Hi All,

Last weekend I happened across this brace at my regular flea market.
It can be seen at :

   http://www.cam.org/~perrons/Images/brace_1a.jpg

At first glance it looks like a typical six penny brace.  However,
there are two things that set it apart : first, the handle looks 
more like it came off an "American" iron brace, see :

   http://www.cam.org/~perrons/Images/brace_1c.jpg

and second, the chuck for the bit has a couple of extra grooves 
instead of the usual square hole.  I have no idea what these could 
be for.  See :

   http://www.cam.org/~perrons/Images/brace_1b.jpg

The brace is marked with the following :

   AMOBREOUIN  (or AMOBREQUIN) on the upper arm of the crank.

This is interesting in that a brace in French is called a
"vilbrequin".
I wonder if the "amo" part could be from "amovible" which means
removable (as in removable bit ?).

On the lower arm of the crank is marked :

   UNIQUE BREVETE SGDC  (or SGDG)    [brevete means patented]

So it looks like a French brace, combining features from both British
and American (cheap) iron braces.  Ken Roberts mentions that the
British ones were manufactured "in large quantities" in Germany.  I
have a more typical "common ball brace" by xxx BOKER  which was most 
likely made in Germany.  It can be seen at :

   http://www.cam.org/~perrons/Images/brace_2.jpg

Cheers,

Paul




=====
Paul Pedersen    (my real email address is perrons@c...
Montreal (Québec)

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