Madox plane gloat

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AndyT

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Just to show that there are still bargains to be had on eBay...

Among my selection of wooden planes, I have just a few which date back to the eighteenth century. I spotted a couple more on eBay which looked interesting, and bought them for £4.99 +p&p, which was the only bid placed.

One is a number 17 round by Madox, who made planes in Westminster between 1748 and 1775.

IMG_0192.jpg


So far so easy - it's clearly marked. The wedge is a replacement, which is a shame, but the mark is ok:

IMG_0189.jpg
.

Its companion number 14 hollow has a very similar body shape, and a proper Madox style wedge:

IMG_0191.jpg


However, it has no maker's mark - I think this is an owner's mark, done quite nicely, with separate letter punches:

IMG_0190.jpg


Ok for E Harkness, but too much bother for a manufacturer.

But here's the clincher, to show that this is an C18th plane: when you look at the irons, they both have a distinctive rounded corner, which I have only seen on planes of similar age.

IMG_0188.jpg


and the iron from the no-name hollow has a maker's name on. That is very unusual on a moulding plane iron. So it's especially nice to compare it to the picture in BPM and see that it's the mark of Robert Moore, who hammered away at bits of good steel in Birmingham between 1750 and 1770.

IMG_0187.jpg


So, as these two have the same owner's name on, my conclusion is that they can share the other clues as well. I reckon that they have spent the last 242 to 262 years together. I'll do what I can to give them a good home.
 
It never fails to amaze me how these planes survive. I mean Madox must have been making an awful lot of them to do so, because I've even seen them down here in the Old Tool Wilderness. Not at that price though, so nice one, Andy. Not jealous in any way... :---) And a stamped iron. Sheesh. Although in truth I'm not sure I don't love the owner's mark laid out like that as much as anything. Are you going to "re-Madox" the round's wedge? Or is that a stupid question? :D
 
Alf":tolum09f said:
It never fails to amaze me how these planes survive. I mean Madox must have been making an awful lot of them to do so, because I've even seen them down here in the Old Tool Wilderness. Not at that price though, so nice one, Andy. Not jealous in any way... :---) And a stamped iron. Sheesh. Although in truth I'm not sure I don't love the owner's mark laid out like that as much as anything. Are you going to "re-Madox" the round's wedge? Or is that a stupid question? :D

I don't know about the wedge. It wouldn't take long to modify the replacement - but then I'd want to dirty it up a bit, and would I then be faking an old one? (On the other hand, when I've made replacement wedges myself, I've tried to make something a bit closer to the original shape.)

As it is, the replacement is a well-fitted and functional. I think I will probably just leave it as part of the history.
 
Absolutely gorgeous Andy!

I too am extremely jealous... of particularly the stamps and irons.

You do realise don't you that I might be looking out for woodies now at the up-and-coming bootfairs....this is a slope I have to date avoided...

DRAT and DOUBLE DRAT to you sir!!

=D> =D> =D> =D>

Cheers

Jim
 
Tell you what Jim - if you find any more by Madox as you cruise around Kentish fields in the pre-dawn gloom, I'll buy them off you for double what you paid for them!

(I'd even go up to a pound for anything really good... :wink: )
 
If t'were mine Andy, and I decided to re shape the #17 wedge to a more Maddoxian profile, I'm sure that a patination would soon develop as it would get several messings-about-with per setting. (tippy tip tap tap - "expletive deleted" tap tap tippy tap, Rpt. Etc.)
 
+1 on patination soon developing. Particularly if you first say loudly and clearly "This wedge looks particularly nice now it's all clean and crisp. I hope I can keep it that way".
 
Andy..watch out...collecting 18th century planes can be addicting..and expensive..I have 67 Madox and Mutter planes..and always looking for more...working on a set of hollows and rounds by these two makers...7 short of the 40
Cam
 
AndyT":2ju8y8t9 said:
As it is, the replacement is a well-fitted and functional. I think I will probably just leave it as part of the history.
Yeah but then in 100 years time somebody looking at it will think that wedge looks old enough to be an original, and may conclude that Madox had two styles of wedge. At least if you make a Madox style replacement, future historic plane lovers will be less likely to be steered in the wrong direction.

#-o

...and you could always mark it as an original AndyT replacement wedge somewhere discrete.

Cheers, Vann :D
 
Ok guys, you convinced me. Here's the result of a few minutes sawing and paring:

Before:

IMG_0192.jpg


After, with AndyT wedge:

IMG_0198.jpg


which I think is not too far off what the other plane has:

IMG_0191.jpg



By the way, this plane also has rather a nice period owner's mark - IAMES RAY:

IMG_0199.jpg



And Cam, I don't think I'm going to compete with you - but would be interested to hear whether your planes were exported to 'the colonies' when new, or have been bought by you from the UK. I know that for quite some time there was a good export trade to help with all those nice wooden houses, which must have kept up for a while before the US makers got going.
 
Andy:
I got most of mine off Fleabay from thr U.K.....most of the moulding planes found here are either American or Canadian...with some of the U.K.prolific makers being availiable at tremedously high prices
Cam
 
Alf":1etzkct0 said:
Well I think that's a big improvement, Andy; you happy with it?

Yes - I just need to get them sharpened, and then find an excuse to make a big cornice for something...
 

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