I don't know about that maker, but many tropical hardwoods,
as well as box, were used in planemaking. The ones I have
mostly have no makers mark, even though they mostly look
factory made.

Some are clearly user made. I have coffin smoothers of
ebony and lignum vitae.

On 16 Apr 1998 08:22 EDT, GINGRICH.LORN_C+@A...
wrote:

>wasted bandwidth, for I have Kean and Pollak, but not Roberts, and I'm
>wondering about this maker, approx. era of manufacture, and if they used
>other woods than beech (I'm terrible at i.d.ing wood, and this guy's still
>pretty dirty, but this sucker's much heavier than any other coffin
>smoother I've hefted).  
> 

Rodney Myrvaagnes        J36 Gjo/a     rodneym@i...
20 years without a car, TV, or website

Gathered ones:
 
       I rescued a coffin bodied smoother from an antique store and a
future life of being a decorative object yesterday.  I am struck by the
weight of this guy, and the beauty and attention to detail in its
construction.  It's in great shape, aside from being a little dirty, and
was clearly used lovingly.  I apologize for my CN* ignorance, and any
wasted bandwidth, for I have Kean and Pollak, but not Roberts, and I'm
wondering about this maker, approx. era of manufacture, and if they used
other woods than beech (I'm terrible at i.d.ing wood, and this guy's still
pretty dirty, but this sucker's much heavier than any other coffin
smoother I've hefted).  
 
       The mark is Fairclough & Co/72 Byrom St./Liverpool in three lines,
small caps, with a scalloped border around it. It has a clearly original
Robt. Sorby, tapered, double iron with both the maltese cross above and
kangaroo below.  Iron is 2 3/8" wide, plane is 8 1/4" x 3".
 
       Any info would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.
 
-Lorn (*CN= Clueless Newbie)

At 08:22 AM 4/16/98 EDT, you wrote:
>     The mark is Fairclough & Co/72 Byrom St./Liverpool in three lines,
>small caps, with a scalloped border around it. It has a clearly original
>Robt. Sorby, tapered, double iron with both the maltese cross above and
>kangaroo below.  Iron is 2 3/8" wide, plane is 8 1/4" x 3".
> 

There is probably and "R" in front of Fairclough.

Goodman 3rd says the following:

"1825: Planemaker and victualler. 1847: Planemaker, edge-tool
maker. 1849: Robert Fairclough took over Samuel Lunt's premises
(and business?). 1883: Also at 130 Geat Howard Street.

Planes with this mark are common.

At the address within your mark 1856 - 1883.

----

Odds are that the plane is beech. You will find an occasional
boxwood or even rosewood or ebony - they are much rare with
a maker's mark though.

Do a little "Tony" cleanup on it and let us know.

Todd