Plane identification – plane aficiondos pls help

A friend showed me this plane (already dismantled) and I now have it to do up for him.

Attachment 154559

Sadly there is quite a bit of rust on the sole and sides and I think I will find some pitting underneath it.

I can find no maker’s name on it. The sole is 354mm long and 71mm wide.

The blade is 2½” or 63.5mm wide and is almost 5mm thick (yes 5mm) and is branded “Alex Mathieson & Son Warranted Cast Street”.

The cap iron is branded “Buck Hard?? Steel”.

I have tried to find info on it on the web without success.

The names of previous owners have been stamped in the heel of the wooden handle.

Can anyone help me identify its type, approx date of manufacture etc etc. Is it a Mathieson or some other make of plane with a Mathieson blade now fitted?

Many thanks

Therapy

It looks very much like an Alex Mathieson Panel Plane Number 845.
Here is a picture courtesy of Peter McBride (Lightwood)
Cheers
SG

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Scribbly Gum

It looks very much like an Alex Mathieson Panel Plane Number 845.

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I agree ...

It looks like the lever cap may have broken and it was filed back both top and bottom (and maybe the back) in order to accept a wooden wedge.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Therapy

A friend showed me this plane (already dismantled) and I now have it to do up for him.

Attachment 154559

Sadly there is quite a bit of rust on the sole and sides and I think I will find some pitting underneath it.

I can find no maker’s name on it. The sole is 354mm long and 71mm wide.

The blade is 2½” or 63.5mm wide and is almost 5mm thick (yes 5mm) and is branded “Alex Mathieson & Son Warranted Cast Street”.

The cap iron is branded “Buck Hard?? Steel”.

I have tried to find info on it on the web without success.

The names of previous owners have been stamped in the heel of the wooden handle.

Can anyone help me identify its type, approx date of manufacture etc etc. Is it a Mathieson or some other make of plane with a Mathieson blade now fitted?

Many thanks

Therapy

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Therapy,
It's not like any Mathieson plane I have seen.
A Mathieson made plane will have it stamped on the brass / gunmetal bridge, which is a standard pattern made as it is seen, not a modification. Some Mathieson planes are stamped on the wood only, on the front face of the bun and not on the brass, and usually these were made for them by Spiers.
This pattern of plane, with screws in the sides and brass / gunmetal bridge was an early style made by Spiers ( the front bun looks a little different than I would expect on a dovetailed steel Spiers). However it looks more likely to be cast iron rather than dovetailed steel. These were also sold as a kit supplied and then finished by users. I have seen some marked with retailer's marks like Moseley or Buck. Those were almost always filled with rosewood.

It was a design made form about the 1850s to the late 1800s for the plane user who preferred the wedged style of blade fixing as in traditional wooden planes over the "modern" screw lever cap.

A couple more pictures and more information would be helpful.
Is the infill rosewood, mahogany or a stained hardwood?
Is the plane cast or dovetailed, is there a makers name marked on the brass bridge or the front face of the bun?
The back iron most likely reads "Buck cast steel"

It is a nice looking plane with a pleasing shape on the sides similar to some of the better made infill planes, and it is in a pattern not often seen. I wouldn't be too concerned about removing all the pitting. It would be good to get it to a state where it could be used again. They are a very rewarding plane to use, and a pleasure to have on the shelf above a work bench or in a glass cabinet to admire.

Here is a Spiers smoother with the wedge. The wedge is a later replacement.
Attachment 154589

Regards,
Peter

Many thanks for the responses.

The plane body, blade and cap iron are currently in a citric acid bath to remove the rust and I am in the process of carefully cleaning the detritus from the timber compoents.

When I have cleaned it all up a little more I will take a few more photos etc.

Again many thanks.


Therapy

I have finished preliminary cleaning of the plane – see photos. It is in very good over-all condition given its age.

Fortunately most of the rust was on the surface only. There are a couple of small areas of pitting on the sole near the heel and front edge about which I will not worry.

The plane’s body is dovetailed – the tails and pins are approx 22mm wide. There are no maker’s marks on the body or the brass bridge. The brass bridge swivels on a pin which goes through both side of the plane. As it is able to swivel, the wedge fit snugly inside the bridge.

Two people (previous owners?) have put their name on the bridge using metal punches.

The blade has cast into it the following “ALEX . MATHIESON & SON WARRANTED CAST STEEL”. There is also an emblem comprising a half-moon shape pointing upwards with a star between the points.

The back iron is inscribed with “BUCK HARDND STEEL”.

The timber components all appear to have been made from the same timber – the weight and grain are very similar to Australian rosewood (a timber with which I like working).

There is no maker’s mark on any of the timber pieces – only the name of a previous owner. On the wedge large initials PR (another owner?) have been cut into it a little crudely, presumably with a small chisel.

After cleaning up the metal body with 400 and 600 wet and dry, getting some slotted steel screws to replace the original screws (some of which snapped off due to rust) and sharpening the blade, it will be ready to put to use.

I suspect the plane, rather than being used, will be displayed to be admired.

I have now searched the web for Spiers (thanks Lightwood) and eventually found an almost identical plane. The main differences are length, the brass bridge on the one I have swivels on a pin in lieu of being fixed with four screws and the dip in the sides above the bridge are deeper on the one I have. Click here Very Early Spiers Mahogany Infill “Pannel” Plane | The Infill Planes Showcase

Further comments to help with the identification of the plane and its age will be much appreciated.

Many thanks for your help to date.

Therapy