David Stanley Auctions
Tools we have sold
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Shown below is a selection of some of the recent tools that we have sold:

Lots 47 & 48 A little used STANLEY No 143 plough plane with depth stops. G++

A STANLEY No 444 dovetail plane with one cutter, possibly lacking a couple of screws. G
£260

£140
Sale No.50
29 Sep. 2007
Lots 47 & 48
Lot 133 A fine quality chest of patternmakers tools, the lockable pine chest 34" x 16" x 14"h. fitted with 4 sliding mahogany tills and 3 lift out compartments containing a set of 6 bevel edge chisels, 9 long gouges and 6 crank gouges all by MARPLES with boxwood handles. 6 carving tools, 7 sow back carving tools and 7 turning tools mostly by ADDIS with beech handles plus numerous other related tools. The lid interior with saw holds, this complete and orig.inal kit is in little used condition. G++ £700 Sale No.50
29 Sep. 2007
Lot 133
Lot 798 A most unusual catalogue apparently specially produced for IBBOTSON BROTHERS and despatched with their Complements to George Edward Dering Esq're of Lockleys, Welwyn, Herts. Measuring 15" x 12" x 2 1/2"d and fully bound in red leather with gold decoration and gilded decoration to the page edges. This catalogue incorporates many pages from the Sheffield list of c.1865 but also includes many pages of material of interest to a Consulting Engineer engaged in the construction of railways, with many machine tools used in railway workshops. Contents for sale also include many Woodworking and Engineering Tools and Machinery, Farm Tools, Ice Skates, Scales, Lamps, Carriage Wheels and Springs, Lathes, Railway Carriage Parts, Train Lines and Signaling Equip. Portable Steam Engines etc. a rare find. G+ £1100 Sale No.50
29 Sep. 2007
Lot 798
Lots 966 & 967 A European 12 blade brass scarificator marked BRUG. G++

A small 18th C. European brass scarificator with 16 blades and heart shaped wing nut. G+
£120

£110
Sale No.50
29 Sep. 2007
Lots 966 & 967
{short description of image} A very rare 17/ 18th C. hand forged combination gun tool with flint knapping hammer, screwdriver and 4 other tools screwed into the stock, museum quality. G £850 Sale No.49
31 Mar. 2007
Lot 268
{short description of image} A very fine 17/ 18th C. French bevel gear drill with ovolo mouldings to brass stock and hand forged cranked handle and fittings, with attractively turned boxwood head and handle, nice patina. G+ £2300 Sale No.49
31 Mar. 2007
Lot 310
{short description of image} A fine and little used beech screwstem plough plane by W GREENSLADE Bristol with brass stems and brass lined rosewood nuts, rare early model with Patent Applied For. G++ £480 Sale No.49
31 Mar. 2007
Lot 651
{short description of image} A very rare, unused, rosewood and brass MOSS FLOWER'S Adjustable Gradient Indicator with scale and engraved instructions in orig. lined and fitted box. F £400 Sale No.49
31 Mar. 2007
Lot 999
{short description of image} An early Dutch dated blokschaaf by ARY DEN HENGST Rotterdam with rounded edge and Goodman type B mouth carving and dated 1733 (see G.S. pp 52, 181 & 244) with orig. iron and carved wedge, some worm. G+ £900 Sale No.49
31 Mar. 2007
Lot 1035
{short description of image} An unused d/t steel parallel smoother by SPIERS with rosewood infill and handle and orig. Spiers iron in orig. box (two corners loose) to our knowledge this is the only Spiers smoother to be found with it's box (this is the plane illustrated in Lampert p75 top). F £2200 Sale No.49
31 Mar. 2007
Lot 1164
Lot 143 An unusual and fine quality stair saw by A.MASON Greenock with heavy brass plate holding the blade and double adjustment depth stop G++ £180 Sale No.48
30 Sept. 2006
Lot 143
Lot 947 A wide section 2' four fold engineers ivory rule by THOMAS BRADBURN & SONS Est. 1834, with German silver slide and fittings and protractor arch joint also signed Strafford Bolton, with numerous tables by I. Routledge Engineer Bolton. G++ £420 Sale No.48
30 Sept. 2006
Lot 947
Lots 1103 to 1106 A fine quality brass mandrel c/w accessories as illustrated, with stand in fitted pine box. G++
A small English mandrel by HASWELL London with cord drive. G++
A large clockmakers brass depthing tool 10" o/a in orig. broken box. G+
A watchmakers staking set c/w full set of stakes etc in fitted mahogany box. G+
£500

£320

£120

£110
Sale No.48
30 Sept. 2006
Lots 1103
1104
1105
1106
Lot 1422 A rare, dated, European coachbuilders tailed circular plough plane with solid brass sole and very ornate, brass inlaid, decoration and date 1848, the brass fence with attractive file decoration, all original with nice patina. This is the second of these highly decorated circular plough planes to be found, this one was spotted in an old French carpenters house and had apparently been there for many years. G+ £2200 Sale No.48
30 Sept. 2006
Lot 1422
Lots 1548 & 1549 An early and little used steel soled NORRIS No 17 smoother with open handle, 80% orig. earliest Norris iron remains. G++

A little used NORRIS A5 smoother, 80% orig. early 2 1/4" Norris iron remains. G++
£1950

£850
Sale No.48
30 Sept. 2006

Lots 1548
1549
Coachman's knife A fine, early 4 1/2" coachman's knife with 14 implements and a, probably added, brass whistle, profusely decorated o/a and with ivory scales. G+ £300 Sale No.47
25 March 2006
Lot 262
Towell plane A unique, and little used, d/t steel low angle plane by Rt.TOWELL London only 1 1/4" wide with rosewood infill and scrolled wedge, a special order piece. F £820 Sale No.47
25 March 2006
Lot 526
{short description of image} This rare 24" rule is dated 1552, two years before the last voyage of the Mary Rose. The wood has the appearance of mahogany, but is denser and is probably a Latin American hardwood. It was found some 25 years ago in the attic of a Dorset country house and was displayed at the "Tools That Made America" exhibition at Colonial Williamsburg in 1994. Dr Stephen Johnston of the museum of the History Science in Oxford who examined the rule thinks that probably more than one were made at the same time as, unusually, the figures on the face are stamped and not engraved on one side of the rule. Dr Johnston also comments that this rule does not appear to be finished as one side is scribed but has no graduations or figures, we are not aware of another rule of this age. G+ £5000 Sale No.47
25 March 2006
Lot 612
Braces A very rare brass plated button pad ebony brace by Wm MARPLES with ivory ring in ebony head, hair crack to web otherwise. G++

A very rare brass plated button pad boxwood brace by HOLTZAPFFEL & Co with decorative chamfer stops to the frame with ebony head and stamped Improved Registered. G+
£500
£650
Sale No.47
25 March 2006
Lot 1027
Lot 1028
Stanley planes A rare STANLEY No.196 curved rebate plane with sweetheart mark, most plating remains. G+

A STANLEY No.278 Type 1 rebate & fillister plane with Pat 10-17-16. G+
£420

£160
Sale No. 46
24 Sept. 2005
Lot 81
Lot 82
Axe head An amazing 16/17th C. European figural axe head, found in France but probably German, the blade is formed as a caricature of an important looking master cooper leaning over a barrel ? with a portrait of his son depicted on the front, turn the axe head over and there is a caricature in profile of his wife,. It is difficult to date this piece but clothing and headgear is similar to that of the period and worn in the paintings of Hieronymus Bosch and Breugel. 7" overall with 4 1/2" edge, very few similar examples can be found in collections or museums. G+ £6,000 Sale No. 46
24 Sept. 2005
Lot 218
Reed & Knaus plumb bob A very rare, unused REED & KNAUS "Auto Bob" a 6" brass plumb bob with steel point which "automatically rewinds the string into the case and locks at any level" an ingenious manufactured plumb bob complete with orig. re-threading instructions and factory service guarantee whereby a charge of $1.50 will include any repair and replacement of any damaged parts, in orig. box. N £469 Sale No. 46
24 Sept. 2005
Lot 563
Spiers chariot plane A rare 3 1/2" x 1 1/2" bronze chariot plane by SPIERS with upside stamp. G+ £620 Sale No. 46
24 Sept. 2005
Lot 782
Salesman's sample rules A very rare travelling salesman's sample case of rules from the factory of SAMPSON ASTON Birmingham which ceased trading in the 1870's. There are 14 specimens of 2' two fold boxwood and brass rules all cut down to 3" in length and terminated by normal iron ends, 7 of these are linear rules and 7 are of slide rules all showing a range of hinges and markings, they are all fastened down on card with prices beneath, the cards are formed into a folder which is showing signs of wear, a few minor rust spots to the iron tips, a very rare find. G+

A similar lot with 20 specimens of boxwood and brass rules, 8 are 2' two fold cut down to 3" and finished with standard iron ends to show a variety of marking and hinges, 3 being the most elaborate hinges they produced, the remaining 12 are 1' four fold rules showing their range of hinges and markings, some rust on exposed iron tips. G+
£900


£1,150
Sale No. 46
24 Sept. 2005

Lot 966
Lot 967
Italian fleam A fabulous Italian 7 blade fleam, the brass case profusely engraved with flowers and leaves, dated 1801 and signed Giovanni Serraregi, the blades with shaped ends and early wing nut. £1,200 Sale No. 46
24 Sept. 2005
Lot 1068
Scraper plane A most unusual transitional scraper plane, unnamed but appears to be American, with rosewood handle and front knob, the two knurled brass screws fix the blade by tightening the pivoted bar against the sole, and adjust the angle via a bracket to the block, an unusual manufactured plane we have not previously offered minor pitting spots to sole. G+ £1000 Sale No. 45
26 March 2005
Lot 145
Side axe A fine and rare L/H German side axe with curved claw hammer pole stamped OUSSTAHL and Double Key touch marks with Crown over, a quality piece. G++ £180 Sale No. 45
26 March 2005
Lot 323
Saw set An unusual, very well made, mahogany and brass saw set with sliding arms, c/w four punches of different sizes stored in a clip under the base, lacks the small iron block which would just slot in, a fine quality piece. G++ £110 Sale No. 45
26 March 2005
Lot 476
Early anvil A very early French anvil from the Richard Maude collection, possibly 14/15th century, certainly the earliest we have offered for sale, the cupids bow styled base still showing some line decoration, a wonderful piece, one for the connoisseur. G £1800 Sale No. 45
26 March 2005
Lot 758
Sash dowelling box An exceptionally fine Georgian sash window dowelling box in fruitwood with brass fittings and knurled screw. G+ £580 Sale No. 44
25 September 2004
Lot 207
Gunners' caliper A rare early gunners caliper in brass with steel tips by GILBERT London (w. 1819-31) with protractor hinge and engraved Quantity of Powder for Filling Brafs Mort's & How's etc etc, also marked with the East India Co stamp, slight roughing to 1" of one edge, otherwise G++ £1700 Sale No. 44
25 September 2004
Lot 541
Melhuish workbench A rare MELHUISH Work Bench Tool Cabinet in polished figured mahogany measuring 48" x 21" x 39"h. with brass fittings and furniture, containing 6 drawers, 2 side cabinets, the orig. Patent Instantaneous Grip Vice No 957W and rising bench stop, The lid lifts to reveal the bench top and comes complete with orig. key which locks all parts from one lock, c/w numerous tools which have been with the cabinet for many years (as illustrated) This is a quality piece of furniture and the best we have seen (see Melhuish Cat No 25 p143). G++ £1900 Sale No. 44
25 September 2004
Lot 728
Preston plane A rare and little used PRESTON No 1372A parallel smoother with rosewood infill and closed handle, and engraved on the side of the plane Edwd Preston & Sons, B'ham Eng. Trade Mark, 70% orig. Preston 2 1/4" iron remains. G++ £480 Sale No. 44
25 September 2004
Lot 1242
Spiers shoulder plane A rare little used 1 1/2" skew mouth d/t steel SPIERS shoulder plane with rosewood infill and wedge and all orig. snecked Ibbotson iron. £950 Sale No. 43
27 March 2004
Lot 1134
Combination bevel & square A rare 12" W.T.Fishers patent combination bevel and square by DISSTON & MORSE with brass and rosewood stock and level. £420 Sale No. 43
27 March 2004
Lot 1272
Sumitsubo A superb 14" Japanese brass Sumitsubo ink line, the traditional symbol of the Japanese carpenter (see lot 1039 Sale 31 for use and history in greater detail). This one has a brass and copper clad wheel, heart shaped ink reservoir, oak body covered with lizard skin and brass cladding, chrysanthemum decoration to end signifies a Royal association, the style of the handle would indicate an origin in Tokyo, complete with ink line and orig. lacquered pin. £1750 Sale No. 43
27 March 2004
Lot 1760
Portrait of Holtzapffel An important and very rare 3 1/2" x 2 3/4" miniature portrait of John Jacob Holtzapffel (1768-1835) founder of the firm of Holtzapffel in the style of the English school (1810-20). This fine quality portrait, painted in oil on ivory (favourite turning material) is in the original 4" x 3" red Morocco case with the original slightly domed glass. Paintings of Holtzapffel are extremely rare and this is the only portrait we have seen. £3800 Sale No. 43
27 March 2004
Lot 1910
Ebony plough plane by Atkin & Sons A unique screwstem ebony plough by ATKIN & Sons, Sheffield Works Birmingham (w.1847-1900) with ebony stems and nuts and skate front, this magnificent plane would have been made for exhibition and as such is very rare, small crack between rivets o/w G++ £1900 Sale No. 42
27 Sept. 2003

Lot 1681
Planishing hammer An early planishing hammer with faceted steel head decorated with knurling. G+ £110 Sale No. 42
27 Sept. 2003

Lot 496
Dated bevel A most attractive 7" ebony and brass stocked bevel engraved "John Bell Chambers 1754" with brass blade. G+ £1400 Sale No. 42
27 Sept. 2003

Lot 872
Silcock fillister plane (detail) A very rare handled transitional iron patent fillister by SILCOCK & Co. (on oval brass plate) stamped 65 with skew iron, adjustable fence and depth stop, has the provision for adding fillister with opposite skew (only one pair of planes has been found to date).(Detail) G £4400 Sale No. 42
27 Sept. 2003

Lot 1676
Trepanning tool An early 19th C. trepanning tool with brass fittings and cross hatched horn handle, much orig. lacquer. G+ £210 Sale No. 42
27 Sept. 2003

Lot 1590:
Set of carving tools by Addis A fine, rare, complete and original set of 36 dark rosewood handled carving tools by ADDIS in 3 blue baize lined trays in orig. fitted oak box also included in other compartments:- lignum mallet, two G cramps stones etc, one empty space. F £1700 Sale No. 41
29 Mar. 2003
Lot 1413
Austrian OWT An early 11" Austrian fruitwood OWT router highly carved and decorated, two old screwed repairs and three small chips, o/w G £360 Sale No. 41
29 Mar. 2003
Lot 1386
18th C. glazier's hammer An extremely rare and dated early 18th C. glazier's iron hammer, the head with heart shaped cheeks and reeded turning on neck and pane, the tapered socket 4 3/4" o/a is decorated with spiral flutes and double reeds flanking a band with :WILL:KING:1709: lacks handle. To date only twelve of these tools have been found. G+ £1900 Sale No. 41
29 Mar. 2003
Lot 1311
Three English cornice planes A 5" wide handled beech cornice plane with iron by W. Butcher (w.1824-1900), handle cracked. G+


A rare 5" wide cornice plane by I. BRISCOE with offset handle and rope hole, chipped spur. G+

A rare 4 3/8" wide cornice plane by I. BRISCOE (mark G+ w. 1785-88) with offset handle, split to one side. G+
£160



£450


£460
Sale No. 41
29 Mar. 2003
Lot 667, 668 & 669
Three mandrels A 19th C. side wheel band driven Anglo-Swiss mandrel with brass frame, steel bar (elaborately jointed) and 4 3/4" solid plate, c/w compound slide, hand tool rest and meeting centre on orig. walnut stand, minor pitting. G+

A 19th C. English watchmaker's brass mandrel stamped J. WATERS Coventry with compound slide rest, tee rest and hand wheel, replaced handle. G

A 19th C. English watchmaker's brass mandrel by J&T JONES Prescot on mahogany base, lacks faceplate, handwheel, and centre, o/w G+
£540




£260



£100
Sale No. 41
29 Mar. 2003
Lot 979, 980 & 981
Three Stanley planes A rare little used STANLEY No.10 1/4 carriage maker's rabbet plane with tilting rosewood handles, all orig. lacquer, crack to base of handle, o/w G++

A rare STANLEY No.101 1/2 bullnose block plane. G+

A STANLEY No.1 smoother with sweetheart iron. G++

£340



£300

£560
Sale No. 41
29 Mar. 2003
Lot 33, 34 & 35
18th C. sundial An 8 1/2" dia bronze sundial engraved Richard Bullock fecit 1742 and Lat. 52.56. G+ £380 Sale No. 41
29 Mar. 2003
Lot 978
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