Another sweet little plane in my collection is a mint John Moseley & Son coachmakers T-Rabbet plane. Based on the makers mark, this plane was made sometime in the period 1862 to 1880. But it looks like it was just made.
About T-Rabbet Planes
T-Rabbet planes are named because the sole is wider than the stock (giving the T-shaped cross section).
This shape gives room for the users fingers when working in deep rabbets or in confined spaces.
Mine is a typical size with a body measuring 6 1/4″ long. It’s width is 1 1/2″.
The sole is convex, enabling it to work concave shapes.
A coachmaker would typically use this plane to clean up window frames and on such parts as the door pillars.
John Moseley & Son
Moseley has been described as the pre-eminent London planemaker of the 19th century.
Their history is quite long, starting in 1795. They were taken over by William Marples in 1892 and production in London stopped in 1904.
In dating my plane, I used the makers stamp. The stamp said ‘JOHN MOSELEY & SON 54-55BROAD ST BLOOMSBURY LONDON’. This stamp was used from 1862-1880. It indicated that the plane was being sold from the wholesale branch of the company. Individuals could buy planes, but from a different address.
I’m not going to try to record their history, because better people than me have already done that.
The London Street Views website is one source, https://londonstreetviews.wordpress.com/2014/11/04/john-moseley-son-plane-and-tool-makers/
Also, Jane Rees excellent reference (2020) Goodman’s British Planemakers 4th Edition, Astragal Press
