The Most Unnecessarily Complicated Antique Tape Dispenser [Restoration]

This restoration is on a pre-1920s Chauncey Wing’s Sons mailer/tape dispenser. The tool is one of the most intricate and complex machines I have seen to dispense tape. The modern cost to replicate something like this would be astronomically expensive, but it is beautiful. You can see the original 1894 patent here: A viewer sent me this specific tool a few months ago to compliment one that I found which was missing too many parts to be functional. Between the two, I could compile one completely functional tool. I sandblasted almost every part and wire-wheeled them with a very soft brass wheel, so as to not scratch the brass parts. The handles seemed to be made out of cherry that was heavily varnished. I stripped the old yellowed varnish and applied a thick coating of shellac to the cherry wood. I have to remake the wooden roller that sat in the glue holder, as it was missing. The original glue holder was repaired and filled with water so