Who likes vintage tools?

[Warbaby]

Great Antique Tool Auction - Apr. 16th-18th

Here's the scoop:

RICHMOND, Mo. — Simmons and Company Auctioneers, Inc. of Richmond, Mo., has announced that it will offer the lifetime tool collection of Roland "Rollie" Ambuehl of Highland, Ill., at public auction over three days, April 16-18, 2009. This outstanding event will be held at the Ray County Veterans Building located at 312 Clark Street in Richmond, Mo. Auction registration and preview will begin at noon on Wednesday, April 15, 2009. Each day's auction will start promptly at 9 a.m.

Mr. Ambuehl is a member of The Hardware Companies Kollectors Klub (THCKK) and a charter member of the Mid-West Tool Collectors Association (M-WTCA). "Rollie," as he is known to his many friends, simply loved tools and was an avid collector for over 30 years. He never sold, though—he only collected. Attending auctions was a big part of his life and it was there that he found most of his treasures. There never was a tool he didn't admire, though planes were among his absolute favorites. Upon finding one, it was taken home, lovingly taken apart and, if necessary, repaired, then carefully cleaned and stored. This entire tool collection is extremely clean and well cared for.

With some 5,000 pieces, including over 1,000 planes, and comprising approximately 1,800 lots, Mr. Ambuehl's collection is absolutely one of the largest ever to cross the Simmons and Company auction block. Space precludes a complete listing, but the Ambuehl collection features tools from such vintage hardware companies and store brands as Stanley, Simmons, Shapleigh, Winchester, HSB & Co., Keen Kutter, Diamond Edge, Blue Grass, Buffum, OVB, Van Camp, Oak Leaf, Crusader, Sargent, Siegley, Ohio Tool, Millers Falls, Fulton, Lakeside, Union Tool, Craftsman, L.S. Starrett, Rev-O-Noc, Yankee, Berylco, Shelton, Eclipse, Firestone, plus numerous other popular and collectible marks.

The Ambuehl collection contains, among other things, an extensive array of Stanley tools, including a comprehensive assortment of Stanley planes. One of the auction's highlights will, undoubtedly, be on Saturday when the highly coveted No. 1 Stanley "Sweetheart" plane (Lot #527) goes up for sale. In addition to the dozens of Stanley planes, a number of Stanley Gage, Victor, Bailey Tool and Defiance planes, many of which are in the original boxes, will also be auctioned. Also crossing the block will be low-angle, bull nose, and aluminum planes, bits and braces, chisels, drills, squares, gauges, levels, rules, spoke shaves, scrapers, routers, tape measures and many more Stanley tools too numerous to mention.

The sale of this collection represents countless hours of diligent collecting and care. With lots of great, usable tools of every description, plus many unusual, interesting and hard-to-find tools and tool-related items, this auction will be a buying bonanza for both new and veteran collectors and dealers alike. In order to fully appreciate the scope and magnitude of this auction, be sure to request a catalog in advance and make plans to attend this truly unique event.

For additional information on this auction, including a complete catalog and color pictures of every lot on the block, visit www.simmonsauction.com. Live Internet bidding (and pre-bidding) will also be available for this event on Proxibid at www.proxibid.com/simmons.

For information on absentee bidding, contact Rilla Simmons, Simmons and Company, at 816-776-2936.

 

[Earp]

Looks like a bullet mold to me.

These are hair straighteners.

 

[Gutshot]

[/center]

Holy cow! That turned out beautifully.

 

[Firefyter-Emt]

Holy cow! That turned out beautifully.

Thanks, that one was a "newer" post WWII hand plane so it did not have the really nice rosewood of the older ones, but it was a basket case before.

 

[cooncatbob]

Thanks, that one was a "newer" post WWII hand plane so it did not have the really nice rosewood of the older ones, but it was a basket case before.

I love the old Rosewood handles, I've had to splice a new tip on the end of the tote on a couple of mine.

 

[bigshoe]

Some vintage tools
I have a bunch of old shoe making tools many of which I use every day.

[/IMG]
Top left is a hand cutting die for heels circa mid 1800's with a makers name.
Top right is a tool kit for replacing buttons on button balmorals with some glass and other buttons.
Center is a shank lasting pliers made by Christensen considered by shoe makers to be the best made. 1870's to 1920's.
Bottom is a last measureing stick for determining the size of a last
I will post some more as time permits.
Tom

 

[John in Covina]

I have some of my grandfather's (Father's father's) saws and planes. My brother has the old Yankee Driver which I love! We also have some tools my dad made as a machinist.

 

[carouselvic]

Japanese woodworking tools




Acquired post WWII by my Uncle who was working in Japan for the Corp of Engineers

 

[Talbot]

Beautifull ^^^^

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Oh heck yes, I have a tool box full of tools that were my grandpa's. They're not very old, but they are from the 50s and 60s. I still use all of them when working on my cars. It's great to think that my grandpa used them on his vehicles then, and I use them on my vehicles now, even a few that are older than the ones he was working on then haha.

 

[carouselvic]

Tools of some lucky little tike


Childs tools

 

[FinalVestige79]

Vintage tools

My grandfather was a carpenter for most of his life, I think from the time he was 12 (1942) he was a porter working on construction sites. He had 100s of tools from the 1910s - 1970s and each one had a specific use or special attribute, no matter if it was one of 10 others just like it, there was a subtle difference, either in its balance, gauge, amount of threads. Each one was special. I have some of his old tools, but most went to my uncle when my grandfather passed 3 years ago, my uncle is a carpenter also so its only natural.

Also, when I worked at the antique mall, there was a dealer who sold nothing but vintage tools, the women dealers used to call it the man cave. lol

 

[jeep44]

I was just digging around in a box of old tools at an antique shop today-my minor "find" today was two "superslim" made in England Whitworth wrenches. They will go back into service on one of my old British motorcycles.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

My grandfather was a carpenter for most of his life, I think from the time he was 12 (1942) he was a porter working on construction sites. He had 100s of tools from the 1910s - 1970s and each one had a specific use or special attribute, no matter if it was one of 10 others just like it, there was a subtle difference, either in its balance, gauge, amount of threads. Each one was special. I have some of his old tools, but most went to my uncle when my grandfather passed 3 years ago, my uncle is a carpenter also so its only natural.

Also, when I worked at the antique mall, there was a dealer who sold nothing but vintage tools, the women dealers used to call it the man cave. lol

Your grandfather and mine sound very much alike, right down to the age!

 

[barra063]

I collect old saddlers tools and harness stitching machines. Most of my tools I bought from an old saddler who finally retired at age 94 and then only as his eyes were going and arthritis was setting in. Other than that he was as fit as a fiddle and lived to 106.

This is my Jones harness stitcher. While I can not accurately date it, it would be over 100 years old. I have restored it and it forms beautiful stitches.

This is used to mark out the stitch spacing on leather for when sewing by hand.

Just a series of general tools. Any you see that have dark handles are at least 100 years old. I have many more but these are just a few I have pics of on the computer.

 

[FinalVestige79]

Your grandfather and mine sound very much alike, right down to the age!

Really? Thats awesome! My gramps was also a very avid hunter and gun enthusiast and ran a small gunshop back in the 60s....out of the garage Lol. He bought, sold traded any gun you could think of. He told me once of getting his hair cut at the local barber and one of his buddies walking in with a shotgun in his hand. My gramps ask if he could see it, and it turned out to be a Belgian over and under shotgun, from about the 30s or something. The guy said he wanted to sell it and my gramps bought it on the spot! And then took it to the local sports / outdoors store I forget the name , I think it was Best Sporting Goods...not sure. And asked the owner (family friend) to clean it and give it a test fire, came back an hour later the the guy offered my gramps some serious dough for it and my gramps sold it on the spot! My gramps owned that shotgun for less than 2 hours! Anyway sorry to sidetrack.fftopic:

 

[Hatter4]

I collect old hatters tools

 

[1930artdeco]

That is all I buy if I can find it and need it. I have a Model A and I will buy tools that I can use on her from that time frame. I have a 1950's drill press, a 30's mechanical jack (made for my car!) and a 1937 Motor Analyzer that needs a resto. A friend also just gave me a 1940's battery charger that I would like to restore and see if can get working again.

There is a tool hawk shop near by that has lots of older tools but mostly junk Chinese stuff. When I asked specifically for American made stuff the owner asked why. When I told him I did not want to buy this particular tool ever again because they are made so much better than the Chinese stuff he agreed and understood. He told me he would keep me in mind when I asked for other tools.

Mike

 

[jkingrph]

I have some old woodworking tools. I have old safety razors, fountain pens, and the most expensive is some of my old (and newer) firearms.

 

[BobHufford]

Thread needs a bump. We recently built a new shop/barn at the "farm" and I decided I needed to learn woodworking. I knew I didn't want new tools as I prefer the build quality of vintage. Besides ... they are a great value!

So far I've driven all around southern Missouri to retrieve these old work-horses.

1959 DeWalt 1030 10" Radial Arm Saw:

1952 Sears Craftsman '100' 10" Tilting Arbor Bench Saw:

1959 Delta Homecraft Lathe:

I've found a few other interesting things in Northern Arkansas ... hope to drag home a couple more from there soon.