Norris A7 Shoulder Plane

[phykell]

Hi,

Sorry I didn't put this on the tools forum but I thought this was more appropriate

A friend of mine has asked me to sell some tools for him and amongst the normal old Stanley planes, wooden mallets and various other stuff, there's a Norris A7 shoulder plane. There's a picture of it here:

I believe it's worth quite a bit but I want to get the most for him I can. Can anyone suggest a fair price I should sell it for and where best to sell it?

Also, I'm a bit at a loss about why there's so much interest in this kind of tool. Would anyone care to comment? Anyone know anything about these things?

Thanks for looking

_____________________
moderator,

moved as posted in wrong forum

 

[Jasonb]

You may get some better answers on this forum, maybe even a buyer, there are quite a few plane collectors there.

http://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/

Jason

 

[Sandy Beech]

I believe it's worth quite a bit but I want to get the most for him I can. Can anyone suggest a fair price I should sell it for and where best to sell it?

A. I would hazard a guess at say £200+ but search as suggested there are specialist dealers out there or an auction house maybe?

Also, I'm a bit at a loss about why there's so much interest in this kind of tool. Would anyone care to comment? Anyone know anything about these things?

A. Just study the quality of design and build then take into account the materials used - priceless. See this

MOD

edited to correct link

 

[ChrisR]

That's what you call a nice plane. Looks like it's in good condition. Don't let anyone steal it from you for a mere £200, I expect it would be over that if it's dovetailed{edited} which I think it is from what I can see.
Price depends how it's made: some are cast iron, some are made of steel plates "dovetailed together at the sides of the base. It may say so, or you may see some lines where the plates join. The dovetailed steel ones are worth a few times as much as the iron

Fineness of the mouth counts, it should be no more than about 1/16th of an inch. I've got the odd one or two of them. Drawerfulls I mean.
Your best option is probably to auction it at a tool collectors' auction. Christies in London do them but they aren't really big so prices are unpredictable there. One of the best known tool auctions is held by David Stanley (no relation!). Forget ebay for this.

http://www.davidstanley.com/index.html

CHeck the rest of the collection for anything out of the ordinary. Any wooden moulding plane (typically with wiggly/curved bottom) over 9 1/2 inches is interesting; while most are a few quid others are a few hundred. Ordinary rectangular or short boat shaped beech planes are cheap. Anything Stanley and oldish can be a collector's item or commonplace. If you stick a pic of the lot on here I expect I could see anything special.

 

[phykell]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

There's some more pictures of it here:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/phykell/diy/plane/a7_1.jpg
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/phykell/diy/plane/a7_2.jpg
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/phykell/diy/plane/a7_4.jpg
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/phykell/diy/plane/a7_5.jpg
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/phykell/diy/plane/a7_6.jpg
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/phykell/diy/plane/a7_7.jpg

The stuff on the side isn't rust, it's a kind of laquer and the bits from the original felt bag have stuck to it.

The other planes are shown here:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/phykell/diy/plane/planes.jpg

I must admit, I'm really surprised about what I've learned looking around various web sites. The ukworkshop one that was mentioned here has a great forum for this sort of thing and reading more reveals that these sort of planes, the Norris, are very desirable amongst collectors. I had no idea something like this would be so valuable, but having read what I have, there's still a thriving community of craftsmen out there, who still like to work to a standard rather than a price and they believe the old tools feel better, and perform better than their modern counterparts. The Norris plane is circa 1935 as the company stopped trading in 1938, and apparently the one I have here is rosewood with an ebony wedge. It's in remarkable condition which is amazing considering it's 70 years old.

Anyway, thanks again for everyone's input

 

[Sandy Beech]

That's what you call a nice plane. Looks like it's in good condition. Don't let anyone steal it from you for a mere £200, I expect it would be over that if it's doobetailed which I think it is from what I can see.

"Mere £200" - that's why I said £200+ and I resent the implied insinuation - I do not buy tools to sell on. Nor am I currently interested in buying old tools however good they are.

I simply answered a question asked the best I knew how and bfore I had really looked at the net.
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moderator
edited to correct quote

 

[phykell]

It's OK, I appreciate all opinions on it

I think if I'd seen some of the excellent A7 copies that retail around £450 I'd have guessed at £100 to be honest. Now I know that it's because it's more of a collector's piece than simply just a "great plane".

I have to admit though, I disassembled it today to check the casting number matched the wedge and infill, and it was amazing that the thing is still so functional despite its age, and the blade is still razor sharp too!

 

[Sandy Beech]

It's OK, I appreciate all opinions on it

Sorry not having a pop at you Phykell.

 

[ChrisR]

Not insinuating anything, the inference above was wrong.
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It IS a dovetailed steel one, you can just see the joint between the plates on the end shot.
Of the other planes the spokeshave is pretty old but won't fetch a lot as they're quite common. The blue rebate plane is a Record which is no longer in production, but all the rest are still made. If the wooden knob on th blue one is original manufacturer's, I've never seen it before.

The "rust" does lok a bit odd, it might be worth trying to clean it with something which won't attack the laquer, say white spirit.

One of the reasons this (A7) sort of plane is often in good condition, is that isn't very often used even in a furniture-making workshop. The spindle moulder does such a good job. From (not sure exactly) the '30's onwards, all-metal versions of the wooden planes have been available which are much easier to adjust. The older ones are prized for their blades, which perform better than the later planes' blades.

Every time I've made the mitre on a cabinet joint (mitred dovetail) in something like walnut or rosewood, the old ones have come into their own. Well, I mean, on the one occasion, because I had the tool,..