Id plane maker's stamp?

[Clinton1]

I have a 1/2 set of hollows and rounds marked with a cursive stamp of "Sims, Queen St, West (with a superscript r or n), London", some being marked "Sims, London'.

All have a slightly skewed blade and very fine corners of the profile... e.g. cabinetmakers H and R set.

All I can 'google' is that Atkins and sons took over that company and used the name for "a" period of time.

Anyone have any other info, particularly on the first mark, as I assume thats the older one?

As always, appreciations in advance....

...and I am so stoked to have finally gotten a great H&R set for a reasonable (or even cheap) price :)

[RayG]

Hi Clinton,

Planes, aren't really my specialty, but according to Goodman 2nd Edition

That is Joseph P Sims 22 Little Queen Street Westminister London 1817-1829

"SIMS Queen St Westr London" ............. Hmm.. it appears the vbulletin, isn't supporting the superscript tags, but you get the idea...
Regards
Ray

[Clinton1]

Thanks Ray.

About 200 years old and still 'true' (without wind and twist), with crispy edges and only a tiny bit of mouth chipping. Says something about the maker and the previous owners. :2tsup:

[RayG]

Hi Clinton,

Got any pictures?

I read in Goodman, that he was supposedly one of very few (maybe the only) maker to use lower case lettering in his marks.

Maybe Peter (Lightwood) can add more.

Nice to have tools 200 years old still working perfectly. :2tsup:

Regards
Ray

[Clinton1]

I'll try to get a close up of the mark and upload it (a cut using paint makes the file too big)

[Clinton1]

best I can do at the mo'

If it is not sufficient, let me know and I'll have to set up a tripod and proper lighting.

The nice thing is that there is an owner stamp of W. Lockyer in almost the same script , (slightly larger), and then another with modernish 'blockish' stamping... I prefer to think that for a few shillings more you could get a cursive stamp made and the planes marked as part of the original deal... but who knows ????

It really says something that so many years later there has been the planemaker and original purchaser, other purchasers, dealers and collectors and finally ebay and then me... almost makes me want to put them in a display case and not use them.... but tools are to be used and passed on.

[RayG]

Hi Clinton,

I scanned a bit from WL Goodman's British Planemakers from 1700. Interesting bit about the only known example of lower case incuse lettering.

http://www.backsaw.net/pics/Misc/JPSims_1.jpg
http://www.backsaw.net/pics/Misc/JPSims_2.jpg

http://www.backsaw.net/pics/Misc/JPSims_3.jpg

That plane looks as good as new! ... not too shabby after all these years, they certainly knew how to make tools back then!


Regards
Ray

[Clinton1]

Ray,
15 of the 18 are marked with the full "Sims, Queen St., West(r), London" mark. 1 with the "Sims, London" mark. The No 10. round is unmarked and the No. 12 round is an E. Preston.

Thanks for your help... the mystery continues ... I'd really like them to be early marks... and I'll be looking out for the 'missing' 3!

And.... they are all in the same excellent condition!

I've been looking for a decent 1/2 set of H&R's, within my price range, for years. To come across this set, at the price they went, for was fantastic, regardless of stamp, harlequin status of whatever.
Cheaper than a bashed up, twisted, warped and wind'ed, harlequin set with woodworm and rural scenes painted on. :)

Interesting that they are a skew blade as well.

Just when I say... "enough"... I managed this set as well as a very cheap and great condition Preston Quirk Router.... very, very slippery slope indeed. Its thrown out my whole tool storage plan. :( :D

(I was going to sort out my tool storage in May '11, then managed to completely do my back to the extent that I needed surgery.... its mending slowly and well... but I still can't mange a full work day. How lucky was that! Now I get to replan the tool storage and accomodate the new tools. :rolleyes: .... dark clouds and silver lining indeed....)