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Guide to the Makers of American Wooden Planes 4th Edition For Sale

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Guide to the Makers of American Wooden Planes 4th Edition

Price: US $40.99

A Guide to the Makers of American Wooden Planes, Fourth Edition, by Emil & Martyl Pollak, published Astragal Press, Mendham, NJ, 2001. 8½ x 11 paperback, 477 pages, ISBN 1-931626-00-6

Please note this book is new, not used. It is a reprint, NOT an original.

Hailed as an indispensable guide by dealers and collectors soon after its first publication in 1983, this book has made the long history of wooden plane making more accessible than ever before. This edition now has over 400 more biographical entries, and almost twice as many imprint illustrations (the total is now over 2,200, plus 930 wedge outlines), and over four times more \"starred\" rarity ratings. Simply by comparing the name struck on the front of a plane with the name and imprint illustrations in this guide, the reader can easily determine the plane\'s age and its place in the history of planemaking.

From the Introduction: The purpose of A Guide to the Makers of American Wooden Planes is to bring together in a concise and convenient form the significant information now available about the makers of wood planes. We have tried to make the book useful and accessible to both the beginning and the advanced collector, to historians and genealogists, and to all others with an interest in the subject. We have included an illustrated glossary explaining the types and parts of planes, common molding profiles, and the terms used in this guide, as well as an extensive bibliography for those seeking additional information on specific subjects. Since value and its determination is an important element in collecting, we include a discussion on \"What\'s A Plane Worth?\" The heart of the guide, however, is the alphabetical directory of planemakers and dealers. The fourth edition contains over 4,000 biographical entries, supplemented by 5,000 imprint illustrations, 2800 of which are rated for relative rarity, and 2,700 wedge outlines to help with identification. The first thing that most collectors look for on a wooden plane is the name imprinted on the toe. From the imprint much can be learned, especially with the help of this book. Every plane bears additional information expressed in the details of the plane\'s style, such a wood type, length, type of chamfer, etc. An observant and thoughtful collector has the opportunity to explore the significance of these details and the story they tell. That, in part, is the appeal of collecting wooden planes….

A Guide to the Makers of American Wooden Planes, then, is a reference to an important period in our economic and cultural history. It provides an insight into a group of men and the tools they made, tools that helped build the houses, the furniture, the ships, the coaches and wagons, the barrels, and the many other items vital to everyday life. The tools that the makers fashioned were made with pride and craftsmanship and were beautiful in themselves. When you pick up these tools, they fit comfortably in your hands and often you can feel the slight worn indents caused by a thumb or fingers. The question that is brought to mind is whose hands polished these surfaces over years of use. To hold these tools, therefore, is to touch, feel and embrace history.

The coverage of plane makers is comprehensive, with thousands of listings, arranged alphabetically (see a sample page below). It is not possible to list them all here, but some of the better known are: