I was off on the wrong track, but Peter McBride set me right. I found the
Bomborn in Germany (as did Mick Dowling), but that concern seemed more into
machine tools rather than planes. Peter's scrutiny suggested that I
misread the name and it is actually Somborn. There is a German company
named Somborn GmbH, but they are heavy machinery makers, fork-lifts and
such. Peter provided this link -
http://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/some-
tools-i-aquired-t59875.html">http://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/some-
tools-i-aquired-t59875.html
to a UK forum and a helpful fellow, AndyT from Bristol, provided a link to
the Belgian Old Tool Museum. In their database was a brief blurb here:
http://www.mot.be/
w/1/index.php/WebLogoWho/00000376
in French unfortunately. With the some what help of Google Translate I
learned this:
"The Somborn family is from the German village of the same name, located
near Cologne, where she worked iron since the eighteenth century. The
family house sought to expand its business and created in 1822 in Boulay
(Moselle) French society Somborn and Co. in association with the French
Louis Aubert. It made saws, files and blades for woodworking tools, and
hardware items. she received several awards at exhibitions without ever
reaching the level of other major metallurgists. In 1922 the house was
purchased by the Lang-Ferry family. It limited its production to some tools
from 1945. In the early 1970s, the house moved to Boursseval (Haut-Marne)
and not occupied more than boiler and piping. It is still in operation
today under
the name of "Old institutions Somborn Lang Ferry et Cie". Brands were
Somborn rhino, horse and pomegranate. Some small planes later known steel
marked with his name, probably manufactured by Darex. [BOUILLOT-CHATELLARD:
62]"
Following the last clue I searched for Darex and found this page -
http://di
gilander.libero.it/maraggos/ordegni/darex/darex.htm
showing a recently made Darex circular plane, although somewhat different
in particulars from the Somborn plane that first sent me down this burrow,
nearly closing the loop. The fork-lift manufacturer is still "near
Cologne" so possibly a different branch of the same family. So it appears
I was actually looking for the maker of les rabots rather than der hobels.
The Belgian Tool Museum link also pointed to a book on planes, "Les
Rabots", containing the quoted info that looks quite interesting -
http://www.editionsvial.com/fiche-
produit.php?id_domaine=20&id_livre=169">http://www.editionsvial.com/fiche-
produit.php?id_domaine=20&id_livre=169
but unfortunately again is in French with which I have only a fleeting
acquaintance.
As an aside, the Somborn plane sold for $85 including a Stanley 191 rabbet
plane, a Stanley 18 bevel gauge, a couple of spokeshaves and some other
miscellaneous bits. Seemed like the buyer got a good deal.
Phil
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