W. STADELMAN'S HOME PAGE

(woodworker from the Philadelphia area about 1850)

These beechwood planes were said to have been together in the attic for

as long as anyone can remember. I am presuming that they all belonged

to a Mr. W. Stadelman and were used around 1840-60. The following

Galoots from the oldtools list server were very helpful in sorting through

and identifying these planes.

Don McConnell

Todd Kissam

Patrick Leach

Click here for a big picture (106k) plane1.jpg

This is a set of 13 hollow and round planes. The first 10 is a matching

set of five pairs. (# 4, 10, 12, 14, 18) The last three planes do not

have a matching pair (# 2, 6, 16). Because these planes usually came

in a set of 18 (nine matching pairs), it seems that 5 planes are missing.

(one each of #2, 6, and 16 and both of the #8). All these planes are

marked with the same maker "E. W. CARPENTER / LANCASTER" (1826-65)

and with Stadelman's mark "W. STADELMAN". I have numbered

these planes 1 through 13 (white stickers). This is probably the first

set of planes that Mr. Stadelman acquired.

Click here for a big picture (106k) plane2.jpg

This set of planes (except the far two on the right) was probably

the second set of planes acquired. They are all marked the same:

Maker is "E. W. CARPENTER / LANCASTER", a dealer's name:

"YARNALL / & McCLURE/PHILa" (1840-49) and "W. STADELMAN".

The plane on the far left is a cove.

Second and third from the left are two quirked Grecian ovolo planes.

Fourth from the left is a Roman ogee.

Fifth from the left is still unidentified.

Sixth has been modified into an unidentified shape but was originally

a screw arm plow plane and is marked "E. W. CARPENTER'S /

IMPROVED ARMS / PATENT / LANCASTER". and with Stadelman's mark.

The plane on the far right was made by "JOHN BELL / PHILADa" (1829-51)

and has no owner's name. It is a quirked Grecian ovolo with bead.

The unidentified part in front is marked with Stadelman's name only.

It must have been part of an E. W. CARPENTER plane that is now missing.

Probably a spacer for a screw arm sash plane.

Click here for a big picture (164k) plane3.jpg

None of these planes are marked with Stadelman's name and if they

were part of his tool kit then he probably got them second hand. For

some reason he did not feel it was necessary to put his name on these

tools, maybe he has his own shop.

The two left hand tools are a matched pair of tongue and groove planes

made by H. CHAPIN (1828-66+) and no owners mark.

Third and fourth from the left is a matched pair of sash coping planes

made by "B. SHENEMAN / & BRO No 297 / MARKET ST /

PHILA / WARRANTED" (1856-60) and have an owner's name of "C. MILLER".

Fifth and sixth are two English planes made by "MOSELEY & SONS /

LONDON" (years not known). They both have different owner's names.

Seventh from the left is a beader made by H. CHAPIN. (1828-66+)

Eighth from the left is a large quirk or side bead plane made by

"SANDUSKY TOOL CO. / OHIO" (1869-1020+). It would seem that

Mr. Stadelman was working until at least 1869.

Ninth from the left is a hollow made by "GEO. BURNHAM /

AMHURST / MASS" (1844-53).

On the far right is a damaged plane that is missing parts but has a

maker's mark that is unrecorded in Pollak's book. "D. COLTON /

and / B. SHENEMAN / No. 297 / MARKET St. / PHILa".

The D. COLTON is overstruck with B. SHENEMAN so

it now reads B. SHENEMAN / and / B. SHENEMAN.

The next step will be to check the census records to get more

accurate dates and a location for Mr. Stadelman.

The condition of these planes seems to indicate that they were

packed away in the mid 1800s and not unpacked until recently.

The irons look like they were sharpened recently.

Please send any information to rburton@voicenet.com