Item P29 - "Union Plane Co." No. 90 Cabinet Scraper.
References
to Stanley planes (eg, Walter, Sellens, B&G) infer that the development of the
uncommon Stanley No. 283 Scraper occurred inhouse, with an introduction about
1929. In fact, the identical scraper was patented by John W. Carleton of
the Union Mfg. Co. on 9/29/1903, and was the basis for their No. 90 Scraper--of
which the Stanley No. 283 scraper is nearly an exact look alike. Even
DATAMP reports Stanley as being the primary manufacturer of this
patent--beginning 26 years after its issue! Apparently the Union No. 90
scraper (listed in the Union catalogue of 1905 included in Roger K. Smith's
Ptampia I) is so rare that its existence has been overlooked.
A second
interesting feature of the tool offered here is the name stamped on its original
blade. As reported by Roger Smith, the usual products of the Union
Manufacturing Company were almost invariably marked "Union Mfg. Co. / New
Britain, CT / Made in U.S.A.". The single exception that he could find was
a label on a Union combination plane (probably made by Siegley, and "dumped" by
Stanley after its acquisition of Siegley) that reads, "Union Plane Co."
The obviously original blade on this scraper is clearly stamped, "Union Plane
Co. / Made in U.S.A."--certainly a rare mark.
This scraper is missing the wooden handle that sat atop the blade and the
metal bracket supporting it (cf. Stanley 283 and the Union catalogue). But
all else is original and in great condition. The large washer supporting
the blade has the cutout for the metal bracket, and Carleton's patent date cast
into it. The blade is clean and shiny, without pitting. The handle
appears to be maple and is in top condition, although the nickeled ferrule has a
crack in it. Nearly all the original japanning is in place on the base,
along with a few removable paint spots. It it is a nice collector's piece.
Else missing handle, Good+.
Price - $100.00