Can anyone put a brand name to this tiny little plane ? The sole measures appx. 3 3/8" x 1 1/4"

This is partly a guess, but I say Craftsman.

Thanks - anyone else ? (I cant see a name under the rust on the blade)

Clean it up, and you might find out.  It looks a lot like the Stanley 101 - http://www.supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan12.htm#num101 - but the few examples I've seen didn't have a slotted screw on the lever cap.  Here's Patrick Leach's picture of the Stanley:

As Professor Leach points out in his little essay, a lot of manufacturers made imitations/clones/versions of the Stanley plane; and, if Sears decided to add it to the lineup, they'd have contracted with one of those companies to produce it for them.

I owned one for a while, cost me $0.67 (three items for two dollars at a yard sale).  I found it awkward to use...just too small for my hands.

I will clean it up and see what turns up and let you all know, many thanks

The Stanley box label shows the 101 at 3 1/2".  Don't know about the one in question.
Note that the Stanley's finger dimple is set back from the front by just a bit, but the one in question has its dimple even with the front.
So?

So the question is did someone copy Stanley's or did Stanley copy somebody else's?

Quote from: DeadNutz on July 21, 2018, 03:01:22 PM
So the question is did someone copy Stanley's or did Stanley copy somebody else's?

There's a third possibility, always.  Stanley was kind of the Microsoft of the 19th/20th century woodworking tool world: always buying up competitors or companies offering a product they'd like to offer.  The design could have entered their product line that way.

I don't know which it is in this case.

I've seen those (thumb planes ?) by a bunch of makers.... as usual, Stanley had it "first." But, Craftsman, Stanley, Sargent, Stanley Handyman , ... after that every high and low class plane maker had them.  I can't tell from the picture, but how "thick" the blade is can tell a little bit about it. Also, if the "thumb" part is completely smooth, more likely a Stanley then the others. That's my two sense... which may not make sense at all.