For this blog post, I’ve experimented by getting ChatGPT to rewrite and format my notes into what it thinks is suitable for a blog post. Feel free to comment on how this post has turned out.
Who Was Chance Son & Co?
Exploring the Mystery Behind an Unfamiliar Maker’s Mark on Antique Moulding Planes
While cleaning up a recent batch of moulding planes, I stumbled upon two marked with a name I didn’t recognise: CHANCE SON & CO. Naturally, I turned to my go-to reference, Goodman’s British Planemakers (4th Edition).
According to Goodman, Chance Son & Co. operated out of Birmingham, England, and were listed as American merchants trading from 1818 to 1854—possibly even longer. However, this brief note raised more questions than it answered. Were they actual toolmakers? Or were they simply resellers branding tools made by others?
Digging Deeper
The plot thickened when I discovered the firm in the EAIA Directory of American Toolmakers, listed as operating out of Toronto between 1851 and 1856. That detail seemed odd for a Birmingham-based business and led me to dig even further.
A web search turned up scattered references—mostly in connection with saws and guns (an unexpected pairing). But the most helpful clue came from woodworkforums.com, where users discussed W. Chance Son & Co. as a trading firm. It seems they commissioned the manufacture of tools and firearms for export to the U.S. and British colonies, rather than making the tools themselves.
So, Were They Makers?
In short: No. The evidence suggests Chance Son & Co. was not a manufacturer, but rather a merchant and commissioning agent, branding tools made by others and distributing them across colonial markets.
The Man Behind the Name
Digging into the family history reveals that W. Chance refers to William Chance, born in 1788. He followed in the footsteps of his father (also William), becoming at least the second generation in a family of Birmingham merchants. William held several public offices, including:
- High Bailiff of Birmingham (1829–1830)
- Justice of the Peace for both Worcestershire and Birmingham
A Shift to Glassmaking
Interestingly, William’s brother Robert Chance ventured into the glass industry. In 1824, he purchased the British Crown Glass Company, and William joined him in the venture by 1831.
Their firm went on to achieve several notable firsts:
- England’s first manufacturer of sheet glass
- Suppliers of glass for the Crystal Palace at the Great Exhibition of 1851
- Makers of ultra-thin microscope glass, a process used until 1949
- Producers of optical glass for telescopes and lighthouse optics
Final Thoughts
So while CHANCE SON & CO. might appear on the toe of a moulding plane, the company was more merchant than maker—a firm deeply involved in trade, commissioning, and exporting tools (and even firearms) across the British Empire.
Behind the name lies a fascinating family history that stretches from tool trading to glass innovation, even playing a part in some of the most iconic engineering feats of the 19th century.
References
Grace’s Guide to British Industrial History. “Chance Brothers and Co.” https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Chance_Brothers_and_Co
Goodman, W.L. British Planemakers from 1700, 4th Edition, by Jane & Mark Rees, Tools and Trades History Society, 2021.
EAIA (Early American Industries Association). Directory of American Toolmakers. eaia.us
Woodwork Forums discussion thread. “Chance Son & Co – Who Were They?”. woodworkforums.com (search for W. Chance).
Wikipedia contributors. “William Chance (1788–1856)”, Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Chance
Wikipedia contributors. “Chance Brothers”. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chance_Brothers