Replies

1. 
   philip | Sep 23, 2005 02:31pm | #1

   I can't see any tattoos on that 1920's style lady, therefore those are not Kiwi tools.

   Philip Marcou
1. 
   Malcolm | Sep 23, 2005 03:26pm | #2

   It's a really skilled piece of art, Philip. Whoever did it was pretty good with a sharp point.

   Malcolmhttp://www.macpherson.co.nz

1. 
   philip | Sep 23, 2005 03:39pm | #3

   I was just pulling your leg.Philip Marcou

1. 
   Malcolm | Sep 23, 2005 03:55pm | #4

   I know mate, I know

   Malcolmhttp://www.macpherson.co.nz

1. 
   kenwerner | Sep 24, 2005 01:23am | #5

   Malcolm-
   thanks for sharing your find with the rest of us. Not too often does one get so lucky.And it does honor to the gentleman whose tools they were.Best wishes.Ken Werner

2. 
   Malcolm | Sep 24, 2005 07:57am | #8

   < And it does honor to the gentleman whose tools they were >

   Yeah. I'm going to keep the collection together in its two chests.

   These tools have been well maintained, although not used for quite a few years so they're a bit grimy and there's an occasional blush of rust. They're all beautifully sharp.

   The widow of the last owner of this stuff (some of it has three sets of names on it) was a great friend of my late Mother, so there's a sort of family connection. It would be even nicer to discover that the tools marked Samson (an owner prior to the last) once belonged to a relative of my mother, whose maiden name was Samson. We're working on that.

   We're very clannish, here in the south of New Zealand, and family connections really matter!

   Malcolmhttp://www.macpherson.co.nz

2. 
   jako17 | Sep 24, 2005 07:03am | #6

   IMHO that handle is not hornbeam but boxwood

1. 
   Malcolm | Sep 24, 2005 07:48am | #7

   I'm happy with either boxwood or hornbeam. I first thought box, it is the right colour and there's hardly any discernable grain, but then these are big meaty handles, and box was hard to come by in those dimensions, even in 1920s England.

   Either way, it's worn beautifully, has a lovely patina, and feels great in the hand!

   Malcolmhttp://www.macpherson.co.nz

1. 
   jako17 | Sep 25, 2005 01:55am | #9

   Marples ,Nurse and Ward were all using box of that size .Lots of the lead slapping tools are box of much larger dimension than those handles I don't really agree that it was rare.However I own several mortise chisels and pairs of draw bore pins that have the similar handles .These came from my grandfather who married a kiwi and brought home these tools to the UK along with his bride!

1. 
   Malcolm | Sep 25, 2005 03:28am | #10

   OK, box they are! Or at least some of them. I'm happy with either, just pleased to be their new owner.

   Incidentally, I did a comparison (by quality and size) with the closest equivalent in the latest Lee Valley catalogue, and these 30 chisels have aa approximate replacement value of about $NZ1,500. I have no idea what their market value (as pre-1920 English-made heritage tools) might be!

   Malcolm http://www.macpherson.co.nz

1. 
   jako17 | Sep 25, 2005 04:19am | #11

   Depending on the maker some may well be valuable.But if you are like me the pleasure of using and owning them is priceless and you probably won't shorten them by more than 1 inch in a lifetime if you keep a set of beaters for renovation work.Everyone here raves about LV shoulder planes and I chuckle and reach for my old bronze and ebony Norris and it just purrs through the wood. I feel it was made for use and enjoy using  it.By the way ,a bit off topic but do you know if the wooden radio masts are still on the hills behind Wellington, as my grand father built them?

2. 
   rich1107 | Sep 25, 2005 04:39am | #12

   "...wooden radio masts are still on the hills behind Wellington, as my grand father built them?"

   Any chance this article related to the site?

   http://www.zl6qh.com/QSTarticle.pdf

3. 
   jako17 | Sep 25, 2005 05:05am | #13

   Thanks for the lead rich, now I will have to get more info from my 90 year old mother as her father would have put them up about 100 yrs ago( she has some photos).I guess if we hi jack  this thread much more we should slide over to the Cafe.Once again thanks Rich and apologies to Malcolm for the hi jacking the thread.

4. 
   rich1107 | Sep 25, 2005 05:26am | #14

   hope it connects:)

    

   Sorry about the detour;)

5. 
   Malcolm | Sep 25, 2005 05:55am | #15

   No problems jako. If you're serious about tracking down the history of this radio site and come to a dead end, contact me off-line and I may be able to make some museum or local government connections.

   Malcolmhttp://www.macpherson.co.nz

6. 
   jako17 | Sep 25, 2005 02:46pm | #16

   Thanks for the offer I will do some more digging this end first

7. 
   mikegagne | Sep 27, 2005 09:17am | #17

   Malcolm, I found the "hijack" to be quite interesting......... aloha, mike