WantCanDo

Bruce, Thank you for your opinion - also much appreciated. Yes, I was actually referring to ownership marks. I was intentionally coy regarding value - most presum or conclude that its monetary, not necessarily so. What about philanthropic value? For example, a simple analogy - what's more valuable: a Leonardo da Vinci painting, a circa-1400 paint brush, or an actual brush that he used to paint Salvator Mundi? It's a trick question. The answer, I believe, is it depends - its just not always about the money...

Thank you for your opinion - it’s very much appreciated. I find myself at a crossroad. I recently committed to learning leather upholstery with an emphasis on European autos. In this pursuit, I’ve managed to acquire, through a private family sale, an extensive toolset of an apparently highly regarded saddle maker from the mid-1900’s with most of his tools (head/round knives, pliers, punches, skivers, stamps, etc.) dating back prior to 1906. One of my dilemmas is whether to: use what I need, collect, display, donate, etc. I’m also researching the gentleman’s trade history and understand that he has saddles in several museums. In this situation I feel strangely, yet emotionally, bound to the craftsman, his past, and the craft. It’s difficult to explain...

Either etched or punched on the metal and/or carved in the wooden handles? If so, is the affect generally relative (negative or positive) depending on the owner's documented history in the trade/industry. Thanks...