Carpenter Wood Folding Ruler, Lufkin Red End, Vintage USA

• Pattern:  Vintage Folding Carpenter Ruler, Wood Lufkin Red End x46
• Made in: Saginaw, Michigan, USA
• Vintage:  1960's 
• Details:   This is a super nice wood carpenter ruler (or rule).  Made by Lufkin Rule Co in Michigan, and still being made today, but of course, this has the wonderful patina of old age!  This one is from the 1970's, gently worn, the brass is a bit rusty, but still workable.  There's nothing that can imitate the patina that comes with using and appreciating a tool every day, if you appreciate a well loved rusty, crusty item, this is one of those items.  It has engraved graduations on both sides and all numbers and markings are still legible.  Great item for someone who appreciates the look of time-worn items, the primitive look.  Also, great garage or man-cave decor.  We have two more rulers listed (Revere and Stanley), if you'd like all 3, please contact us for a 20% discount code.  
• Material:  Wood / Brass
• Dimensions:  72 inches Long
• Condition:  Vintage - Used.  Good Condition.  The brass hinges are rusty but they still work, ruler can be opened in its entirety.  The letter, numbers and measurements are very clear.  Please review all pictures and make sure you love this item before purchasing, we can't accept returns.  Please remember these are VINTAGE and ANTIQUE items, they are NOT new, every effort has been made to show any scratches, wear and tear and imperfections.    

Lufkin Rule Company was founded in Cleveland, Ohio by Edward Taylor Lufkin.  Originally called E.T. Lufkin Board and Log Rule Manufacturing Co in 1869.  In 1883, a group of four men purchased half of the company, forming a corporation under the name of E.T. Lufkin Rule Manufacturing Company. Within two years, they bought the remaining interest from E.T. Lufkin. The company was reorganized and renamed "Lufkin Rule Company" and moved from Cleveland, Ohio, to Saginaw, Mich., in 1895.  Edward T. Lufkin then moved to Chicago to start another business.  The company was reorganized and renamed Lufkin Rule Company.  Around 1915 the firm began importing boxwood folding rules from central Europe, it wasn't until WWI, when their supplies were cut off, that they began making their own.  While Lufkin had a m from Edward Lufkin moved to Chicago to start another business.  Edward was not in good health so he decided to move to New Mexico where he lived for one year.  In 1912, he moved to Los Angeles where he lived until his death on October 15th, 1921.   In 1967 the Lufkin Rule Company was acquired by Cooper Industries.

Rulers, also known as rules, were invented to try and standardize measurements based on the human anatomy, such as the foot and the hand.  The first ruler was a measuring rod made of copper alloy and it dated from 2650 BC.  In 1500 BC there were ivory rulers used by the Indus Valley Civilization. Some findings in Lothal proved that there was a ruler which was calibrated to 1.6 millimeters, and it was 4400 years old.  first folding ruler was invented by Anton Ullrich, and the first flexible ruler was made in 1902.  By the 17th century, rulers were marked in inches, with smaller, fractional lengths coming later.  However, very long rulers were very impractical for the working man, so carpenters and tool makers  came up with a way to fold their wooden rulers so the tool would be easy to store and move from job to job. More specialized types of rulers include rules used by lumbermen and loggers. The majority of rulers, like those from Chapin-Stephens, Lufkin, and Stanley, were made of woods such as boxwood, some were made of bone and others were even carved from ivory, which are among the most expensive available to tool collectors today.