J.G.Graves was a Sheffield firm that, through running a mail-order company in general goods made its owner, John George Graves the richest man in the city and its greatest public benefactor.
Although there were several manufacturers in Sheffield (especially Portass), who could have either manufactured or re-badged a shaper of their own to sell under the Graves name, non seem to bear any resemblance to this particular machine and its origins remain a mystery.
Ram travel was 41/2", the table was 6" x 5" with a rise and fall of 23/4" and a cross feed of 31/4". The maximum clearance between cutting tool table was just 31/4" - thus it fell in size between the much better known and very popular Adept No. 1 and No. 2 models. However, unlike the Adepts, the Graves enjoyed an unusual luxury for a miniature shaper, an automatic reversing traverse to the table feed.
Graves also marketed small lathes, the "NV" and the "NV" Portable.
Should any reader recognise their shaper as a "Graves" the writer would be pleased to hear from you..Other popular (and less-well-known) small hand-operated shapers include the Adept,  Alexander,  Arrow,  Benson,  Boynton,  Bradley,  E.W.Cowell,  Drummond,  Flexispeeed,  Graves,  Liverpool Castings & Tool Supply,  Omerod,  Perfecto,  Polygon,  Portass,  Rapid-Lime,  Robblak, and Tom Senior.