>At the same estate sale I mentioned below, there was a 10-1/2 carriagemakers rebate plane. It was listed as Stanley, but the only Stanley mark I could find on the plane was on the blade, which is less than certain ID. The casting was just marked 10 1/2. Is that to be expected? Any other ID'ing marks?
The handle had part of a decal left on it. Couldn't read much of it, but you could see the date 1886, and "Golden" something. Looked like some kind of commemorative deal; it was not the standard Stanley decal, it was something else.
>Go back there and buy all of them, provided they are reasonably priced. I would have no problem dropping a buck and a half on these two planes, and would easily double that depending upon their condition. You can always turn them on eBay. Stanley didn't generally cast their name into the bench planes.
>My I'm-fairly-sure-it's-a-Stanley 10-1/2 has naught but that number on the body, between the frog and the tote (well, it also says "No."). The lever cap also says Stanley on it, as does the iron (Stanley Rule and Level); thus my belief that the Stanley Works made the whole thing.
I'd buy it, unless the price is outrageous. I haven't used mine much, because (standard whine alert) I haven't done much but carpentry for ages, but, IIRC, William Duffield speaks highly of them. Even if it's not a Stanley, the particular type is uncommon enough that the maker is likely to have lavished some attention on it.
Don't know about the "Golden." Maybe it was one of their attempts to sell upmarket.
One comment: unless your hands are a lot smaller than mine, you'll have a hard time wrapping your hand around the tote - there's just not enough room for fingers between tote and frog. I wind up holding it with my hand open, fingers resting on each side of the frog, thus treating it like a woodie coffin smoother. It's a surprisingly comfortable grip, and your hand on the knob keeps it from crashing to the floor.
Another comment: removing the iron is an exercise in puzzle theory. You move the iron out one side, tilt it, and remove it. Easier shown than described, but I doubt you're up to funding my plane ticket back to show you (much as I'd enjoy a visit to the first state I lived outside California, I'm kinda busy at work and home right now anyway).
Bill, wishing the car repair fairy had been kinder to him today instead of testing his patience so far (the d--- thing's still not running)