Hunter and Gillbee 11″ toted razee or ship smoothing plane

Description

It’s not clear who actually made this plane, but the cutter bears the Hunter and Gillbee mark.  They were a cutlery and hardware firm in Sheffield; the cutter was likely made between 1849 and 1852.  The plane is unusual, in two ways.  First, it’s longer than the average smoothing plane, and is in the “razee” style.  Second, it has a brass strip joining the top of the jack handle to the body of the plane behind the iron — clearly a way of simulating the much more usual closed tote.  There is no way to tell whether this was a maker’s innovation or an owner’s clever add-on, but I’m inclined to think it was the owner — the jack handle is also secured by a screw driven up through the sole.

The plane has been re-mouthed.  Not a good user, but surely an interesting curiosity.