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David R. Russell

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Antique Woodworking Tools: Their Craftsmanship from the Earliest Times to the Twentieth Century Hardcover – June 16, 2013

by David R. Russell (Author), Robert Lesage (Author), James Austin (Photographer),

4.6 24 ratings

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Amassed over nearly forty years, the David Russell collection brings together a stunning array of edge and boring tools from Britain, continental Europe and North America, thus providing a broad survey of hand tool-making from prehistory to today. All the tools are illustrated with James Austin's photographs, with details and marks shown where appropriate. Special attention is given to planes, and the great British makers of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries are discussed in depth.

Since prehistoric times there has been a never-ending quest for better ways to cut and bore wood. Along the way this has produced a wide variety of hand tools, and there are many where beauty and function meet.

The book will appeal to a wide range of readers, including collectors, craftsmen, industrial archaeologists and social and economic historians, as well as historians of material culture.

Review

The excellent photographs and descriptions do more than justice to one of the most outstanding collections I have ever seen.
(the late Roy Arnold)

I would like to commend David Russell on this fascinating history of woodworking tools. The book shows clearly the kinds of tools that enabled craftsmen to make the most beautiful pieces of furniture and other items.
(David Linley)

The Russell collection volume [is] intended to glamorize unsung innovations.

(Eve M. Kahn The New York Times)

Anyone who appreciates the beauty of antique tools needs to have a copy.
(Jim Gehring The Fine Tool Journal)

Lavish, stunning, outstanding, magnificent ... superlatives just don't do justice to this book. It documents what must be one of the world's greatest private collections of woodworking hand tools. (Carl Duguay Canadian Woodworking.com)

About the Author

David Russell was apprenticed as a joiner in Kendal. He has been a collector of woodworking tools for many years. James Austin read architecture and history of art at Jesus College, Cambridge, and at the Courtauld Institute, London. He took up photography of architecture and works of art. A contributor to many art and architectural books, his clients have included the National Trust, English Heritage, the Crafts Council, the Tate Gallery and the Sainsbury Collection in Norwich.

Print length

528 pages
Language

English
Publisher

John Adamson Dist A/C
Publication date

June 16, 2013
Dimensions

13.2 x 2.3 x 16.4 inches
ISBN-10

1898565058
ISBN-13

978-1898565055
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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ John Adamson Dist A/C (June 16, 2013)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 528 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1898565058
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1898565055
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.46 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 13.2 x 2.3 x 16.4 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #3,982,111 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #3,994 in Woodworking Projects (Books)
- #142,675 in Crafts & Hobbies (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.6 24 ratings

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4.6 out of 5

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C. L. Anderson

Superb woodworker/tool collector book

Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2013

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This book is magnificent in content, and photos. It was obviously written with love. Detailed descriptions of all planes. It weighs a ton, loved everything about this text. There are no negatives.

3 people found this helpful

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revit

Antique Woodworking Tools

Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2011

Antique Woodworking Tools: Their Craftsmanship from the Earliest Times to the Twentieth Century by David R. Russell, with photography by James Austin is a superb book. It was published by John Adamson, 90 Hertford Street, Cambridge CB4 3AQ, England, 2010. ISBN 978-1-898565-05-5.

The book has 528 pages, measures 10 ¼ x 13 ¾ inches, is hardbound with cloth covered covers, and has a dust jacket. It is printed in full color on heavy paper. It contains 935 illustrations showing 1556 tools plus 575 illustrations of marks on tools, and it has an appendix with 269 plane iron marks. Each item is fully described and the provenance is provided when available. The research is stunning ' in many cases presenting newly discovered or recently translated material.

David Russell's book is a vehicle for sharing his fabulous collection with the world. His unerring eye has sought out the most interesting tools available over the past 40 years resulting in one of the worlds greatest collections of antique woodworking tools. A close examination immediately reveals that the tools in the collection were selected by an individual who was extremely knowledgeable in the fields he chose to collect; the collection also shows a deep commitment and emotional attachment to the intrinsic beauty of tools. The early 17th century German handled auger, item number 1388 on page 457, is one of the most beautiful tools I have ever seen.

Antique Woodworking Tools begins with the earliest tools known: those predating written history to those of the Roman era. It moves on to explore beautiful anvils, axes, and saws. A delightful excursion into the fascinating world of measuring and marking devices is next. Then it embarks on the major theme: Wooden and metallic planes, of the 16th through the 20th centuries, made in central Europe, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Of particular interest to me were the decorated, hand made, 17th and 18th century continental wooden planes found on pages 96 through133. I was also fascinated by the central European metallic planes made of wrought iron plates beginning with a very rare German smoothing plane on page 272, made in the 1570's, which has sides decorated by acid etching. It is similar to the two planes made in Nuremburg that are in the Dresden Collection. The next several pages contain beautiful central European metallic miter and chariot planes of the 17th and 18th centuries made of iron plates joined by brazing or dovetailing. They were often decorated with fanciful scallops and cusps cut into the top edges of their sides or into the edges of the upturned front palm rest. The very significant contribution to the development of ornamental lathes and tools made by John Jacob Holtzapffel during the late part of the 18th and early 19th centuries is celebrated on pages 362 through 371. David Russell began his collection with a Norris smooth plane that he greatly coveted as a young woodworker. So it isn't surprising that his book devotes over 50 pages to the absolutely marvelous infill planes made by Norris. The book concludes with a generous treatment of boring tools including an extensive selection of very attractive plated and framed braces, followed by beautifully decorated screwdrivers.

David Russell's book, Antique Woodworking Tools will delight all tool collectors and woodworkers as well as everyone having any interest in how things were made in the past, and the tools that made it all possible. This book belongs in every serious collector's library.

9 people found this helpful

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Henry Berry

lavish photographic history of woodworking tools

Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2013

This oversize book--10" across x 13" high, over 9 pounds--is an favorable format for presenting the thousands of woodworking tools for both educational and aesthetic reasons. Most noticeably on first glance through the book is the way individual tools or small groups stand out in light gray frames against surrounding generous glossy white backgrounds. There's no cramping, which is particularly helpful and pleasing considering the details of the many different kinds of tools relating to historical changes and manufacturers' options, innovations, and hallmarks interested readers want to see. As dealers and collectors know, such features--sometimes seemingly minor, sometimes appearing incidental--can have big effects on market value.

The oversize book allows for oversize photographs, though not quite to the point of life-size in even the largest photos. About six inches in length is a typical size of a tool photographed, with a few going to eight inches in length. Each tool can be appreciated distinctly because by angle, neutral background, and photo technique interfering or distracting shadowing has been eliminated or reduced to negligible. The bright, natural photos let the colors and shades of the wood and the metals and in some cases the manufacturer's mark for which woodworking tools have become a lasting specialized area of collecting come through. With such large pages and fine photography, pairs or groups of a few tools are spaced so that each tool though smaller in size is distinct.

Not only handsome appearance, but also specifics of manufacture account for the appeal of woodworking tools with aficionados. Such specifics of type of wood (e. g., beech, elm, walnut), type of metal (e. g., steel, brass) if applicable, country of manufacture, maker, date, notable features, and sometimes historical notes or general comments are given in the annotations.

Woodworking planes of the various eras and different geographical locations are given the most attention. In the more than 400 pages given to these, planes from Europe, the Continent, and America are covered and also planes by noted manufacturers mostly in England. The extensive coverage of planes is not only because there are more varieties of these over time and they are the major collectible in the field, but also because of the central role these had in woodworking through the centuries. Planes are like a constant that underwent changes and improvements. Other woodworking tools receive appropriate presentation depending on their appearance and use at different times and historical, practical, or artful relevance of these for the craft of woodworking or collector interest. Among these are screwdrivers, drills, rules, saws, and anvils and tongs.

David Russell is a longtime collector of antique woodworking tools; and James Austin is a photographer of architecture and art with the (British) National Trust and Tate Gallery among his clients. Manufacturers' marks of many of the tools are pictured with respective tools and also in an appendix.

4 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

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MARRIAUX GUY

Délai respecté, transaction parfaite.

Reviewed in France on November 14, 2021

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Parfait

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lien

Lavishly produced, tool porn

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 12, 2020

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A great book, literally. Very large and heavy. The book is a photographic record of early tools; mainly planes.

One person found this helpful

Suze

Fantastic

Reviewed in Canada on April 17, 2017

Verified Purchase

Came well packaged in a box packed in a box with big bubbles. Condition was sealed and new. Very heavy coffee table book. My husband is thrilled with it.

Amazon Customer

Excellent book, I would have liked to have it ...

Reviewed in Canada on November 20, 2015

Verified Purchase

Excellent book,I would have liked to have it before I started buying old tools on E-bay. Well written, very good pictures.

sewandsew

Great reference book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 11, 2015

Verified Purchase

I bought this for my son, a DT teacher. he was thrilled with it, which isn't something that happens too often (being thrilled that is!) A great reference book, highly recommended, worth the price.

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