-PREISSER catalogue, Wilhelm Schneider founded a measuring-instrument factory in Esslingen in 1910, later known as Helios Messtechnik; trade cooperation with Preisser began in 2007, later the combined brand HELIOS-PREISSER. The stamp on this item reads only Helios, which is consistent with production before the brands merged but does not fix the decade. The purpose of the beam columns and the meaning of the factor 1.278 are not established; the thread table is historical reference, not a recommendation for modern thread cutting. Basis: the owner photographs and information, October 2026.

Purchase and price

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