Tools Of A Swiss Sattler

[Alan RUNDELL]

I also have just purchased a Plough Gauge with the Bird on it …..it looks like a Dove that is just lifting off the ground in flight…. the letters are H F joined together.  I don't have the knife for it but it is in beautiful 

condition, there is NO movement on the horizontal roller, the best condition gauge I have…..but no knife.

I have a Bost Freres Catalogue as well… I will have to copy or photograph it & put it on the Net.

 

Regards Alan

[Dams]

@Alan RUNDELL beautiful tool. I don't know the trade HF. Maybe it can help to know where do you buy it : France, Germany ... ? It is interesting to see the piece that slides on the measure is a "one-piece-solid-brass".

I would love to see your Bost Frères catalog. I will wait for your scans ;-)

Edited February 6, 2017 by Dams

[Alan RUNDELL]

G'day Dams,

I  bought the tool in Germany, I would like to know where the knife/blade is but the seller had no idea.

Alan

[simontuntelder]

It's the same marking on a tool that @Trox showed from his tools lot from a Norwegian saddlery.

I'm completely convinced that it's of German origin, as I've seen a couple of things from Germany carrying that mark.

However I don't know the name of the manufacturer or the name of the shop that sold it. Apparently private label manufacturing was pretty common in Germany meaning the manufacturer didn't put his stamp on it, but instead added the name/logo of the shop that sold it.

 

Except for an almost complete set of antique German round punches, my recent tool purchases have almost all been new and Chinese and South Korean. I must admit I'm pretty surprised by the tools that they're able to make. Some have really surpassed my expectations. I think we'll be seeing some terrific tools from China/South Korean, once they start fully understanding leather tools and the use of them.

[Trox]

Hi Allan, I see you have found a plough with the same phoenix bird stamp as on my round knifes. I always suspect them to be of German orgin, I also hav another knife (a cornette or French pattern knife) with the same handle material and made exactly the same way. That has only the inscription "Gesmiedet" which is German for forged. There was also a unmarked plough in the same tool lot as the round knifes, that look exactly like yours (pic). Apart from some changed out parts: The steel guide between the ruler and the material guide, who protects the ruler from screw markings among other tings. I put that piece in my self along with the home made locking thumb screw (I will make another one like yours later) Then the knife is of another German brand (Langenhans, I believe). When you look on the details on it, it looks exactly like yours. I always thought it to be German. It was also very common to buy German tools here before, still is when it's awailable. Other stuff in the lot was of German orgin too.  I never seen a bigger collection of plougs than yours Allan, do you collect other leather tools as well.

There was also a newer Blanchard 20 cm plough in the same tool lot, in very good condition. Together with half a dusin more or less used up Blanchard plough gauge knifes (no Vergez only old stock Blanchard). A good plough will survive at least ten knifes and the Blanchard has always been there to deliver spare knifes. Since most of the other European plougs are copies of theirs (part from the UK ones) Blanchard knifes could be used in most of them. I'm sure thats the reason for your missing knife. I'm not sure but I can imagine that many European tool makers that copied Blanchards tools where careful to do so after the big "copycat" trial between the house of Blanchard and Mayer Flamery. It ended in favor of the house of Blanchard. Perhaps that's the reason there was some brands that only made a few tools like that, I'm only guessing here

Nox, If I have not told you before, thank you very much for your post and pictures. It been of big help and is very interesting reading, for sure.

[Alan RUNDELL]

Thank you for the interest Simon & Trox.  It will be very interesting if a plough gauge knife (with the bird on it)  ever comes up for sale on eBay everyone will want it.

I have never seen a round knife before with the bird on it Trox I am very envious, that was a good purchase.

The problem with all these old tools is that they outlast there original users, it is good to see all the interest and information being gathered for the next generation of leather workers.

I do collect other leather tools Trox, I have a few hammers & round knives I did manage to buy about 10 T Dixon (Thomas) leather tools recently apparently he was the father of Joseph Dixon,correct me if I am wrong, they are very old and a lot smaller that other leather tools but it is an expensive hobby, especially if you live in Australia with the cost of postage.

I to have often wondered if factories like Blanchard or Rosler made clean skin (Unmarked) tools for other sellers to stamp there logo on before sale. I know that happened with wood working

machines. The quality of that (bird) plough gauge is excellent & yes it appears to be the same as your Blanchard tool.

I was lucky to get the Bost Freres Catalogue…..found it in Greece of all places. Does anyone know who bought the PORTRAIT pricking wheel that was for sale on eBay….sold for 175 Euros?

[Trox]

Hi Allan, I do not think there will be competition over such knife. It would be nice to get my plough all original, but mine is unmarked and have replaced parts already. The gradings/scale on ruler is also pretty worn out, perhaps I will get in good working condition and pass it on to others. I bought a good portion of tool to a good price and got a portion of Norwegian saddler history with it. You cannot find much information about that now a days. I know we had a unique way of making horse harness here in Norway and you can tell a lot about a craft man studying his tools. I have also been promised copies of working drawing on all from chairs to saddles from the same old company.  I look forward to that and I will do my best secure that history for further generations. You are right about the German tool makers, they often made such clean skin tools, stamped them with their customers brands for further sales. I have not heard the same about the French, I think they mostly used their own brands marks. However, in the older days there where tool makers in every back yards making tools for other suppliers.  I belive my plough is made by the same tool makers as yours, a possible German maker with the phoenix bird brand. I have not bought any tools on Ebay for a long time, and yes I too know how it is to live far away with large shipping expences; I buy a lot from the USA. We talk later.

Tor 

[Nox]

This phoenix looks like an eagle  (like the one from the third reich) and the HF looks like the cross  ... Very German!

Edited March 26, 2017 by Nox

[walter roth]

Hello Nox... and colleagues......

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Yes, this Saint-Sauveur I dived.

She go down, but the small lake is beityfull

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I Dive the Emergence-de-Ressel, the Font-del-Truffe, the La-Finou, and other Caves....

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By the way...

The Eagle...... from Plough-Gouge

One often finds Sattler tools with the so-called ....."WaA" Stamp.

He looks so...

https://en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Waffenamt_codes#/media/file: Waffen.jpg

The Eagle stands for Wehrmacht acceptance and the Number for the inspection Officer. (Quality control)

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Wenn the Eagle is slightly larger and holds the "Hackenkreutz" ( in Englisch = Hook-Cross or Swastika ??? ) in the Ring in his Clutches, so that is the German Imperial holding stamp.

So the Ownership of the German Empire.

It is everywhere where space was always both.

The tool companies have worked also for the "Wehrmacht" and were subject to a strict quality control.

 

Greetings

 

Walter

[Alan RUNDELL]

Thank you for that information Walter, very much appreciated.

Regards

Alan