Every now and then, I get lucky.
Most of the time, when I buy old planes, they arrive without a backstory. I can admire the craftsmanship, clean them up, and display them — but I’m left wondering who used them, where they travelled, and what they built.
But this week… I hit the jackpot.
I spotted an online listing for five wooden planes — all for just $10. The photos made them look in decent shape, so I figured, why not? Only one small problem: a 2½-hour round trip to get them. Still, for a bargain like that, the decision was easy.
When I arrived, the seller casually mentioned that he thought they might have belonged to his great-grandfather — a carpenter who had worked on the Balmain Town Hall and Bell Tower in the late 1800s. My ears pricked up immediately.
We picked up one of the planes to take a closer look… and there it was: an owner’s stamp, T. GALE. The seller hadn’t even noticed it before. But the name? His great-grandfather. Suddenly, I wasn’t just holding an old plane — I was holding a family heirloom that had been passed down for possibly 150 years.
When I got home, I did what any collector would do — I started hunting for maker’s marks. On a matched set of hollows and rounds, I found I. WHEELER & ALLIN stamped clearly into the wood. Out came Goodman’s British Planemakers (4th Edition), and there was the story:
- John Wheeler and John Allen had formed their partnership sometime before 1798.
- It officially ended that same year, but their workshop in Thatcham, England, kept the name “Wheeler & Allen” on the rates until 1803, and “late Wheeler & Allen” until 1807.
Which means these planes were made around 225 years ago — making them the oldest in my collection by a long shot.
And the condition? Honestly, remarkable. No damage, no cracks, no woodworm. Just the gentle patina of age and the satisfaction of knowing they’ve outlasted generations.
All that’s left now is a bit of careful cleaning, and they’ll be ready for their new home on my shelves — sitting proudly as a reminder that sometimes the best finds aren’t just about the tools… they’re about the stories that come with them.