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Leonard Bailey's Victor & Defiance

Woodworking Planes

Past Sales Archive Page

Victor #12 Adjustable Block Plane   This clean little example of one of Leonard Bailey's Victor Line Block Planes has a trace of nickel on the sides making it a 12 1/2 rather than a #12  What is here is a clean little plane with no damage to speak of, and just a trace of texture form ever so light pitting on the sides and sole.   The adjuster is nice, operational, and the cutter is in the second hole, and has 3 more to go.  Hard to find and becoming ever harder so....   Excellent......$650.00    SOLD

Victor #0 1/2 Block Plane   This example is about as nice as one could hope for.  Lots of finish, no rust or pitting, the cutter is long and nice, the adjuster works great.  Planes from this line are becoming ever more difficult to find, and this is a good one.  Buy it, you will not be sorry!   Excellent..........$375.00        SOLD  

Patented Victor # 1 1/4 Block Plane by Leonard Bailey  This style of block plane is not all that rare, but to have one with the auxiliary tail is rather uncommon.  This plane is known as a Victor # 1 1/4, and was produced by Leonard Bailey during the late 1800's after he had left the employ of Stanley Rule and Level and had once again started his own company producing the Victor line of planes and other tools under a new company name.  The history of this famous and prolific inventor of planes and other tools is long and colorful, as are some of the other stories about the men who were involved in the tool making industry during this period.   The condition of this example is superb and I wish I had learned about such things 15 years earlier than I did when the chances of finding such pieces were far better.  The odds of such a plane showing up today at any venue other than a high quality tool auction are somewhere between slim, nil and none, but if by chance you have something similar and are wanting to sell it please contact me at  LCM@patented-antiques.com.                          SOLD!

Bailey's #5 Victor Jack Plane  Here is another rare and desirable plane from Leonard Bailey's famous Victor line of planes.  This line of planes was produced for a  short period between 1875 and 1888, the period of time when Leonard Bailey had left Stanley's Rule and Levels employ and was again out on his own producing a superior line of woodworking planes and related tools.  At one point he was working out of the Company location producing these planes in RI, that bears his same name but actually was run by a different fellow Seldon Bailey. 

This example has some areas of paint loss and is dirty, but it is basically damage free and will clean to be very nice.   There is some light pitting on the cutter and chip breaker, but little if any on the body.  The adjuster works as it should, the throat is nice, as are the proper metal handle and knob.  A few years ago these Victor planes seemed as though they were plentiful at shows and tool meetings but the supply has now pretty much dried up and you rarely see or are offered any of these planes any more at tool shows or even on the internet.  A good example for the collector or the investment minded as they are just going to get even harder to find and even more sought after and desirable as time goes by.  Recommended!   

Good+...SOLD!           

Leonard Bailey's #3 Size Victor Smooth Plane  Here is a rare and desirable plane from Leonard Bailey's famous Victor line of planes.  This line of planes was produced for a  short period between 1875 and 1888, the period of time when Leonard Bailey had left Stanley's Rule and Levels employ and was again out on his own producing a superior line of woodworking planes and related tools in competition with Stanley.  This example has some minor and repairable problems, but it in overall good condition.  First there is a crack in the top of the front knob.  It is cosmetic, but it is there. The pin in the adjuster to move the cutter is missing and need to be replaced.   The chip breaker is missing as well, but the small rectangular center piece is present, so the cutter still locks in place nicely.  The body is very nice, the handle is nice, and the blade cap is good.  There is no damage in the weak area where the cap slides in, or near the throat.  The price reflects the problems which are correctable.   

Good+...395.00      SOLD!         

Defiance #3 Smooth Plane   The Bailey Tool Co. series of planes known by the name Defiance were designed and produced for a very short period of time during the last quarter of the 19th century.  Once considered relatively common and often bringing less than far more recent an plentiful Stanley models, planes from this series and era have now become very difficult to find.  Later when all the dust settles, and when values stabilize and the real rarity or scarceness  is better understood these planes and those from the Victor line, as well as many other unusual or obsure patented planes will be the ones to further escalate and climb in value and finally attain their proper levels.  Bottom line is that they are rare, significant, and  undervalued in today's market.  This example is in overall very nice and retains much of its original japanning.  There is no rust or pitting to speak of, just patina and character.  The lever cap has a small chip on the bottom on one side where it engages the locking pin, a weak point on these planes.  It still functions and is not loose.  The beaded front knob has a tight crack that is hardly noticeable, and the handle is nice.  The fragile adjustment mechanism works as it should.  The cutter is long, nice, and properly marked.  Overall a very nice example of a difficult to find plane.         Good+........$650.00        SOLD 

Bailey Tool Co. Defiance E Block Plane   The Bailey Tool Co of Woonsocket RI has only a small connection to Leonard Bailey, and it is believed he had little to do with the Defiance line of planes that this firm produced.  Leonard Bailey at one point did work out of the same Company when he was producing his Victor line of planes, but the patents and design features of the Defiance line of planes were produced by a different group of individuals.  These planes connection to Stanley relate to the fact that at one point they were offered in Stanley's catalogs.  This series of planes had some design flaws and weak casting areas, and are often found damaged.  This one is not.  The lever cap is nice, and the ears to hold it in place are undamaged.  The blade adjuster is working properly.  The cutter is very faintly marked.  The japanning is approx 80%.  The sides and sole look great with no problems other than the flea bite nick in the throat as can be seen in the picture.  Tough to find.    

 Good+..........$395.00       SOLD! 

Leonard Bailey's Patented 1855 #3 Size Split Frame Plane  One of the first and certainly the most important series of patents ever granted for a metallic woodworking plane were those issued to Leonard Bailey for this model plane, most commonly referred to as the "split frame", and his other scraper plane that he was making during this early period in the 1850's.  Bailey only produced these unusual planes for a few short years and it is not known exactly how many of them were actually produced.  It is in absolutely fantastic condition, and second to none in quality, workmanship and finish.  It came out of a basement with a 1950's Sargent Hercules plane in green, and the lady who had it could not see the difference between the two.   Good+..........$SOLD! 

Leonard Bailey's 2nd Patent for Blade Adjuster   Here is an extremely rare plane that utilizes Leonard Bailey's second patent from June 22nd 1859 for an adjustable cutter.  This razee style jointer is 28" long and just under 3 1/8" wide.  It is marked J. Kellogg  Amherst Ma. on the nose, and the owner T. D. Thomas stamped his name into the tail.  This is only the second example of one of these planes that I have ever seen other than the one pictured in Roger Smiths book PTAMPIA.  He states that others are known, but few have made it the trading tables or auction block since I have been paying attention. This example is in  nice condition noting a nice early repair to the tote tip, and some minor age cracks in the sole.  The lever cap is solid and has a rounded lever spring.  The cutter is marked Moulson Bros Cast Steel and measures just over 8" long.  Bailey's adjustment piece is neatly and securely pinned to the cutter.  If not for the work of Roger Smith and other researchers like him, this plane would be considered a mere curiosity as it has no patent information or other identifying marks to be found anywhere on it, but it is a documented patent, and Roger tells the story behind them not being marked.  The beginning of the end for wood bodied planes, and an important and rare step in the evolution or creationism of  metallic planes.  When and where are you going to see the next one??   

RARE.....$SOLD! 

Leonard Bailey's #7 Size 3 Screw Frog Plane  This is a rare plane that is not seen very often as they were only manufactured or produced by Leonard Bailey in Boston for a couple years in the mid to late 1860's before he went into partnership with Stanley.  It has sometimes been called the missing link between Bailey's split frame models and vertical posts and the first Type 1 metal bodied planes that Stanley produced using Bailey's patents after he sold out to Stanley in 1869.  The distinguishing feature is that the rear of the frog that was cast to receive a third screw to help hold the frog in place.  It was a short lived idea that was eliminated by the time he sold out to Stanley.  If they were not so rare this would be a great plane to walk up on at a reasonable price as they look fairly common and much like a who cares type 4 pre lateral version when first seen.  Granted, they do not have the pizzazz or graphic looks of  Bailey's split frame models, but they deserve a place right next to them on the shelf or in the collection documenting the development of the metallic plane.  It is only because of the research and effort by people like Roger Smith that we can have an appreciation of just where this rare plane fits into the scheme of things.  Good+..........$695.00       SOLD!