Studley-esque tool chest for auction

[mikefm101]

I did not see this elsewhere, apologies if a re-post.

Scroll down below the Studley tool chest photo. There's also a tool list at the very bottom.

Link here for the article

Mike

[DCM]

WOW!!
that is awesome & thanks for posting

[AHill]

I saw that awhile back and was impressed. By the kinds of tools in the chest, we can at least tell what the user's skills were. Lathe skills, mortise and tenons, dados. No rabbet planes, so that was kind of interesting. Yet the user had a complete set of bench planes. He made a walnut burl case for his sharpening stone (I kinda doubt the case came with the stone). Very impressive tool chest. I think it'll go for more than the $150K.

[Window Guy]

That is impressive for sure, a little rich for my blood though .


Steve

[Joel Runyan]

I hate to be a pessimist, but this strikes me almost certainly as a relatively modern project put up as a cash grab in the wake of the Studley chest's recent popularity. First, it's almost impossible to imagine that a chest so intensely stocked winds up in the hands of someone who has absolutely no idea of from where it came. You can date the planes to 1925 at the earliest, and that puts it in a two generation gap. Secondly, the thing was obviously built for show, as it's got a No. 1 and both a 7 & 8 in it, but only a single marking gauge, a single panel saw, but a slew of carving tools, &c. Third, the inlaid dots are obscenely derivative of the Studley chest, though as a whole it is patently lacking in the former's quirks, ingenuity, and to be honest, finished appearance. The front of this looks akin to vanity cabinets from the borg.

In any case. 150 grand it is surely not.

[AHill]

I think you might be right. Closer examination of the tools seems to indicate either little or no wear on the handles, and polished or cleaned up blades. A surprising lack of patina. The D-15 saw plate has a lot of pitting, but seems to be very bright for a saw that has a lot of pitting. The two back saws are heavily pitted, yet the brass backs and ferrules are nice and bright.

The seller (M.S. Rau Antiques) might not be aware if it's a fake. They have an A+ BBB rating with zero complaints. It'll be interesting to see what it goes for.

Joel Runyan said:

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I hate to be a pessimist, but this strikes me almost certainly as a relatively modern project put up as a cash grab in the wake of the Studley chest's recent popularity. First, it's almost impossible to imagine that a chest so intensely stocked winds up in the hands of someone who has absolutely no idea of from where it came. You can date the planes to 1925 at the earliest, and that puts it in a two generation gap. Secondly, the thing was obviously built for show, as it's got a No. 1 and both a 7 & 8 in it, but only a single marking gauge, a single panel saw, but a slew of carving tools, &c. Third, the inlaid dots are obscenely derivative of the Studley chest, though as a whole it is patently lacking in the former's quirks, ingenuity, and to be honest, finished appearance. The front of this looks akin to vanity cabinets from the borg.

In any case. 150 grand it is surely not.

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[EricU]

I wonder if this has similar provenance to the fake antiques that were being modified and sold as much more expensive pieces in the U.K. It seems to me that the Studley chest is likely to be unique due to the amount of attention it has gotten over the years. If someone saw that and they had one just like it in the attic, I imagine it would have become known before now. This toolbox just seems to be a little too much designed to appeal to collectors and just doesn't seem to be an organic outgrowth of a craftsman's need to store his tools

I don't think Studley would have approved of the lack of organization, and the chisels don't hang level. I think they should have copied Studley's tool collection better and his aesthetics a little less.

[JClark]

I think all of those turning tools on the fold-out front panels are a partial set of Holtzapffel tools, right?

[Kansas City Fireslayer]

Without argument that's a very cool chest with many nice tools. $150K? That's a lot of money......

[EricU]

assuming a modern builder, and I do, what would you think this is worth? 20k??