Antique British Metal Planes & Infill Planes at The Best Things

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Infill & Other British Metal Planes

British Metal Planes, commonly referred to as infill planes, represent the pinnacle of refinement in cabinetmaking planes. These planes came into vogue during a time when industrialization allowed products of remarkable precision to be made for a wide market, but at the same time fine hand work was still being done. Infill planes proliferated in the second half of the nineteenth century. While production lingered on until the early 1950s in a few isolated cases, The Great War really sounded the death knell for this type of tool. Today, these tools are avidly sought by both users and collectors. Their elegant lines and unequaled performance stimulating interest in both groups. When perusing the planes in this section, it must be remembered that the very nature of these planes meant that production would be relatively small. Today, the supply of good examples is very limited. We do sell quite a few Norris and Spiers planes, but it must be borne in mind that these planes are far too scarce to maintain a constant stock of good planes at a reasonable price. Planes by lesser known makers, while often of similar quality, are typically much easier to acquire, simply due to their lessor fame.

In our New Tools Section you will find a complete selection of parallel irons for infill planes custom made for us by Ron Hock.

for more of a discussion of infill planes.

BM100439 Mosely & Son, King St., Covent Garden, London This is a medium size (8 1/2") wedge type Spiers made, but Mosely marked mitre plane, with the very unusual feature of being handled. This plane has a handle fitted to the rear with such precision and quality of workmanship, that it certainly might be a factory special order. Whenever I see claims in tool auction catalogues that abberations from conventional production, I am skeptical. So, too am I skeptical of my own claims to this effect, but it is certainly possible. I have see a lot of obvious user modifications, many of them described as rare prototypes by their owner's, but typically they are so crudely executed that only the most optimistic among us could believe that they might be original to the tool. That is not the case here, this is so well done that it is hard to believe that any woodworker would have the metalworking skills to execute such a modification so well. It truly looks orginal to the plane, and makes the plane immensly more usable. I have owned and used this plane for 15 years or so and is much easier to handle and used than any other mitre plane that I have used. It has the original numbered snecked iron. It is in very untouched condition, except where the patina is rubbed off on the bottom of the handle screws, where I filed them flush, there having begun to protrude as a result of the handle shrinking. I regret not doing this a bit more carefully, but the color will come back with time. The mouth is as tight as you would expect from a Spiers made mitre plane that has not been through the British trade. Provenance: Ron Cushman. G+ $1795

BM91245 Norris, London A #7 shoulder plane in the scarce 1 1/8" wide size. This plane has a full original Norris marked, and properly numbered, iron. The sole of the pane is crisp with as tight a mouth as any Norris shoulder plane. The rest of the plane has been overcleaned. I can picture what happened. It sat for many years on a shelf, so the sole was protected, while the rest of the plane was exposed. Then some fool took 400 grit paper and rubbed down the plane. The wood has lost its finish ane the sides are bright, with some pitting. This plane would make as good a user as any, just as it stands. It could be made to look a lot better by dressing the sides and refinishing the wood. With its full original iron and tight mouth, this plane is really a steal at this price. Good $595

BM91120 Unmarked This is a professionally made but unmarked gunmetal smoother with steel sole. The style is similar to a Norris G4, and the hold down screw is similar to very early Norris examples that I have seen, but the lever cap is not quite like any Norris that I have seen. The quality is definitely London made quality. The front bun has some lines carved into it, presumably by an illiterate early owner. I would have preferred it to be otherwise, but it is what it is. The plane is unpolished, and the sole is lightly patinated. If you look closely the sides have ligth tool box rash but with the patina you don't notice it. The mouth is tight, but it could be even tighter with a different blade. This blade is probably a period replacement by Sorby. The cap iron looks original and is by Ibbottson, a maker that Norris favored early on. A very nice top of the range smoother that would be in a whole differnt league if it is was marked. Good $895

BM91049 Scottish Mitre Plane A monumental Scottish mitre plane, measuring 12 3/4" long and 3" wide, with the original 2 1/2" wide snecked iron. The bridge, which has a lovely bronze color, is a decorative design with I have seen before, leading me to believe that this might not be a craftsman made product. The front but has a decorative raised molding. The infill is walnut. The front and rear of the cast body have a decorative cove molding. This is one of the most attractive and decorative mitre planes that I have seen. It weighs just shy of 7 pounds. Not a plane that could easily be replaced. The last photo shows this plane together with the largest size Robert Towell mitre plane, just to give some perspective as to how large a plane this is. The mouth is also tight when the blade is properly set. Cast planes never have a tiny slit mouth the way dovetailed planes do, but when set for use this one is just as tight. G++ $1195

BM91034 Norris, London A Norris number 51 adjustable smoothing plane with about 70-80% of the original Norris marked iron remaining. This plane has most of the bright lacquer left on the hold down screw and a very pleasant light patina overall. This is another very nice example from that wonderful Norris collection that we have been selling. There are two minor faults. Really one. There are several obtrusive owner's marks on the top of the front bun. Not really a fault but it is a but much. The tote has a glued crack in the front part, that is not the tote itself, but the closed part that goes in front of the hand. This is a common flaw, in just this place, but I don't know why. The original paint is about 80%. Most of the examples that I see turning up in this country are repainted. This is a really nice honest example at what I think is a moderate price. G++ $865

BM90159 Unmarked This plane is one of those times when a tool collector becomes a sleuth. The plane is not marked, but is too well made to likely be a craftsman made plane. It is dovetailed, and the dovetailing is done as a first class maker would do it. You don't see craftman made planes that are dovetailed very often, and they are never dovetailed this well. The plane is beautifully made mitre plane, but with an unusual form. The front bun looks like a Norris front bun of the period. The period, I peg as 1893-1898 because the blade, which looks original to the plane, bears the mark of Ryan, Euston Rd. which would date to this period. The bridge looks like a London mitre plane bridge by a maker like Smith or Gabriel. Since these are earlier makers, it even occurred to me that this was an earlier plane that has been refilled later. It looks too undisturbed to give that theory credence. I just don't know but I would not be surprised to hear that this plane was a special order from a major maker like Norris. Ryan was a dealer for Norris. Whatever the story, this is a fantastic mitre plane in wonderful as found condition. G++ $1295

Hock Parallel Irons for Infill Planes
We have a full selection of Hock irons custom made to our specifications in standard and A2 steel. These are all listed in the new tools section. Hock Blades