Does anyone know if old wooden handled wood braces have any collector value? Just curious. I ran across a couple of them last week at a garage sale.
Dave
[OP]
Member
Does anyone know if old wooden handled wood braces have any collector value? Just curious. I ran across a couple of them last week at a garage sale.
Dave
Last edited by Dave Anderson NH; 04-12-2009 at 8:25 PM. Reason: removed direct link to personal website
Member
Well Dave it depends on a few things. I've seen an very clean Stanley 2101A go for over $200 on an auction site. I bought a couple for about $40 each and thought it was a bit much but I was really not concerned with monetary value as much as quality and the 2101A is about as good as there is (IMHO)
Besides, I'm an old tool nut so it was worth it to me.
Mark
Member
If you are talking about the all wood braces, some do but it depends on the maker and the material. Rosewood and ebony ones bring the highest $$.
If this is what you found and you want to sell one, send me a PM. I've been in the market for one.
If you are talking about iron braces with wooden handles, most don't have any collector value.
Last edited by Robert Rozaieski; 04-10-2009 at 7:49 PM.
Contributor
If you mean a brace made of wood - not just the handles - it can be worth something. If you mean a metal brace with a wooden handle, it probably isn't worth very much (the Yankee brace is about the most expensive).
I don't buy old wooden (made from wood) braces so I can't tell you much about them. If you post a picture someone will be able to give you a better opinion.
Mike
Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.
Member
The old, old ones out of brass and ebony or rosewood that Robert mentions are things of real beauty but I'd never consider using one for work on anything like a regular basis (fragility, rarity, $$, etc.).
Member
Dave - Even an all-wood brace that isn't ornate nor made of an exotic wood like rosewood or ebony can fetch thousands IF it is complete, relatively undamaged, has the tanged bits with it, and can be traced to American manufacture, either through maker's marks or woods used.
The example that comes to mind was a complete "clothes-pin" brace with a set of eight pods, made of maple, that went for a couple of thousand at a major tool auction a few years back. It's fairly likely that it was made before the Revolutionary war.
However, the market is full of old all-wooden braces where the pods that contain the bits are missing - these are usually worth about $100.
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