My Dad wants to sell an old wood toolchest that has many, many tools with it. This I believe is a patterns makers chest. Tools are old but high quality tools take a look.
Oh my. Please don't sell those. Keep them for yourself. Someday, when your children (or grandchildren) are old enough to appreciate them, you'll be able to pass on some priceless memories of a skilled craft and the man who practiced it.
What part of the country is this treasure trove?
Possibly worth *much* more, I think. Have them evaluated. Try a local auctioneer/antuque dealer, but let him or her know they are presently NOT for sale, if he offers to buy them. You want an unbiased opinion. You might have to remove your ad for that purpose, then go back to that as one avenue.
I'd have been interested some years back, but am getting away from the hobby due to health and age. My son-in-law will get most of mine.
I don't think you will have a bit of problem with that price.
That collection is worth a LOT more than that. I would have been happy to pay you $ 500.00 or more... till I read Roy Smith's post...he's right. Keep them. Do NOT sell that collection. It is too valuable to sell.
*drooling* r
That assumes it was passed down in OP's family.
Maybe it was, or maybe his Dad bought it at an estate sale or something.
Wayne, you're the guy that listed the patternmaker's shop stuff on W. Mass. craigslist, right?
The stuff you have is far more valuable than $300. I don't know how quickly you have to sell this stuff, but if you sold the stuff separately on eBay you'd make over a grand for that stuff, no problem. The more valuable chisels would easily fetch $40. You also have some nifty little violin makers planes that are highly collectable.
I echo the sentiment of some of the other posters. Keep the box. Cherry pick your father's collection and keep a nicely stocked box. You might find out that you've got the genes for it and take up woodworking. It'd also make an amazing family heirloom which isn't going to go down in value.
Sell the stuff you've got to sell after researching it. There are eBay consignment shops and Sellers Assistants that would take 30-40% commission. You'd still come out ahead.
R
I'd give my left one for my grandfather's tools. Please don't sell them, each has a story to tell and a connection with the craftsman.
Mekon
Why does everyone assume it is an heirloom? Since he doesn't know what kind of tools they are, the odds are they don't have any storys.
I expect they probably are worth rather more than 300, judging by what I have seen stuff go for at auctions, but I can't really understand why.
Because of the definition of the word heirloom: 1. A valued possession passed down in a family through succeeding generations. 2. An article of personal property included in an inherited estate.
They might not have the "I used this Barton gouge to pound through the heart of a vampire" type of story, but more the "great-granddad was such a craftsman that the factories relied on him to get the original prototype perfect".
Because the stuff you would buy now would cost you more for what is usually lower quality.
R"wayne mak" wrote in news:Qzx7g.398$ snipped-for-privacy@fe04.lga:
It's probably worth more than that, as others have said, altho it's hard to tell from photos.
If you're in Mass, as someone suggested, you might try calling or emailing Patrick Leach, who does (or did) some dealing in tools. He used to be active here on rec.ww, some while back.
leach (at) supertool.com
John
Yeah, it can be very surprising sometimes. The thing we think is valuable turns out not so and the thing we thought was junk is the item of value. I do know that unless the chisels are rare they can be purchased at Flea Markets in Maine for $6-$12. Those auger type drill bits I've seen for $2-$3. What is surprising is how much old stuff is around if you look in the right places My guess is that it has a value of $400-$500 if broken up -*unless* there is a very rare piece or two. I am not an expert by any means but I do shop for old tools. Forget Ebay as a guide - I've seen bidding wars for an item not worth half of what it goes for. But, there is the point I think. Selling everything separately might bring more $$. However, it is work. I built some garage doors (c1940) for a friend of my Mom and she gave me 6 boxes of assorted depression glass. I sold it on Ebay and what a job! Early on a guy offered me a set price for everything and oh how I wished I had taken it.
My dad has had these for years but they weren't his primary wood workig tools, my dad uses power tools for most of his stuff. If I asked him for then he wouldn't even wink, they would be mine. I enjoy metal working and these don't fit my needs to well so dad should be the one to get the money.
The routers do not look like they are Stanley or Stanley clones which suggests that there may be some rare items in the collection. The brace is a very old design, pre-ratcheting.
OTOH the absence of any saws or moulding planes, or space for them in the box makes me think this was only _part_ of a patternmaker's tool set. Probably he had another box for saws, planes and big tools.
Were it not for the auger bits I'd think it maybe was a carver's tool set. I don't recall seeing any mallets either.
Or "granddad found these at a garage sale and didn't know what they are. He wanted to sell them for $300, but decided to hand them down to other people to whom they have no significance."
My MIL has a spoon her great grandfather used at Andersonville Prison. Now that's a great heirloom. (unfortunately she is leaving it to my BIL rather than my wife.)
Well, maybe that box o' tools isn't going to replace your power tools, but there's no reason that they couldn't peacefully co-exist. Right tool for the right job, eh?
R
Oh - so now we're talking cutting torches, huh? Cool.
I thought you were talking about your Flowjet. ;)
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