Antique Engineer's/ Architect Scale Rule?

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I have located an H. Chapin brass bound boxwood six inch four fold( 24" total length) rule. It is very ledgible with strong numbers and marks, clearly stamped "H. Chapin No. 3, U.S. Standard". This rule was manufactured between 1835 and 1860. It has two major condition issues. It is missing a piece of brass along the edge from center pivot to the first edge pin. and has a shallow 1/4" x 1/8" chip in the face of the 3-1/2" mark which does not affect the reading of the rule marks. It is graduated in architect's scale which I believe was called an engineer rule at the time.

Does any one know what a pre-civil war measuring device such as this might be worth, and where would one find a market for such a rule should I want to sell it?

Thanks, I will try to post photos later if I can.

 

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No pictures yet, but it is a No.30, not a number three.

The 50¢ sticker was covering up the zero.

Missing two brass edge pin as well, so it ain't all there. All the hinges work.

 

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http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/members/86916-albums5103.html

Further searching has shown that the earlier dates i gave are way the heck off. One source claims this rule was produced from 1897 (?) until H. Chapin became Chapin-Stevens in 1901. Its in rough shape, missing a about an inch and a half of brass edge band. Everything else is decent.

 

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Dummy carpenter just finally figured out how to work computer and attach photo.