Steven was right about these... they are almost certainly Balilla levers, not Universals. Compare this photo of a set with the Balilla diamond-shaped badge and flying bird logo (sorry for the poor quality of the photos - my camera doesn't do close-ups):
levers:
http://www.wooljersey.com/
name and logo visible through transparent hood covers:
http://www.wooljersey.com/
Probably from the 1960s or early-1970s, they look older because of the primitive construction.
Aldo Ross
Middletown, Ohio
> Al,
>
> I'm certainly no expert but the shape of the lever and the ribbing on
> top of the gum rubber boot remind me a lot of the Universals on my '78
> Raleigh Comp. GS. Are the 2 small cylinder like objects poking out of
> the top threaded? My unis are not knurled like yours but came with
> little black rubber hoods to cover these "brake adjusters".
>
> Eric Meddaugh
> San Carlos, CA usa
> ---
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org
> [mailto:classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org] On Behalf Of Al Van
> Varick
> Sent: Wednesday, February 08, 2006 10:01 PM
> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> Subject: [CR]Some very vintage brake levers....What are they?
>
> Hello All,
> I'm hoping that someone can help me identify what appear to be some very
> vintage brake levers. The bodies look like they are made from aluminum
> sheet
> stock, overlapped at the bottom and riveted together.
> http://members.cox.net/
>
> Al Van Varick
> (520) 207-6955