Dates for introduction of Planes in Catalogues and Price Lists

The following dates at which various patterns of planes were introduced have been obtained from the company catalogue, price lists, publicity leaflets and the various editions of the book Planecraft which C & J Hampton first published in 1934, second impression 1943, third impression 1945, fourth impression (revised and enlarged ) 1950, fifth impression 1953, sixth impression 1954, seventh impression (revised and enlarged) 1959. Planecraft was published to enhance the knowledge of the woodworker of the day about planes. Dates are accurate to within approximately one year. Record very often had new products in the shops before they appeared in their catalogues. In this respect publicity leaflets distributed to tool shops could inform prospective purchasers of a new tool which would be included in the next catalogue, when it was published.

Record chose to manufacture a well established range of iron planes which had already passed through most of the evolutionary process and had become accepted by the British woodworker of the time. The range was based on the Planes manufactured by Stanley in the U.S.A. which by 1930, had passed their expiry date for patent protection, thereby allowing any comperitor to copy their products without patent infringement.

Catalogue No. 10 of January 1931

Record introduced a range of woodworking planes which they marketed as an entirely new British product. Government import tariffs of the late 1920's assisted British manufacturers in combating the influx of foreign manufactured hand planes, mainly from the U.S.A, which at that time dominated the market. A "Buy British" campaign was launched to combat the depression in the United Kingdom during that period.

Hand Planes introduced in Catalogue No. 10

Bench Planes: 03, 04, 04½, 05, 05½, 06, 07, 08.

Block Planes: 0110, 0120, 0220.

 

Pages from Catalogue No. 10 1931 (click to enlarge)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Catalogue No. 11

Followed in September 1932 with new lines in hand drills and bolt clippers being introduced. New model numbers in hand planes and spoke-shaves also appeared.

 

Hand Tools introduced in Catalogue No. 11

Block Planes: 0120, 0130, 0230.

Rebate Planes: 010, 010½, 078, 075.

Plough Plane: 050.

Routers: 071, 071½.

Circular Planes: 020, 0133.

Scraper Planes: 070, 080.

Spoke-Shaves: 051, 051R, 053, 055,063, 064, 0151, 0151R.

 

Planes Introduced in Price List August 1933

Bench Plane: 02.

Rebate Planes: 072, 073, 074, 076, 077, 077A.

Spoke-Shaves: A51, A51R, A151, A151R.

 

Catalogues No. 12 of 1933 and 12A of 1934

Added more planes to the range and a new line in hand and breast drills.

Planes introduced in catalogue No. 12 and No. 12A.

Plough Planes: 050A, 405 and extra bases for the 405.

 

There was no catalogue No. 13

 

Small undated publicity catalogue issued between January 1934

Price list and November 1935 Catalogue No. 14

Block Planes: 09½, 015, 016, 017, 018,019.

Rebate Planes: 041, 042.

Plough Planes 043, 044.

 

Catalogue No. 14 Novenber 1935

25 additional patterns of planes were included spoke-shaves and a range of 9 different weights of brass plumb bob.

Planes introduced in catalogue No. 14

Block Plane: 0101.

Rebate Plane: 040.

Router: 722.

Scrub Plane 400½.

Spoke-Shave: 052, 052R,0152, 0152R.

 

Small publicity catalogue December 1936

Record Planes List P11

Spoke-Shave: A63, A64.

 

Catalogue No. 15 February 1938

Probably represented the peak of pre-World War 2 production. By this time extra premises had been secured at Bernard Road, Sheffield, for a head office and branch factory. In 1939 a range of 11 carpenter's braces were introduced. Although these featured in several price lists and a publicity leaflet, they never appeared in any catalogue and were listed as "temporarily out of production" in 1944 due to pressures of the War effort. They did not make a re-appearance.

Introduction planes in catalogue No. 15

Model Makers Planes: 0100, 0100½.

 

Small Catalogue November 1938 Tools of Distinction

Record Planes List P12

 

Dated Publicity Leaflet - March 1939

Technical Jack Plane T5 equipped with a 2¼" Cutter.

 

Catalogue No. 16 1949

Contained the same tools as catalogue No. 15 but the accompanying price list showed that many tools appearing in the catalogue were out of production because of wartime or post-war manufacturing restrictions. Many of the suspended products never made it back into production. Throughout the 1950's and up to 1963 catalogue No. 16 was re-issued in pocket form frequently to keep post-war customers informed of the availability of old tools and new ones as and when they were introduced. To date I have found 15 issues of the Catalogue No. 16. Full size 1949, pocket size 1950, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, September 1960, January 1961, July 1961, February 1962, July 1962, December 1962 and June 1963. Updated price lists were issued when necessary.

 

Pages from Catalogue No. 16. 1949 (click to enlarge)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Publicity Leaflet 1952

Re-introduction T5 Technical Jack with 2" cutter (iron)

 

Price list June 1954

Chamfershave: A65.

 

Pocket Catalogue No. 16, 1955

Fiberboard Planes: 730, 725.

 

Price List January 1959

Rebate Plane: 778.

 

Pocket Catalogue 1959 list P59

 

Catalogue No. 17 1963

Catalogue No. 17 was issued in large format in 1963 when the C & J Hampton moved into a new factory at the Parkway Works. Catalogue No. 17 was re-issued in pocket size form until circa 1970.

 

Price List 1970

Plough planes: 044C, 050C.

 

Catalogue No. 18 1972

C & J Hampton Ltd merged with William Ridgway Ltd who manufactured wood boring tools, to become Record Ridgway tools Ltd. Subsequent catalogues were not numbered.

In March 1981 A.B.Bahco of Sweden bought the company and a new company emerged in 1985 called Record Holdings which purchased Record Ridgway Ltd. The name Record Marples (Woodworking Tools) Ltd applied from 1988. The last decade of the 20th century saw three more company name changes, Record Tools Ltd in 1991, Record Holdings plc in 1993 and Record Tools Ltd (a division of American Tool Companies Inc) 1998.

 

Catalogue October 1982

Block plane: 060½.

Plough Plane: 045C.

 

Catalogue October 1988

Bench Plane: CS88.

 

Catalogue January 1992

Bench Plane: SP4

 

Catalogue 1995

Bench Plane: SP5.

 

In Production in 2001

Bench Planes: SP4, SP5, 04, 05, 07.

Block Planes: 060½, 09½.

Rebate Plane: 778.

Circular Plane: 020C.

Spoke-Shaves: A151, A151R.

The No. 04 smooth plane, No. 05 jack plane and the No. 07 jointer plane have the distinction of attaining the longest period of continuous production from the original plane line of 1931, a total of over 70 years.

 

Edward Preston Planes

Planes added to the range in catalogues No. 12 and No. 14 included models which were originally patented and produced by Edward Preston and Sons Ltd, the Birmingham rule and plane manufacturer. Preston had fallen into financial diffculties in the early 1930's which resulted in them being absorbed by John Rabone and Sons Ltd, their main competitor in Octoger 1932. Subsequent to the takeover John Rabone and Sons Ltd made an attempt to re-organise the iron plane making section at Preston's Whittall Works but after two years they arrived at the decision that certain products were found not to conform readily with the company's (Rabone) other interests.

 

John Rabone therefore felt it necessary to dispose of the manufacturing rights, which they eventually did to C & J. Hampton on the 10th October 1934. The products included iron planes and spoke-shaves, brass plumb bobs and beech mitre boxes. However an August 1933 price list of Records' includes the following planes which were previously manufactured by Edward Preston and Sons Ltd. Shoulder rebates (improved ): 072, 073, 074. Bullnose rebates: 076, 077, 077A. A further seven iron planes of Preston design were eventually included in the Record range to which the No. 1405 brass plumb bob and No. 568 beech mitre box were also added.

 

John Rabone inherited the stock of Preston planes which they catalogued in some editions of their 1934 catalogue No. 27. Sub-section pages 1A to 10A at the back of this catalogue are dedicated to Preston metal planes and other products. Rabone were left to dispose of this stock through their own outlets. Some Preston bench planes, produced under John Rabone management, have a Rabone transfer affixed to the handle spur.

All the Record Planes of Edward Preston design are listed below with the original Preston pattern number in brackets.

Shoulder Rebate: No 041 (1368)

Shoulder Rebate: No 042 (1368A)

Shoulder Rebate: No 072 (1368B)

Shoulder Rebate: No 073 (1368C)

Shoulder Rebate: No 074 (1368D)

Bullnose Rebate: No 076 )1363)

Bullnose Rebate: No 077 (1355)

Bullnose Rebate No 077A (2509)

3 in 1 Plane: No 311 (311)

Side Rebate: No 2506 (2506)

Side Rebate: No 2506S (2506S)

Router No 722 (22)

As can be seen the only planes to retain their original Edward Preston pattern numbers were 1366, 311, 2506 and 2506S.

 

Go to production periods of planes for more on Edward Preston pattern No. 041, 042, 072, 073, 074 , 076, 077, 077A, 311, 2506, 2506S and 722.

 

In production 2007 Bench Planes: No. 04, SP04, 05, SP 05, and 07. Block Planes: No 060½, and 09½.

 

Spokeshaves: No. 151 and 151R. They come under the banner of IRWIN Industrial Tools, IRWIN RECORD.

 

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