That’s a normal C.4596, the second size of the set of four open-enders with JAGUAR stamped on them, introduced with GARRINGTON branding in 1951 for Mark VII and 1954 for XK140.
The T/W branding retained same part number, but this new brand was not introduced until c1958 for XK150, Mark 1, Mark 2 and Mark VIII/IX augmenting supplies of GARRINGTON brand until both superseded in early 1960s by a third then a fourth brand. So can be found c1958 to c1963/4 in sets of four T/W, or mixed sets of four T/W and GARRINGTON brand.
Spanners with the SNAIL pictogram on them, thus SNAIL BRAND, were used post-war for Mark IV, Mark V and XK120 tool-kits, but not used thereafter in Mark VII onwards, and XK140 onwards. They were also used pre-war in SS-Jaguar, but the exact markings on them identify their age, with pre-war marking different to Mark IV/V/XK120 marking, and post XK120 having different marking again.
See picture of the two SNAIL spanners as used in XK120 tool kits (and Mark V) as part numbers C998 and C999 - Mark IV added a third larger size C1000 as well… - note correct XK120 size markings W and F for BSW and BSF
In the mid 1960s, Jaguar again used spanners with JAGUAR on one side, and SNAIL BRAND on the other, as per Rob’s pic of JAGUAR-T/W spanner.
Jaguar never used KING DICK branded spanners, an extremely common British manufacturer, so often found substituted in early tool-kits as the Girder style Adjustable Spanner.
(They did use a KING DICK branded Jack Ratchet Handle and Jack in the late 1950s/early 1960s)
I have fully written up XK120-XK140-XK150 Tool Kits in a stand-alone full chapter in Philip Porter’s THIRD EDITION of Jaguar Original XK
Is it correct that a spanner must have “Jaguar” upon it to be a genuine Jaguar toolkit spanner?
I notice that on Ebay, someone is selling E-type kits for quite a high price, with a new leather pouch, and that the same tools from a MKX get sold for a great deal less…and empty MKX cases on Ebay to!
No, they were only marked Jaguar in the mid 1950s and 60s, not 30s and 40s and early 50s. Roger will no doubt be able to supply the exact date or near approximation they began with Mark VII, XK140 and Mark 1.
Tony,
Jaguar tended to evolve two different streams of Tool Kits - that for all saloons housed within a Tool Tray, Tool Lockers then Tool Box - thus the Mark V, Mark VII and Mark 2 arrangements. And the Sports Car stream, housed in a Canvas or Rexine material tool-roll, thus the SS100, XK and E-type arrangement.
The actual Tool Kit itself, comprised a set of tools that were identified by unique part number, and mostly were the same age for age if part of a saloon tool kit or a sports tool kit, with some minor variations to specifically suit the particular model of Jaguar.
The pre-war SS-Jaguar tools age evolved into Mark IV tool kit, with a significant change adding AF spanners and box spanners for Mark V in 1949. None of these tools were identified JAGUAR, with most simply having their makers BRAND on them, and others no branding at all.
With the new model Mark VII introduced in 1951, there was a complete rethinking of the tool-kit - boxes in both front doors, and a mostly changed set of tools included. This is when for the first time you had any tools with JAGUAR branding/identification on them. The revised sizes set of four open-ended spanners all had JAGUAR embossed on the front, and the makers name GARRINGTON embossed on the rear. A new small 4inch adjustable was introduced, also with JAGUAR on the front, and GARRINGTON on the rear. A new style black-bakelite handled Screwdriver was also introduced with JAGUAR moulded into the handle. But nothing else, everything else had just the makers brand or no identification. (In the late 1950s, you now also got a Tyre Pressure Gauge with the Jaguar-Wings badge engraved on the chrome barrel).
With Sports Cars, the SS100 was discontinued, so the first post war sports car introduced in 1949 essentially got the same set of tools (some variations) as did the 1949 Mark V, but were housed in a tool-roll. So nothing marked JAGUAR. The XK120 tool kit marginally evolved in detail up to the last built in Sept 1954. It was not until the introduction of the XK140 in October 1954 that Jaguar introduced the new style set of tools as per the Mark VII had introduced in 1951 - so now you had JAGUAR branding on 4x Spanners, Adjustable and Screwdriver, still in a tool-roll, but a revised design to XK120 tool roll. The XK140 tool kit/roll evolved into the very similar XK150 tool kit/roll, albeit as before the JAGUAR open enders also now included T/W branding, and this in turn evolved into the 3.8 E-type Tool Kit/roll and then into 4.2 E-type Tool Kit/Roll. The Series 2 E-type Tool Kit/Roll was significantly changed/reduced.
But the saloons tool kit/tool boxes also evolved, with similar tools age for age, but with a few model specific variations.
So yes, if you get a 3.8 Mark 10 tool-kit, you can remove all the tools - throw the worthless Mark 10 unique tool box away, buy a readily available reproduction E-type tool-roll, and transplant all the Mark 10 tools, and you nearly have an age accurate 3.8 E-type Tool Kit. There are a couple only unique E-type tools you need to source to complete the E-type tool-kit, and two of the Mark 10 tools are not required. But the unique E-type tools are difficult to find, thus a premium price from on-line vendors.
Same situation with XK120 Tool-Kits - most of the tools needed are same as same age Mark V, however Mark V tools are now not so esay to find either.
Like all these projects - if you know what you are doing, there are easier/cheaper solutions than simply risking the offerings from eBay etc - there are a lot of crooks out there offering so-called XK and E-type tool kits at a premium price, with some regular offenders, and rarely do you see anything offered that is complete and age-accurate.
