Hello All !
I have been offered some old TOOLS by and antique dealer. One of the items is an old carpenter’s tool box, this unit is very well built. in fact it has dove tail joints on the top of it it even has the owner’s name painted neatly on the top of it. It is full of old tools.
If I remember correctly there are 4 or 5 Stanley hand planes, one of them is a close resemblance to Veritas bullnose plane 05P42.01. an old small level made in England, hammer’s and saw’s many other old items that I will not be able to list here.
Most of my collection of tools are new or I have had for a long time, so I wouldn’t know a good deal if it hit me in the face. That is why I am asking you all out there.
He is asking $250.00, I will not go any higher that $ 225.00. Do you think the old tool box is of any value, As per Lee Valley’s catalog 2008/2009 page 55, the Veritas bullnose plane # 05P42.01 sell’s for $ 169.00 plus tax and up here in Ontario it is 13% which would be a total of $ 190.97.
Thanks for all your help.
Jack
Replies
Jack,
The big question I'd ask myself is: Am I going to (be able to) use these tools, or am I going to put them on the shelf and admire them?
Edit: Check the condition of the planes (flat soles, most importantly as well as rust). Keyholes in the lever cap indicate that the plane was made before a certain year (1950-ish). I don't think you can compare the Stanley #90 (at least the one made nowadays) to the Veritas.
Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
and now http://www.flairwoodworks.com)
- Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Edited 6/27/2009 9:11 pm by flairwoodworks
Post a picture or descibe the contents in more detail.Why argue over $25? I think the planes are worth $20 ea and the chest $80 .How long is a piece of string?
if it's full of old tools it's probably worth it. Just make sure the tools inside are in good usable condition.
Edited 6/28/2009 9:51 pm ET by mvflaim
Hi Sparky,
It's hard to say without knowing specifically what's in the mix and the condition, but it looks like a sound deal if the stuff interests you. Go for it.
Odds are that if it's being sold by an antique dealer there's probably not a windfall in there (he at least has a general idea of what he's got so it's not likely there's a mint Stanly #1 among the items.)
Good luck,
Frank
Jack,
The devil is in the details on this one.
The tools could be worth it, but the odds are heavily against you, I've been buying and occasionally selling, old tools for 40 years and have almost never seen a box of assorted tools that were worth more $10 or $20. That said, a coworker inherited a box of tools from his grandfather that included a nearly perfect fabled Stanley #1 that I sold for him for over $1,100 so anything is possible.
The tool box itself, unless it is exceptional, isn't worth very much. A small hard to see crack or missing part can render an otherwise good tool useless for working with and ruin its value as a collector's item. Take a really close look before you lay out more than a few dollars for anything. Damaged tools are worth buying at the right price to supply parts to restore something similar, so don't automatically pass up damaged tools.
In general you are better off watching out for specific tools that you need at tag sales, where the real bargains are. Professionals, like your antique dealer, more than likely know exactly what something is worth before they sell it, and then they ask for more.
John White
Shop Manager for FWW Magazine, 1998-2007
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