Molding Planes at The Best Things

- Molding Planes at The Best Things

Molding Planes

Saws

Stanley Tools

Before the days of store bought moldings and Stanley combination planes, every cabinetmaker and joiner had a chest full of molding planes. For the most part these planes are almost identical, however, there are subtle but important differences. More on the differences between cabinetmaker's and joiner's molding planes. Joiner's planes are much more common to find, because far more people were employed building houses than were employed building furniture by hand. Both types of planes can still be used on today's projects. By our estimation, you haven't lived, until you have struck a molding with an original molding plane that once sung in the shop of a 19th Century master. 18th Century molding planes are quite scarce and should be left to collectors. We hope that the collection presented here will offer something for everyone.

A word on sharpening and using molding planes.

American Molding Planes

MP80634 M. Crannel, Albany This is a matched set of 16 hollows & rounds, all from the same set and all looking very dry. These planes have the look of planes that were never oiled when they were new. If you just wax them now they will take on that beautiful light color that beech has when it is new. The blades are all clean. The number 10 pair is missing. One plane has a stuck wedge which I have not tried to free up. The number 8 round has some rat chew on the front top where the owner's sweat was in the wood. This set will look great when it is waxed, and it is about half the price of a good American set with all 18 planes. What a difference 2 planes can make. Some planes are a bit better and some are not quite as good but overall it is fair to rate them G+ $695Sold

British Molding Planes

MP80654 S. Holbeck This is a rare mid-18th Century English molding plane measuring 9 5/8" long. I don't recall ever having a Holbeck plane before. The profile is one of the super fine profiles that collectors generically call picture frame moldings, but which in fact have nothing at all to do with picture frames. The only place that I have seen these moldings used is on the very fine moldings used on early jewelry chests. This profile is 9/16" wide and the iron is set at a York pitch. If you wanted to use it, it would take some care to get it working, as the profile is so fine that it would be a nightmare to sharpen. The bad news, as there always is, is that the front edge appears to have been rounded over, and the maker's mark is not super crisp and clear. Still, a rare profile by a rare maker. Good $245

MP80540 I.Cox This is a rare handled English complex molding plane. It was apparently made for the American market, which makes sense for this style of plane. I make that prempton because it bears two different American style owner's brands. It looks very much like a Napier plane of the same period. The mark is the early Cox mark, which is a big rectangular mark. The profile is the really great news here. It is a very unusual and appealing profile. The profile is 1 1/2" wide and would fit in well as main part of a cornice mold on a piece of furniture. The iron is a round topped Hildick. The bad news is that the tote is a later replacement, more in the 19th Century style. Also, the rear of the plane is marked with an American collector's mark and inventory number. I can overlook the tote and the desecration because the rest of the plane is so good. It is just a great profile that I won't even begin to try and describe. G+ $265

MP70230 Gabriel This is a set of 3 Gabriel planes, all from the same owner, W. Dunt. Two of them are the same profile, a 7/8" and a 1" astragal with Grecian, the smaller of which is missing about 1 1/2" of boxing which looks to have recently fallen out. The other plane is a 1" quirked ogee. This plane is the style with a removeable fillet against the fence. This is missing but easily replaced. The original owner has rounded the rear shoulder on each plane to make them more comfortable to use. All three planes have been nicely waxed and are very nice condition, having been sympathetically treated all their lives. The Priced at less than $60 each, this is a steal. Normally a set is worth more than its parts, but I priced these at a discount over the parts to make it more affordable. G++ $179

European Molding Planes