Before You Donate Old Tools, Check These 12 Antique Woodworking Pieces

That rusty plane in the bottom of Dad’s toolbox probably belongs in the garage sale box. But every now and then, an old woodworking tool turns out to be the kind of find collectors chase with a checkbook.

Assorted old hand tools on a wooden shelf.

Family Handyman’s list “20 Antique Woodworking Tools That Are Worth Big Bucks” (updated September 2024) rounds up tools that brought serious money at auction. This article picks 12 of them, all with a price the magazine reports.

A big warning first. These are rare, top-of-the-market auction results, not what a typical garage find will bring. Condition, maker and originality drive value, so a rusty or reproduction tool will not come close to these numbers.

Before you donate a box of old tools, though, it costs nothing to check the maker’s name against these. Here is what the pieces sold for, according to Family Handyman.

A Nicholson Molding Plane Sold For $5,140

Family Handyman reports a molding plane by Francis Nicholson (1683-1753) brought $5,140 at auction. The magazine calls Nicholson America’s first documented planemaker.

Old wooden planes with a maker’s stamp on the toe are worth a close look. Turn yours over and read it, since the maker’s name is often the first clue.

A Norris Jointer Plane Brought $12,250

The magazine says a jointer plane by Thomas Norris of England sold for $12,250 at auction. It notes that few Norris planes survived World War II.

Scarcity is what lifts a tool from handy to valuable. If you see “Norris” cast into the metal, set it aside.

A Tidey Patent Beveling Plane Sold For $8,970

According to Family Handyman, a Tidey patent beveling plane, from Milton B. Tidey, sold for $8,970 at auction. Patent marks like this one can lead you to a maker and a date.

Look for patent stamps on the body and the blade. They help a specialist identify the piece.

An Adams Patent Patternmaker’s Plane Reached $19,550

The list reports that an Adams patent patternmaker’s plane, made of bronze, fetched $19,550 at auction. Family Handyman says its value is driven by its uniqueness.

Bronze tools that look different from the common steel and wood ones deserve a second glance. Put them in the “ask first” pile.

A Davis Patent Double Inclinometer Sold For $8,165

Family Handyman says a double inclinometer by Leonard Davis, with two levels built into it, sold for $8,165 at auction, and points to its rarity. Levels do not get much fancier than this.

If you own an odd-looking level with a maker’s name on it, snap a photo. A specialist may recognize it right away.

A Davis Patent Level Brought $2,310

The same maker shows up again. The magazine reports a Leonard Davis patent level with an ornate design sold for $2,310 at auction.

Not every winner needs to be a mystery tool. Ornate old levels by known makers can be worth real money.

A Gunmetal Miller Patent Plane Sold For $18,650

According to Family Handyman, a gunmetal Miller patent No. 50 plane, patented in 1872 by Charles Miller and offered for only one year, sold for $18,650 at auction. A single year on the market adds to the appeal.

The lesson here is simple. A short production run often means fewer survivors.

A C.E. Chelor Cornice Molding Plane Reached $27,950

The list says a cornice molding plane by Cesar Chelor, dating to the 1730s to 1740s and unused, sold for $27,950 at auction. An unused condition was part of the story.

Tools that were never worked are especially prized. Do not clean, sand or sharpen anything you think might be old until you have it checked.

A Carpenter Patent Plow Plane Sold For $17,600

Family Handyman reports a plow plane by Emanuel W. Carpenter of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with its handle at the back, sold for $17,600 at auction. Local makers can be especially sought after.

If your old tool carries a town name or a local stamp, that is a clue worth following.

The Hovey Family Tool Chest Brought $14,950

The magazine says the 19th century Hovey family tool chest, which belonged to a family that moved from New Hampshire to Ohio, sold for $14,950 at auction. A chest can carry a story as well as tools.

If a grandfather’s tool chest has names, dates or family notes inside, keep them together with the chest.

A Chaplin Patent Plane Sold For $7,700

Family Handyman reports a Chaplin patent plane, a No. 1, sold for $7,700 at auction, and calls it a rare, sought-after plane. Small sizes of famous types can be especially hard to find.

Check for a number on the plane’s body. Then compare it with a collector guide.

A Leonard Bailey Bronze Scraper Sold For $32,200

The list says a Leonard Bailey patent bronze scraper sold for $32,200, and Family Handyman says it is thought to be the only one of its kind, likely from Bailey’s early development. It is the priciest tool among these 12.

Before you drop old tools at a donation bin, spend ten minutes looking up the names on them. A reputable auction house or appraiser can tell you if something is worth a closer look.

Willow and Hearth