Lou wrote,  in part:

> In all honest, what is a REALISTIC price for this Mathieson mitre plane?
>
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Very-Rare-Alexander-Mathieson-Co-Early-
Dovetailed-Mitre-Plane-/141398008614?pt=UK_Collectable_ToolsHasdware_RL&hash=ite
m20ebfa6326">http://www.ebay.com/itm/Very-Rare-Alexander-Mathieson-Co-Early-
Dovetailed-Mitre-
Plane-/141398008614?pt=UK_Collectable_ToolsHasdware_RL&hash=item20ebfa6326
>
> I'm just curious.
> Lou
  A realistic price is whatever you can get for something on the day you 
really MUST sell it.

This seller has been around for a while, always offering very well 
presented tools in very good to fine condition, with a "buy it now" 
price between 1.5 and 4 times the price at which I would top out if my 
life depended on buying what he offered.  At least that is so with the 
Edw. Preston and Sons tools he offers from time to time.

His listings hang around for quite a while, some for several months, 
from which I infer two things:

- that he is in no hurry to get his money, and,

- eventually he gets an offer close to what he really expects or hopes for.

I suspect that a high "buy it now" price  acts at some level to raise 
the impression in a bidder's mind that the tool is probably worth 
somewhere in the vicinity of that price. Imagine  realtor listing a 
house worth $200K for $250K so that the prospective buyer can beat the 
price down $30K and feel like he has had a win.

But back to your question: "what is a REALISTIC price"?  To me, given 
the number of times I have had a job held up for want of a heavy infill 
mitre plane: $0

To heave at one of the wallabies which feed on my front lawn every 
night?  A couple of bucks, but pebbles are free.

To a collector of Mathieson tools?  Depends if he has long arms, deep 
pockets and a hole in the collection which only this plane will fill.

For what its worth, if you believe the sellers spiel, I'd wait until the 
2nd example of this model comes up.  This is a shoddily constructed 
example: the maker couldn't be bothered "clocking" the screws pinning 
the infill.  Poor workmanship.  Makes me wonder if it was skimped 
anywhere else?

Usual disclaimers: I have never bought nor bid on any of this seller's 
tools though I admit to having admired one or two!  And no-one is 
forcing me to pay his prices.

Cheers,

Tony B
Hobart Tasmania.