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PEXTO Braces -  Another Type Study of Sorts
by George Langford
Overall

Brace PEXTO-02.
Price: $45.00 plus shipping.

This twelve-inch-swing brace is the earliest in my examples of this series, as it has the spring and jaws matching the Smith patent drawings, and it is faintly marked on the cast housing of the spindle bearing with the February 19, 1884 date of the Robert Ellrich ratchet patent.  That would place its date of manufacture between when the first braces were made in 1895 and 1901, when the Ellrich patent was set to expire.

The manufacturer's mark is simply, P.S.&W.Co. with no model number that I can see.
The rosewood wrist handle is affixed by a pair of permanently located conical ferrules.  Later braces had cylindrical ferrules affixed and adjustable by screws.
Wrist ferrules - no screws
July 9, 1895 date of H.V. Smith patent
 		The July 9, 1895 date of the US Patent No. 542,448 granted to Henry V. Smith is boldly struck into the shell of the ball bearing chuck. 

The lignum vitae pad is on a ball bearing quill, seen below.
Pad view
 Chuck view
 Chuck off