Found a Stanely Bedrock 602C!

[Hans Hauge]

Hey, all. This is my first post on Sawmill Creek, but I've been on this site many times over the last few years and found some great advice and information.
This past summer a client offered me some old planes that had been sitting in a Rubbermaid in his basement. I took and old looking one and stashed it in my basement. Well, I started reading Garret Hack's Handplanes a few weeks ago and was surprised to see that my old plane was from the famous Bedrock Series. I took to the internets and searched it's model number and just about lost it when I saw the same plane for sale on Ebay for $2,300!
So what I'm wondering is how does one go about selling something like this? Should I just post it to Ebay? I tried contacting Bob Kaune--BK tools--about selling it on consignment, but got no reply. I also tried Patrick Leach who wrote the Blood and Gore site--he wanted me to name a price, but I was looking to him to help me set the price. The summary of what I've gathered from the net is that planes of this kind sell in a range from $800 to $2,100.
Well, my plane is a little rusty and dirty and there's a chip at the base of the front knob, but it seems to be in pretty awesome shape considering it's a tool that's over a hundred years old. The japanning is chipping away at the mouth, but appears otherwise intact. I've heard it's not good to overly clean or try and recondition something like this. But, I think someone could get the rust off with very little effort and it would look very close to original form.
So thanks for reading, any advice is greatly appreciated.
Any advice on post a photo might also come in handy.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Hi Hans, welcome! Wow, great find, collectors love those planes. One of the moderators will probably move this post to the Neanderthal section of this site, thats where the hand tools aficionados drink their coffee. Jim Keopke has a good post on posting pics, and knows a lot about planes. I know some, and when you do post a pic, seeing the bottom is important on a 602C. Some were faked unfortunately.

[Cary Falk]

I don't know anything about planes except I hate using them. Just because something is listed on E-bay for a certain price doesn't mean it is going to sell. I would try CL first because it is free to list but the market is going to be small. It wouldn't be hard to ship so you could post it on several large cities noting it will be shipped. Take a lot of pictures and give a good description. I don't use E-Bay much anymore because E-Bay and PayPal take a good chunk out of the price. Sometimes you list it a what you want out of it and you get 0 bids. Sometimes you start it out really low ant it goes for more than you expected. It can be very unpredictable.

[Rick Potter]

For six bucks, you could become a contributor here, and be allowed to post in our classified ad forum. Lots of customers there.

[Kent A Bathurst]

To be fair to Patrick - he puts food on the table by using his hard-won expertise buying and selling this type of tool, so your inquiry kind of put him in a box - his true product is his extensive knowledge [and reputation BTW].

To reach the widest audience of collectors - and that is your target market, not users - indicates to me you go to ebay, maybe set some reasonable reserve, and let the bidding begin. The fees you pay via that route are simply the price you pay for access to the marketplace as a neophyte in the world of rare collectible handplanes.

[Judson Green]

pichers.jpg

Just saying....

[Kent A Bathurst]

This past summer a client offered me some old planes that had been sitting in a Rubbermaid in his basement. I took and old looking one and stashed it in my basement.

Just curious - - assume you do end up making a killing on the plane.

Whatcha gonna kick back to the client? Should be a pretty darn nice Christmas present, I would think.

[Hans Hauge]

Haha!!! I'm on forumrunner now!
I meant no disrespect to Patrick Leach. I stated the facts of our exchange without comment and I doubt I tarnished his reputation.
Here's some photos of the plane. Mr. Leach said it was in OK condition with whatever flaws easily correctable. I'm curious if anyone might have an idea as to what "easily correctable" might mean.

[Hans Hauge]

Do you think the clients would want to know they gave away and nearly discarded a valuable antique? It's worth discussion. In my case--if I were in their shoes-- unless someone was coming by with half the proceeds (which is not happening) I'd rather be left out of it. I'd end up a weirder hoarder than I am now. But, I could drop by with a gift certificate (anonymously maybe?) for a night on the town. That's maybe not a bad idea.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Nice plane! I think Patrick probably meant replacing the knob.

[Mike Hollingsworth]

I'd make sure my client doesn't read SMC.

[Hans Hauge]

I think I complicated this by use of the word "client." The company I work for is a high end design/build firm and we tend to use language that fits that bill. Ironically, the job on which I got this plane was very far from high end. My boss did his neighbors a favor and sent our crew over on a one day job to demo their basement. His neighbors then found a more affordable outfit to do the renovation. Not that these people are broke--they're just not the kind of wealthy people we work for. The point is, I don't have a relationship with these people. I'm a low-on-the food-chain carpenter--they're not my client. We might be friendly, but that's just because I'm nice and so are they. They don't read SMC.
But, if this hasn't swayed you, Kent, you're of fine moral fiber. "The neighbors" thank you in advance for the anonymous gift. I thank you for prompting the idea.

[Frederick Skelly]

You want my thoughts? You got it - respectfully:

Someone you know - and are presumably friendly with - gave you something they did not realize has great value. In fact, for what was apparently some period of time, you did not realize it either. Had they known, would they have given it to you? If your plans are to keep it and use it, that is one thing. If your plans are to profit from their ignorance, that is a completely different thing. The "anonymous" bit verges near deceit, in my book: Either own up, or walk away.

This is not the same as stumbling across $2,000 somewhere, and turning it in to the Police to hold for whatever period of time they require, before they give it back to you as found money.

Had the roles been reversed, and you unwittingly gave away something of great value, how would you hope to be treated? Let your conscience be your guide. Do unto others. All of those trite moral guidelines apply here.

Me? Anyone that I could contact after the fact gets half. A close friend gets it all. At worst, I am exactly where I was before, just as happy as before, with as much beer and shop tools money as I started with. And - another person is astonished and delighted to know me. I can only come out a winner - not possible to lose.

I agree. Keep it and use it. Or give them half of the money.

Fred

[Mel Miller]

IMHO, the 602C listed on Ebay for $2300. is just a fishing expedition. Earlier round side Bedrocks, like yours, normally sell for less than the later flat top models.
Don't attempt to do any cleaning of the plane. Look it over carefully for cracks in the side or around the mouth. Look also for owner's initials in the sides.
Then, list it on Ebay and let it sell for whatever it brings. A plane like that will attract enough attention to get plenty of bidders. You will get much more exposure on Ebay than CL, or SMC.
A dealer won't give you anywhere near what you can get by selling it by yourself even after the Ebay fees.
You can use the money you get from selling it to buy yourself some other tools that would be more useful to you.
You wouldn't want to use a plane this valuable for fear of dropping & breaking it.

[Alfred Kraemer]

There are two - maybe more - very different markets for vintage tools: hand tool aficionados and tool collectors. Sometimes those groups intersect, but generally the first group is more likely to be represented here. Ebay asking prices can be outlandish, and can be far from actual selling prices.
Collectors are interested in rarity, condition, etc. It is also a more elusive group. You may need to research some auction options.
I would think that for your tool, ebay may be a good option - just check for the same or similar item, add them to your watch list, and you'll find out in a short time, what it sold for.
Good description and pictures are critical.

Good luck

Alfred