when is it? (Weatley square)

[PFSchaffner]

This framing square just arrived, marked only "SUPERIOR A. Weatley".
It appears to be old, with hand-stamped and irregular numbers. But
how old is old? I.e. what sort of date would you guess?

(The only references online that I found to this square was someone
else asking the same question ten years ago; and an auction record
from M.D.  There is also said to be a reference in the EAIA Chronicle
from 1982 (45:1), which I'll be tracking down.)

[PFSchaffner]

The reference in the EAIA Chronicle was 1992, not 1982 (I misrememberd). But
it was not what you would call helpful, exactly. It reads in its entirety:

"'Concerning recent entries in Whodunit?, I recently had a steel square,
about 12" x 24" with an early look, marked just A. WEATLEY. Presently
I have a large old adjustable bevel; the wood is birch and the steel bears
the mark A. WEATLEY FROM F. PERKS STEEL CORNER. The tool looks early
but could have started out as a square and been converted to a bevel
early on. STEEL CORNER could have been a feature of the square, or possibly
a place. '-- Mike Humphrey. Another Weatley/Perks and a new detail. We'll
nail these guys yet."  [Chronicle 45:1, p. 19]

The upshot seems to be that there are a number of 12" x 24" squares
floating about (or just one, moving from person to person!) which everyone
agrees 'look early' but which no one can place with any confidence. And
it, or one of them, is sitting in my mud room. :)

[Branson]

The numerals (esp the 7) appear to be stamped by hand.  I have a 12 X 24 that's hand stamped (by Small).  It replaced another that was definitely machine stamped, probably from the 1930s.  Yours is almost certainly from the early to mid 1800s, I suspect.