Vintage 17" jack or fore plane.
A Mathieson & Son.
Made in Glasgow, Scotland
19th Century
Width 17" (43.5cm)
Height 6 3/4" (17cm)
Depth 3" (7.5cm)
Usually the one of the first planes to be used on rough stock. A jack plane is a general-purpose bench plane, used for dressing timber down to size. The versality of the jack plane has led to it being the most common bench plane, It's name possibly from the term 'Jack of all trades'. The name jack plane is sometimes used interchangeably with fore plane.
Comes with a Sheffield Steel C. Nurse & Co., London, England, blade.
Alexander Mathieson & Sons was one of the leading makers of hand tools in Scotland. Its success running parallel with the growth of the shipbuilding industries and the emergence of Glasgow as the "second city of the Empire". The firm's ability to respond to an unprecedented demand for quality tools by industry, both locally and further afield, contributed greatly to it's growth.
Originally set up in Maidstone Kent in 1841, where they continued until 1861. Then based in London from 1887 to 1937, under the name C Nurse & Co. (Invicta works). General tool makers, with their catalogue having 350 pages of tools for varying different building trades, with over 138 pages dedicated to woodworking. The majority of their plane making was done in London but their tools do have marks for Sheffield and Brighton as well.
The body is in excellent used condition with the usual aged related wear. The blade and iron have been left to be sharpened by the new owner. All items have been lightly cleaned and oiled with raw linseed oil, to keep the original patina. A very solid and substantial plane, in excellent condition.
All items where appropriate will be sent well packaged, tracked and insured.
Where possible we will combine purchases for shipping. Total weigh approx. 2.15Kg.
