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Molding Planes

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.

Explanation of Our Condition Grading System

Frequently Asked Vintage Tool Questions




for British Molding Planes

for European Molding Planes

American Molding Planes



N. Norton, Camden

MP260213 N. Norton, Camden A 1" size bead that is missing its blade. Other than a ding on the front right upper edge, it is in nice condition. If you have a spare blade that will fit it, you will have a good user plane. Free to the first person who orders it and spends at least $125 on old tools. G+ $0




Cummings & Gale Cummings & Gale Cummings & Gale Cummings & Gale Cummings & Gale

MP25127 Cummings & Gale A rare matched pair of self-regulating sash plane and the matching coping plane, in a cabinetmaker's size profile. Unfortunately, the sash plane has a warp in it. It could still be used if you squeeze it together at the center with a wooden handscrew clamp to remove the warp. Both the sash plane the the coping plane are fully boxed. The sash ovolo is 3/8" size. They are in crisp condition and may well be unused. The sash plane is untouched but the coping plane has been waxed. Fine $259


W.M. Souder, Philada W.M. Souder, Philada

MP251219 W.M. Souder, Philada A scarce washboard plane in honest as found condition. G+ Sold






T. Goldsmith T. Goldsmith T. Goldsmith

MP25108 T. Goldsmith A super-complex 1 5/8" wide cut that I have only seen once before. It has interupted boxing and heavy chamfers. The plane is 9 5/8" long. Nice untouched surface. I have had this plane for years and it is a connoisseur grade plane all the way. G++ $795




G. W. Dennison, Winthrop, Conn G. W. Dennison, Winthrop, Conn

MP250612 G. W. Dennison, Winthrop, Conn A fully boxed 3/4" double bead that looks to be unused. They don't get any better than this. For the connoiseur. Fine $145





S.E. Farrand S.E. Farrand S.E. Farrand

MP250216 S.E. Farrand A matched pair of snipe bill planes. These planes are straight and in untouched condition. One plane has the wrong wedge in it, and it doesn't fit right. The other plane has a chip in the rear of the boxing, this is common on these. FInally, this plane also has had somebody sharpen the blade incorrectly and this will need to be fixed. In short, this will make a great set of American snipe bills, for a collector or a user, but they will needs some careful work to bring them back to great condition. Overall they are really quite good as they are and can easily be restored to a set worth twice as much. G+ $145


John E. Spayd John E. Spayd John E. Spayd

MP25011 John E. Spayd A 7/16" wide square ovolo by a rare Philadelphia maker. Spayd, who was born in 1799 in Prussia, appeared in the Philadelphia directories as a planemaker from 1831 to 1833. This is the first example of his work that I have ever handled. The plane is from an important collection of Philadelphia planes and has been properly waxed. Sighting down the plane it has a curve to the left. It would probably still work, but I can't say for sure. Really the plane belongs in a collection. G+ $65


Illegible Illegible

MP24077 Illegible A 3/8" side bead. The plane is signed, but I can only make out the last three letters, "NER". It is 10" long and is cearly an 18th Century American plane. There is a crack on the right side of the wedge does not go across. As found condition. G+ $45




Randall & Cook, Albany Randall & Cook, Albany

MP240711 Randall & Cook, Albany A nice 1" wide Grecian ogee with bevel. Crisp as found condition. G++ $69






Arrowmammett Works, Middletown Arrowmammett Works, Middletown Arrowmammett Works, Middletown

MP210796 Arrowmammett Works, Middletown A 1 3/4" wide Grecian with square. Not a common profile and not to be confused with the common Grecian ogee with bevel. It has an extension tacked on to the fence. It has a rather faded look to it now, but with a few drops of linseed oil rubbed in this plane will look fantastic. G+ $65




T.J. McMaster & Co, Auburn, NY

MP20126 T.J. McMaster & Co, Auburn, NY A 7/8" wide astragal with deep Grecian. The plane is marked 3/4, which seems to be the depth of cut. Sighting down the body there is some warp and if you want to use this plane it will require some fiddling, but it looks doable to me without inordinate effort, if you have experience with this. There is a hang hole in the rear and a check in the front. Nice honest as found condition. G+ $59



Bensen & Crannell, Albany

MP201218 Bensen & Crannell, Albany A 1/2" cove plane in clean as found condition. Sighting down the sole, there is a warp in this plane that will prevent it from performing well without some fiddling. The price reflects that. Needs a light cleaning but should clean to at least G+ $30






A Howland & Co. N.Y. A Howland & Co. N.Y.

MP251015 A Howland & Co. N.Y. The profile of this plane has been modified. The fence has been planed down and the plane will now cut into a board a shallow 1" wide molding. It is in nice condition and is still a usable plane. Free to the first person who orders it and spends at least $200 on old tools. G+ $0




D. Copeland

MP160150 D. Copeland This plane has a very unusual profile, a very deep cove. I have seen similar very deep Grecians, so this is presumably the converse. It does seem to me that the depth stop has been planed off. The patina matches, so it would have been done when the plane was near new, but the wood is rougher there than the finish that the maker would have left, and the spring line shows where the depth stop shoud have been. I don't think that the profile itself is modified and this is still a very ususual plane. It does appear to have been "cleaned" with steel wool. G+ $55




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for European Molding Planes



British Molding Planes



Griffiths, Norwich Griffiths, Norwich

MP26021 Griffiths, Norwich This is a compassed sash plane in 5/8" size. It is unusual for its size, must compassed sash planes are larger, being used primarily in architectural work. The plane is from a good collection of unusual British planes. G++ Sold




Barnes, Worcester Barnes, Worcester Barnes, Worcester Barnes, Worcester

MP26027 Barnes, Worcester A very unusual 1 - 2 pair of molding planes. If you don't know how 1 - molding planes work, check out our FAQs. I am not sure what this molding was for, but one good guess is that for a mantlepiece molding. The profile is 2 3/8" wide. These planes are from an important collection of unusual British molding planes. They have been cleaned by that collector. Only the Number 1 plane has a pull hole, which makes total sense for how the plane were intended to be used. For the connoisseur. G++ Sold



Arthur, Edinburgh Arthur, Edinburgh

MP260216 Arthur, Edinburgh A 7/8" Grecian with fillet. It has been waxed by a collector and has lovely color. G+ $55






I Sym I Sym I Sym

MP25124 I Sym A wonderful example of the rare ultra-complex profile that collector's call a picture frame molding. The profile is 1 1/8" wide. The plane has been waxed by a collector. Truly a wonderful example. G++ $349





Moseley & Son, London Moseley & Son, London Moseley & Son, London

MP251119 Moseley & Son, London A matching set of 4 hollows & rounds. All bear the same owner's mark. Unusually, they are not skew-mouth. Most 19th Century British hollows & rounds are skew mouth, but these are square. The sizes are #4 hollow, #8 hollow, #10 round, and #18 hollow. The #8 hollow is missing its wedge finial, but the planes are otherwise in crisp untouched condition. A great working group of planes and priced to sell. G++ $69


John Rogers John Rogers John Rogers

MP25101 John Rogers A super complex 1 5/8" cut, this profile is often refered to by collector's as a picture frame cut, but I really don't know what it was used for. It is a very scarce cut that is only seen on 18th Century planes. This plane is in nice as found condition. It has one chip out of the left side where the back was struck and it knocked off a chip. This is a special plane for the connoisseur. G+ $295



Griffiths, Norwich Griffiths, Norwich Griffiths, Norwich

MP250118 Griffiths, Norwich This is a most unusual plane. It cuts a 3/4" wide thumbnail profile. The plane is only 6 1/4" long. If I saw it from the side, I would just assume that it was cut down from a standard plane to make a bullnose plane. However, it is marked on the front. I am thinking that it was made to do some kind of stop work. However, the plane appears to be unused. It is crisp and untouched. Unique in my experience. For the connoisseur. Fine $95


Speight, Leeds Speight, Leeds Speight, Leeds Speight, Leeds Speight, Leeds Speight, Leeds

MP25015 Speight, Leeds This is a group of 6 skew-mouth hollows and rounds that are all original to one set of 18. These are all that are left of the set. Perhaps the other 12 are out there somewhere. They comprise a #2 pair and then 6, 12, 14, & 16 rounds. All of the planes are in crisp as found condition and they did literally come out of an old tool chest that a friend of mine bought off of a farm in the 1970s. The #14 has some mouse chew on the wedge and shouler which knocks it down a notch, but the rest should easily clean to Fine $119


Drury, N.B. St. John Drury, N.B. St. John

MP231132 Drury, N.B. St. John A 1/4" bead plane by a scarce Canadian maker. It is also marked by the retailer, "T.L. Cleary, St. John, N.B." . The first of either of these marks that I have seen. It is in as found condition and was clearly used but not abused. G+ $49




H. Olsen, 11 Vognmagergade 11 H. Olsen, 11 Vognmagergade 11 H. Olsen, 11 Vognmagergade 11

MP220712 H. Olsen, 11 Vognmagergade 11 This is a most unusual, and beautifully made, sash coping plane from Copenhagen, Denmark. I bought it from a European collector who told me that in his entire collecting career he has only seen one other example. The plane is also marked "! 1/2" for the size, probably in centimeters. At first glance it looks like a veneer saw. The beech wood has a lovely honey color and has been waxed by the collector. The metal parts have a pleasing light patina, but if you look closely you can see that they were hit with a fine wire brush. No real damage was done as it was a soft brush, but it is still a really bad thing to do to a tool and should be prosecuted. G++ $195


Sash Template Sash Template

MP180841 Sash Template This is the largest sash template that I have ever seen by far. It is for a giant lamb's tongue sash like might be used in a Victorian church. The molding would be about 2" wide to the glass. It is in wonderful as found condition with an attractive rich patina. Fine $59




Edwd Preston & Sons, B

MP210155 Edwd Preston & Sons, B'ham, Eng. An unusual 1 1/4" wide ovolo. Not a square ovolo, it is more similar to a very larege sash ovolo, but not quite the same. As found condition. G+ $59








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European & Other Molding Planes

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