From: Shannon Salb [ssalb@lippmansemsker.com] Sent: Wednesday, October 10, 2001 9:31 AM To: lkp@rosewoodandbrass.com Subject: Re: Where to go in England? Larry, When we were out there we made a trip to Bristol to Charles ???'s shop, where I found a limitless supply of goodies (and left with a few gouges, a Norris, a quirk router, and a couple other things. We said we were going to Bristol. Everyone said, "huh? Why???" But actually Bristol is a great college town. Also, visit Richard Wilson and his great wife. -Shannon M. Salb ***************************************************************************************************************************** From Paul Womack: >> More importantly, I need a good price guide, mostly for >> planes, levels and rules or any combination of these. I assume you'll be looking for English tools. Don't both with Stanley - most of the Stanley stuff in England is either modern (yech) or over-priced (yech). Record are good tools, and of course you might find some Preston. The latter won't be cheap - although it may be cheaper than the USA. I don't suppose you'll learnt much you didn't know already, but I have an outline of someof the more unusual Record planes on my web-site: http://www.geocities.com/plybench BugBear ***************************************************************************************************************************** Some one has doubtless already pointed you to Jeff Gorman's web page, where he lists plenty of interesting tool-hunting grounds. Personally, I've been to Portobello Road on Saturday mornings (lots of good stuff), Covent Garden (not as big, also not at 'usual' times & days!), and a market in um, Greenwich I think, or was it Cambridge? I'm not sure about that one, as it was on one of those weekends when I just hopped on a train at random and went to see what I could see, and stumbled across old tools. I'd suggest Portobello Road as the most interesting place. There's a shop which sells stained glass. The real thing, centuries old, beautiful! Enjoy your trip! Darrell my last trip to the UK was in 1993... wow, that's starting to sound like a long time ago -- Darrell LaRue Oakville ON FOYBIPO, Wood Hoarder, Blade Sharpener, and Occasional Tool User ***************************************************************************************************************************** On my web site is a list of some old tool dealers and a few new ones. It also carries a price guide sent to me some time ago, though not being a collector (truly) I can't vouch for them. Jeff -- Jeff Gorman, West Yorkshire, UK Jeff@millard.demon.co.uk http://www.millard.demon.co.uk/index.htm ***************************************************************************************************************************** Some one has doubtless already pointed you to Jeff Gorman's web page, where he lists plenty of interesting tool-hunting grounds. Personally, I've been to Portobello Road on Saturday mornings (lots of good stuff), Covent Garden (not as big, also not at 'usual' times & days!), and a market in um, Greenwich I think, or was it Cambridge? I'm not sure about that one, as it was on one of those weekends when I just hopped on a train at random and went to see what I could see, and stumbled across old tools. I'd suggest Portobello Road as the most interesting place. There's a shop which sells stained glass. The real thing, centuries old, beautiful! Enjoy your trip! Darrell my last trip to the UK was in 1993... wow, that's starting to sound like a long time ago -- Darrell LaRue Oakville ON FOYBIPO, Wood Hoarder, Blade Sharpener, and Occasional Tool User ***************************************************************************************************************************** Hi, Larry Everybody talks about fles markets at Portobello Road and Bermondsey, but my favorite is the one at Club Row/Sclater Street on Sunday morning. It gets more one-timers who are just trying to dispose of granpa's old tool chest. The others have regular dealers, and real bargains are rare. Trevor ***************************************************************************************************************************** If you can get to Needham Market, you'll find Tony Muirland's shop just a few doors down the street from Roy Arnold's; that combination probably makes it the prime single place to go to in England for tools. There are flea markets in London about every day. The best known one is probably Portobello Rd. which is Sat. or Sun. There's a good size one Mon. at Coventry Garden or Station or some such thing. Others are in different parts of town on different days. I don't think they have many of the same sellers at the different ones and they're all interesting and apt to have a few things. Have a Good Trip, Bob ***************************************************************************************************************************** Larry, did you check out Jeff Gorman's list of dealers on his website at www.millard.demon.co.uk/addresses/addresses.htm There seems to be a sprinkling of antique shops around the towns on the south coast of England. Last year ,I went to the Tool shop at Bosham near Chichester. They have several shelves of woodies and miscellaneous tools there but I have to say I didn't pick up anything there.I did a little better running around antique shops and a junk shop at Chichester. I only had part of a day to shop so it was somewhat of a rush. They do have car boot sales in England usually on Saturday mornings - get a copy of the local newspaper or ask at your hotel/lodgings.If you want to save yourself some time I would get a copy of the yellow pages there and phone some of the local antique shops and ask if they know of somebody dealing in tools. They are generally very helpful at the antique stores. Also ,ask if there are any junk shops in the neighborhood that sells used stuff.I went to one in Wales and had just missed a bunch of brass back saws and planes which the owner sold cheap and didn't think they were worth anything. If you get up to London at all on a Sunday try and take a boat trip from Westminster (Houses of Parliament) down to Greenwich village.There is a Sunday market and the owner of the now defunct "Tool Chest" store is selling there.The boat ride itself is a treat - the guide/captain is very informative about all the historical sites you pass on the way down the river Thames.At Greenwich is the Royal Observatory (G.M.T and all that) and also the Royal Naval academy and museum.Greenwich village has several antique shops but no tools that I could find. A good resource is the local pubs - have a pie and a pint at lunchtime and ask the landlord if he knows any places that may be of interest. Phil Bassett - Stealth galoot #99, Gainesville,sunny Florida. p.s. the local papers are usually weekly and turned out on Saturdays and usually carry lots of for sale ads. ***************************************************************************************************************************** Hi Larry, Long time no talk! Jeff Gorman's site has a list that is pretty good. http://www.millard.demon.co.uk/addresses/addresses.htm I've found my best buys at Lah-de-dah shops that specialize in things OTHER than tools........ they don't know what they are or what they're worth sometimes. At the other end of the spectrum is the "Grot Shops" ..= junk shops. Always ask at the local pubs if there are any grot shops in the county. Richard Wilson has hosted lots of us 'Muricans but he's up in Droitwich Spa by Worcester.... his e-mail is down since he is changing companies, but you might try calling him at 011 44 1905 794 115 (includes country code from USA) The Brits have "Boot Sales" where they sell out of the boots of their cars....... Paul Womack seems to keep coming up with bargains that way. Again, ask locals. They're usually on Sunday mornings. Me? My WTB list includes (UK type tools on top) Ward #5 plow iron I & H Sorby pigstickers in 1/4 : 3/8 : & sizes over 1/2 (handle condition doesn't matter) WOODIES (just hollows and rounds) Marples (Hibernia works/Shamrock) H&R's in 11-pair / 14-pair / 15-Round Mathieson H&Rs 3h : 5 pair : 7 pair : 9h : 13r : 14 r Erik Anton Berg tools of all kinds Stanley #750 chisels (marked) in 3/8 : 7/8 : 2" widths (user grade) Large RUSSELL-JENNINGS fine thread auger bits #17: 19 : 25 : 27 : 32 Early 921 Stanley brace 14" full nickel (would pay top $) minty 720 Stanley chisel (marked so) in 1 1/4 width (would pay top $) Have a GREAT trip. The UK should be beautiful these days. (it always is to me) Cheers Tom ***************************************************************************************************************************** From Chris Otto: Not sure if they give tours or not, since I haven't been keeping tabs on the world of Early Music like I used to -- but there's a historical musical instrument manufacturing company in Farnham, Surrey. The Christopher Monk shop makes cornetts and lysarden which are usually made of wood & leather-covered, have finger holes like a flute, and blown with a mouthpiece like a brass instrument. Most likely hand tool oriented since I can't concieve how you could mechanize the manufacturing process. If you run out of things to do it might be worth checking into... *****************************************************************************************************************************