Norris Planes On eBay

Norris A5 Smoothing Plane

For most people, collecting Norris planes can be an onerous task, as almost all of the ones you’ll find will set you back quite a few dollars. When I was a young man I would spend countless hours looking through antique and secondhand shops, markets and trade papers looking for anything by Norris, Spiers, Mathieson and other infill makers. Infill planes were my particular passion. In the distant past it was possible, depending on where you lived, to pick up a bargain here and there because the seller did not know the real worth of the tools they were offering. Even though they were beautiful, infill planes were sometimes sold for less than their equivalent Stanley cousins — simply because a lot of them had no blade adjustment mechanism. Those days, for the most part, are long gone.

With the advent of the internet came the antique tool dealer websites. Initially these were already existing bricks-and-mortar businesses who thought it would be a good idea to have some form of online presence. Most of them offered the same range of planes and other hand tools that they were already selling in their shops and market stalls, and the prices they asked for their tools reflected this. Later on, eBay and other auction sites began popping up everywhere and, essentially, changed all the rules when it came to selling tools. It soon became apparent that the range of planes available to the collector was vast — many more than they could ever hope to own. However, it was also apparent that the prices offered varied quite considerably as well, depending on the condition, the rarity and, in the case of auction sites, the will of bidders.

Norris A5 Smoothing Plane

Because of its global reach, and fast-growing popularity, eBay soon became a dominant force — but it was not without its problems. Handplanes which, in the real world, should have sold for hundreds — even thousands of dollars — sometimes sold for considerably less. This was due simply because sellers had started their auctions low and without reserves, while many buyers were not aware of the brands and manufacturers they were bidding on.

In sharp contrast to this, many cheaper handplanes sold for many times their value because two or more buyers found themselves in a ‘bidding war’ and didn’t know when to stop. The price of the plane rose because neither party wanted to lose out on winning it. This is why it is important to have a cutoff, or exit strategy, for the planes you are bidding on. When the bidding reaches that cutoff price, walk away and leave it to other bidders.

While many dealers may disagree, its probably safe to say that eBay rules the waves as far as setting prices for everything, including hand planes. While a (very) rough guide to the monetary value of Norris planes can be found here, it’s important to realise that it is, after all, a guide and that there are always exceptions to the rule. Having said that, below is a selection of Norris planes that are available right now on eBay. These are offered from a variety of different sellers, including myself on occasion.

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