TheRandAveryCompany was located in Boston, Massachusetts. This company is best known for it's paper publishing, and not hardware. There are many old (1800s) timetables and descriptive booklets published by Rand Avery for a wide range of early railroads. The different hallmarks found on Rand Avery baggage checks can be used to help get a relative date of manufacture.
 
 

Hallmark	Scarcity rating	Image
RAND AVERY & CO.	1
RAND AVERY SUPPLY CO.	1

Rand Avery has a particular appeal to me because they were a major manufacturer of baggage checks for several of the Maine 2 foot railroads. Examples of these checks can be found below.

One interesting aspect of Rand Avery baggage checks is the use of Italicized numerals. Woodman is another baggage check maker that used this style of numeral. An example can be found below. They also seem to have generated their share of nickel plated baggage checks. This would have been an "option" that the ordering railroad would have to ask for. I have found no practical reason for the use of nickel plating. The evidence for this is that both round Wiscasset and Quebec checks below are the same, with the exception of the nickel plating. You would think that there would be a difference such as: using nickel plated checks for local checks and non-nickel plated for inter-line use. See the type page for a further explanation on check types.

Of the two hallmarks for Rand Avery the Rand Avery Co. is earlier than the Rand Avery Supply Co. hallmark.

Rand Avery Maine 2 foot gauge baggage checks
Wiscasset & Quebec Railroad nickel plated check. Note that the nickel is very worn	Wiscasset & Quebec Railroad in plain brass.	Kennbec Central Railroad brass check, Note the very low issue number. A very short 2 footer.

	Maine Central RR Station example This check, with the railroad name spelled out really stands out when observed with a collection of Robbins checks. Robbins always uses "MCRR" and never spells the railroad name out like this.
	Reversible with nickel plating example A fine interline check from the following roads: Boston Hoosac Tunnel & Western Ry / Connecticut River RR / New Haven & Northhampton RR. It's an unusual shape and in great condition.
	Reversible with Italicized numerals example A fine interline check from the following roads: Boston Hoosac Tunnel & Western Ry / Delaware & Hudson Canal Company. I don't know when the "Summer Season" of Saratoga's famous spas and races started, however, it's possible that this check was used by a traveler for one of those purposes.
	Northern Ry of Costa Rica example A small foreign example. Get em how you find em!
	New London Steamboat example This shell check is really nice because it shows the effect that the leather strap can have on the brass, Note the right hand side shows a shadow where the end of the strap rested inside the slot.