Holtzapffel turning tools

about a year back a friend dropped by and asked me if I wanted these oddball turnings tools which were on the small side all stuck in an ice cream bucket. Since I am not one to really turn things away L had a look at them and figured that the might come in handy one day for something or other. they sat in the bucket out front since. the other day another friend from Ontario dropped by and he sort of kicked the little plastic bucket and looked at them and saw the Holtzapffel name in them and asked me if I knew what I had there. I said some old chisels. there were some Holtzapffel's and the there were H&D tools and the D stood for Deyerlein who was Holtzapffel's partner until he passed away in 1826. so maybe they are more interesting. there were a few others there also which were not theirs.
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/160...923/FpWRrO.jpg
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/160...923/ZJhOuL.jpg
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/160...922/SrEYVB.jpg
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ron

that's an incredible find. I hope they're out of the bucket and sitting in a place of honor. Googling Holtzapffel brings up auction catalogs of some incredible ornimental lathes from the 19th century. I'd run across them several years ago and saved them just to refresh the vision of these incredible machines. They look to be in original condition - quite a find.

Holtzapffel was a toolmaker, ornamental lathes were his specialty. Those turning tools could be worth a small fortune, several years ago I saw similar tools in an auction catalog. I recommend you do not clean or sharpen them, keep them as original as possible. I am pretty sure if you Google "Holtzapffel turning tool auction" you will find some references to values.

I really wanted to buy this a few years back but my budget would only allow a 225 T. :)
https:// www .skinnerinc .com/auctions/2623M/lots/232

Oh my, what a treasure. Thread chasers even! There must be a museum somewhere that would love some of these. Me too!

A turner might immediately notice how short the handles are on these, especially compared to the long, heavy handles most people use. According to Frank Penta the short-handled tools were commonly used in the "trades" in Europe where most turning was on spindles. People who turn big bowls want long handles for leverage. None of that is needed for spindle turning. (I often turn with tools with no handles at all.)

I just read these interesting notes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holtzapffel

JKJ

I would suggest contacting Ornamental Turners Assoc. for more information and value of these tools.
http://ornamentalturners.com/forums/index.php

I just saw and held in my hands, the complete ivory handled set Holtzapffel made for an exhibition in 1850, I believe.

Also saw a couple complete wood handled sets.

All in original cases.

My first thought when seeing them was that these are specialized tools for turning boxes. If they were mine, I would have to put them to work. They are probably feeling neglected... Other than that, I would try to clone them out of modern metals and put the new ones to work.

robo hippy

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Reed Gray

My first thought when seeing them was that these are specialized tools for turning boxes. If they were mine, I would have to put them to work. They are probably feeling neglected... Other than that, I would try to clone them out of modern metals and put the new ones to work.

robo hippy

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They are for turning, but fine turning on Holtzapffels ornamental lathes.

Nice find and while they are not in the best of shape, there is still a strong user and collector market for them. I would restore them and use them.

Only caveat to be aware of is if you end up trying to send them across the border - at least two have rosewood handles which require CITES import/export documentation to "properly" ship.

John
On the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holtzapffel link it is stated

Holtzapffel sold his first lathe in June 1795, for £25-4s-10d, an enormous price at the time.

If you view the Bank of England inflation calculator
https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/mone...ion-calculator



£25 4s 10d equates to £3064 or $3881 (2019 prices) inflation averaged 2.2% a year

A collection of H and D (John Jacob Holtzapffel's partnership with Johann Georg Deyerlein, ) tools are being auctioned in the UK next week

https://portal-images.azureedge.net/...30c7.jpg?h=175
Lot 108
A set of 15 ornamental turning tools by H&D with rosewood handles and brass ferrules. Blades rusty


A set of 15 ornamental turning tools by H&D with rosewood handles and brass ferrules. Blades rusty for restoration G-

• Estimate50 - 100 GBP

Additional Fees

Date: 11 Jun