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| Classic Hand Tools |
Old planes have come on in leaps and bounds in the last 10 years, propelled upwards in price not just by woodworkers, but collectors as well.
The top end of the market is dominated by the collectors, while the humdrum finds are snapped up by craftsmen. For example, 'The Cupid Plane' - a beautiful German tool with fine depictions of Cupid to the sides, dating probably from the 17th century - sold at Auction for $10,000- £7,500.
But you could pick up a smoothing plane from around 1900c at yard sales & car boot sale for as little as $2- £1
18th century workshop wall had the jack plane. Around 15 inches long, it was fashioned from a length of wood square or oblong in cross-section and about three inches wide. Today, a late jack plane would set you back around $10-$30 £5-£20 but a rare model by a top maker could fetch $200-300 £100-250.
An iron blade was held in place in the recessed throat of the plane with a wooden wedge. Almost all were made from beech, though a few high quality tools were crafted from boxwood.
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| Classic Hand Tools |
They were both craftsman-made and commercially produced: "Collectors of commercial tools are comforted by the notion that these are more definable as to date and quality than craftsman-made product and that prices can be charted for similar items"
The trenches gouged by the jack plane were smoothed down by the try or trying plane.
more character but, without records, their history and age and therefore price, are often difficult to pin down.
Longer and wider than the jack plane, with a square sole and iron, the plane rode over the tracks left by the jack and smoothed the wood's surface.
As with jack planes, try planes are still used by modern-day craftsman of a traditional frame of mind. late 19th and early 20th century bench planes are mainly bought for use and must therefore be in good condition. These later planes sell for around $20-30 £10-15 but, because they are likely to be used, need to be complete with their iron and wedge. The mouth should also be undamaged and not too worn.
The try plane would give the surface an acceptable smoothness ready for sanding. For the final removal of irregularities, the small smoothing plane was the answer. At only ten inches or so, it was the smallest used in the process: "The stocks mostly have curved sides and are frequently referred to as coffin or boat planes"
They range in size from around nine inches long to tiny ones called 'thumb' planes of as little as two inches long. Smoothing planes tend to sell in the $5-10 £3-8 bracket, while their smaller cousins - thumb planes - fetch closer to $20-30 £10-15. For boxwood, you could double the price.
A good quality example with the name of a Georgian maker on it, like William Madox or George Mutter, could fetch $200 £125 upwards. Names of prolific manufacturers, like Alexander Mathieson, add less to the value, but any name is better than none at all.
The smoothing plane was ideal for reducing irritating knots in the wood, but sufficiently versatile to be used to finish any number of smaller pieces which formed the constituent parts of chairs and tables. Because of its versatility, it was one of the mainstays of the cabinetmaker's workshop.
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| Classic Hand Tools |
For a large jack plane, the amount of wood needed for making a tool from a material like lignum vitae would have been prohibitively expensive. For the smaller smoothing plane, it was within the budget of the wealthier cabinetmaker.
This wood, taken from a vine, contains its own natural oils that keep a lignum vitae plane naturally lubricated, allowing it to ride over the wood surface with less friction. This quality of lignum vitae was favoured by 17th century clock makers who used it instead of costly brass for the works of timepieces. Again the natural oils of the wood, which never dry out, kept the clockwork lubricated.
Alongside the bench planes,moulding planes were produced in huge quantities to fashion wood into the elaborate mouldings and curves needed for everything from furniture to architraves.
The earliest are around 10.5 inches long but, by the last quarter of the 18th century, they had shrunk by about an inch: "By 1775, virtually all makers had adopted this length which remained standard as long as moulding planes were made. The length of a moulding plane, for those made before 1775, is therefore a guide to age but there is no direct correlation between length and date.
A further clue to age is the chamfers on the corner edges of both moulding and bench planes. After 1770, the previously flat chamfers changed to a more rounded shape and reduced in width. As Britain industrialised, so the need for more specialised planes grew. Everything from billiard cue planes to violin planes was produced.
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| Classic Hand Tools |
Some knowledge of the life and pedigree of a tool is always a bonus. Most planes are stamped at one end with a maker's imprint if the manufacturer was proud enough to sign his work. Among collectors, certain maker's marks - when accompanied with rarity, quality, or technical innovation - can add significantly to the price:
"As a general rule18th century makers used embossed marks while, by 1820, most makers had changed to incuse marks. Addresses were added from 1840 on wards but usually indicate manufacture later in the century."
Even on fairly humble planes trademarks appear and add extra character - to an antique plane in particular. Marks were also applied by retailers in addition to - or instead of - the imprint of the original manufacturer.
Those sufficiently motivated to delve into the history of antique tools in their possession can refer to the handful of specialist collectors' guides on the market, which include extensive listings of known English makers. Publications like W.L. Goodman's 'British Planemakers Since 1700' give the subject a thorough treatment.
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| Classic Hand Tools |
Condition is central to a tool's value. For planes produced this century, collectors may even expect the original box if they are paying top dollar. Originality of finish is what every collector wants, so it's best to leave well alone rather than attempt to clean old planes. Don't try to clean them too much. Collectors would rather see a plane with evidence of its past than a scrubbed example. Rusty irons are also best left alone.
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