10 Most Watched Wood Carving Tool Auctions on Ebay

[billjames]

Hi,

I was surfing aroung and found this link, thought you guys might be interested. It's updated every hour.

10 Most Watched Wood Carving Tool Auctions on Ebay.

[Plain_Ol_Ed]

I'm surprised that nobody has bid on those Addis tools as of yet.

[R-OLDS]

Hmmmm very interesting, The Stanley #1 planer gosh they are worth a bit...
I didn't look at many of the different tools but the planers caught my eye because of the value of a #1.
Some of them which looked quite old didn't seem to be worth much.

What is a #1 stanley, the one I saw had a 2 or 5 on it so what makes it a #1 anyone know?


Randal

[cats pa]

Originally Posted by R-OLDS

What is a #1 stanley, the one I saw had a 2 or 5 on it so what makes it a #1 anyone know?

In the late 1870's, the Stanley Rule & Level Co. bought out the machinery and patent rights of a fellow named Leonard Bailey, who had invented a new blade mounting and adjusting mechanism for cast iron body planes. Eventually the line grew to include 8 models, #1 being the smallest. It was too small to be useful for heavy woodworking, in the opinion of most woodworkers. Keep in mind that at that time there were no skilsaws or portaplanes, so the handplane market was made up of professional carpenters, furniture makers, etc. and hobby woodworking was a very minor part of it.

Anyway, #4's and #5's were and are the most common, measuring about 9-1/2" and 14" respectively. The smallest Bailey plane I have is a #3, and I don't use it much. BobD can correct me on this, but I think the sole of the #1 is less than 6" long, which is a real squeeze for a guy with even average-size fingers. Not very many were made, and their rarity drives the prices up today.

Relations between Leonard Bailey and the Stanley Co. got quite stormy later on, including patent infringement lawsuits, but in 1906 (I think) Bailey died and Stanley started casting his name into the toe of each plane as a tribute.

Parker

[billjames]

do you know how many stanley #1 they made?

[Claude]

Stanly #1 planes are highly sought after by makers of bamboo flyrods specifically because they are "bench planes" instead of "block planes".

Claude

[cats pa]

Originally Posted by billjames

do you know how many stanley #1 they made?

No, I don't, but not very many compared to their other models. Patrick Leach is a highly respected tool dealer out of MA, and he has a site that is very informative about Stanley planes - he might have some idea.

Of the few #1's you see, many are in better than average condition for their age, and lightly used if at all, but the last one I looked at on the unmentionable but widely known auction site went for about 1400 bucks. Nice #2's can be had for several hundred dollars, #3's are 30-50, 4's are about half that. The previous comment is not meant as a guaranteed appraisal of your grandfather's planes sitting up on the mantel, it's just what I've seen.

Claude is right, I'm sure every flyrod maker would love to have a couple #1's, but I think few can afford them. Dave, the rodmaker I personally know, uses a #60-1/2 block I found for him.

Parker