Prices don't always go up.

[Cheshirechappie]

I'm just in the process of going through some old paperwork, and I've come across a copy of Furniture and Cabinetmaking from November 1997 (cost £2-95, so THAT'S gone up!). It contains an article by David Charlesworth looking at two planes, Karl Holtey's Norris A13 smoother, and the new (to the UK anyway) Lie-Nielsen No 5. The L-N 5 cost £264 including VAT, through Tilgear.

I've just checked Classic Hand Tools current price for a L-N 5 - £250 including VAT.

I don't suppose many tools have actually come down in price over 18 years!

 

[Wuffles]

I'm just in the process of going through some old paperwork, and I've come across a copy of Furniture and Cabinetmaking from November 1997 (cost £2-95, so THAT'S gone up!). It contains an article by David Charlesworth looking at two planes, Karl Holtey's Norris A13 smoother, and the new (to the UK anyway) Lie-Nielsen No 5. The L-N 5 cost £264 including VAT, through Tilgear.

I've just checked Classic Hand Tools current price for a L-N 5 - £250 including VAT.

I don't suppose many tools have actually come down in price over 18 years!

It's worse than that, according to a historic monetary value website, £264 in 1997 was equivalent to £442 in today's money :shock:

 

[Cheshirechappie]

A quick update - I've found the invoice for my L-N 5. I bought it from Axminster Power Tool Centre on the 11th February 1999 for the sum total of £211-50 including VAT (which was at 17.5% at the time, calculating from the invoice). Thus, they came down in price quite quickly after introduction to the UK market; though I don't recall inflation being negative at the time!

(PS - I bought it mail order from their paper catalogue, and paid by cheque. How times have changed!)