With only four known planes of its type (two in the US and two in London) it was always going to be the star at the Osgathorpe rooms on September 25 when it was one of 1382 lots in the International Antique Woodworking Tool sale.
Entered by a London collector – who purchased this plane in 1995 from these Midlands room for £3100 – it sold to an English collector living in France at £7600.
Elsewhere in the sale a cabinetmaker’s tool chest with inlaid work to the drawers and inside lid sold to an US collector at £2200, a brass screw stem beech plough plane c.1880 by Varvill of York made £2050 and an ebony brace with engraved silver parts brought £1300.
Coach builder on the cutting edge
UK: DELAYED news from tools specialist auctioneers David Stanley Auctions (buyer’s premium 10 per cent) focuses on this rare coach builder’s plough or grooving plane, right, constructed in ebony, brass and steel and probably made by Thomas Falconer around c.1840.