Rare J.J. Holtzapffel Portrait Sells for $7771 at David Stanley's International Auction

Chronicle of the Early American Industries Association, Inc., The, May/Jun 2004 by Wells, John

The Stars

A miniature portrait of John Jacob Holtzapffel (1768-1835), one of the most important men in the history of English tools and founder of the firm John Holtzapffel in London in 1794, created a lot of buzz at David Stanley's 43rd International Auction held March 24. The 3 ½ × 2 ¾ inch miniature (Lot 1910) was painted on ivory in the style of the English school of 1810 to 1820, and came in a red Morocco case with domed glass protective cover. It sold in the room after an enthusiastic exchange of bids for $7771.1 According to T.D. Walshaw in his book Ornamental Turning, Holtzapffel refined the design of the ornamental turning lathe making it elegant, functional, and affordable even for a mere 'gentleman', or prosperous tradesman.

An exceptionally graphic and rare sixteenth- to seventeenth-century German armourer's saw (Lot 365) also sold for $7771. Measuring 15 ½ inches long, the saw was beautifully decorated with three-dimensional architectural forms of the Italian Renaissance period. The frame had a beaded and reeded central section flanked on each side by tapered and fluted columns on rectangular bases. A forward facing lion 'rampant' braced the blade tensioning mechanism contained in a paneled rectangular pedestal at the front of the saw.

Carved European Planes

A rare 24 ½ inch fruitwood Italian rabbet plane (probably seventeenth century-Lot 1023), with a lovely flowing curvilinear shape, sold in the room for $4090. It had a rear "flat-iron" handle behind a small scroll, and a whale back rise at the center followed by a gargoyle at the front with tongue extended on top of the plane.

A superb 31-inch eighteenth century Italian rabbet plane in elm (Lot 1024), of a more disciplined design, with an integral flat-iron handle decorated with a scroll for and aft, and a central cartouche containing a stylized flower, brought $3783.

English Infill Planes

A first model dovetailed steel 13 ½ inch panel plane by Spiers of Ayr, sold for $4703 after a lively exchange of bids in the room and over an open telephone line. Stewart Spiers, the earliest maker of English dovetailed steel bench planes began working about 1840. His earliest planes are characterized by wrought iron side plates screwed rather than riveted to the infill, side plates that have two humps and do not have a pointed cusp near the front bun, metal end plates, an overstuffed wood infill, a large almost flat toped front bun, and a lever cap with a thin elongated neck and small 5/16 inch diameter locking screw.

A very rare Spiers No.11 gunmetal 1-inch bull nose rabbet plane with rosewood wedge and "SPIERS", "AYR" cast in raised letters in a recessed panel in the side (Lot 1135, see photo at right) sold for $1636.

American Tools

A very fine Stanley No.9 miter plane (Lot 10) - one of many fine Stanley tools in the auction - with trademark "T" (c.1907-08), brought $1943. Another Stanley, an A5 aluminum jack plane (Lot 9) in unused condition sold for $777 (see photos).

A little used Stanley No.51/52 shoot board and plane, complete with the original hold down and screw, brought $1186.

An H. Chapin, Solon Rust self-regulating plow plane, No.238 ½, patented March 31, 1868 , in G condition sold to an absentee bidder for $1534.

An 8-inch Stratton No.10 brass bound rosewood level went for $634. A W. T. Fisher patented bevel and square by Disston & Morse in G condition sold for $859. A Spaeth patented plumb bob with internal reel (Lot 929), brought $429.

Other Great Tools

A 14-inch brass Japanese Sumitsubo ink line (Lot 1760), with the traditional symbol of the carpenter and a brass and copper clad wheel brought $3579. It had a brass and copper clad wheel, a heart-shaped ink reservoir, an oak body covered ink reservoir, an oak body covered with lizard skin and brass cladding, and chrysanthemum decoration to end signifing a Royal association, the style of the handle would indicate an origin in Tokyo, complete with ink line and original lacquered pin.

A magnificent head stock (Lot 1227), for an early French screw cutting lathe (c. 1660), brought $2045. Henry Maudslay made the first screw cutting lathe with a lead screw in 1797.

David Stanley's 44th International Sale will be held September 25, 2004, at the end of EAIA's tool tour to Italy.

1 All prices in this article are in U.S. Dollars using an exchange rate of $1.859 and include a 10% buyer's premium.

By John Wells

Berkeley, California