B59-350 PROTOTYPE CUTTER ADJUSTMENT WITH PATENT PAPERS. Liberty Bell Mechanism. A 15" transitional jack plane with the type of frog and cutter adjustment used by Stanley in the Liberty Bell line. It's all in cast brass (except for the early type cap screw), and doesn't have the Liberty Bell decorative casting in the lever cap. "Stanley Rule & Level Pat'd April 4, 1876" in two curved lines is stamped both on the toe and just in front of the knob. Henry Richards and Justus Traut actually patented the Liberty Bell mechanism two weeks later, on April 18. They did have a patent issued on April 4, but it was for a box scraper mechanism that was used in the No. 70, and has no discernable connection to this mechanism. There are some chips from the tote and overall staining in the wood. The brass adjusting lever has a brazed spot, whether it was a repaired break or part of making the prototype is not clear, but the brass mechanism is otherwise perfect. There is also a small stamp that looks like "A.T. Norton" behind the knob. The lot also includes the original patent certificate for the April 18 patent as well as a second cutter with the patent number and Richards' and Traut's names written on it. A unique piece of Stanley history. Fine 4000-8000