Fine Tool Journal, LLC

Fine Tool Journal, LLC Fine Tool Journal, LLC is comprised of Brown Tool Auctions and The Fine Tool Journal, both specializ Visit our websites for more information.

FTJ: www.finetooljournal.net; Brown: www.finetoolj.com or visit Fine Tool Journal Store: FTJstore.com

Kicking off Handworks in Amana Colonies, Iowa 🛠️ Come find us Sept. 4 & 5 at the Greenwood Barn and pick up some great a...
09/04/2026

Kicking off Handworks in Amana Colonies, Iowa 🛠️ Come find us Sept. 4 & 5 at the Greenwood Barn and pick up some great antique hand tools! 🪚

05/29/2026

📢 ALL ABSENTEE BIDS MUST BE PLACED BY THIS EVENING 📢
*Absentee bids will be confidentially executed on your behalf against the LIVE, IN-PERSON audience on Saturday, May 30 for the Third Coast Auction*
Absentee bid now at www.finetoolj.com

🗓️ Auction takes place live, in-person on Saturday, May 30, at 11:00am.
9325 Dwight Boyer Rd, Watervliet MI.
🛻 Free dealer tailgating: 8:00am-11:00am -- free to set up and free to attend!
🔎 Auction preview - see what’s being sold! 8:00am to 10:30am.

Hope to see you there!

Victorian Lace... in Solid Iron? In the late 1800s, the Davis Level & Tool Co. proved that a tool could be both rugged a...
05/28/2026

Victorian Lace... in Solid Iron?

In the late 1800s, the Davis Level & Tool Co. proved that a tool could be both rugged and beautiful. Known for their "filigree" castings and decorative designs, these tools are the ultimate "industrial art."

📐 Lot 158: A massive 18" Inclinometer (circa 1877) for measuring any slope.
📐 Lot 145: A No. 45 Jack Plane. A nice example of a Davis bench plane —don't miss this one!
📐 Lots 162 & 165: Iconic cast-iron levels that look as good on a desk as they do on a workbench.

These 150-year-old treasures are a highlight of our May 30th auction.

📅 LIVE, IN-PERSON auction: Saturday, May 30, 2026
📍 Location: Watervliet, MI
🔗 More info, Full Catalog, and Absentee Bidding: FineToolJ.com

🪓 The Art of the Barrel: Cooper’s Tools at Auction! 🪓Ever wonder how 19th-century barrels stayed watertight without a si...
05/27/2026

🪓 The Art of the Barrel: Cooper’s Tools at Auction! 🪓

Ever wonder how 19th-century barrels stayed watertight without a single drop of glue? It was all in the hands of the Cooper and their specialized kit. We are thrilled to offer several incredible cooper’s lots in our upcoming May 30th auction!

Featured Cooper's Lots— Lot 125: Cooper's Side Axe; Lot 335: Cooper's Froe (14"); Lot 279: Lot of Two Cooper’s Tools; Lot 451 Cooper's Tools

Did You Know?
The Side Axe: Unlike a standard wood-chopping axe, a cooper's side axe is ground flat on one side. This allowed the cooper to "hew to the line," precisely shaving the sides of barrel staves to create a perfect taper.

The Froe: This L-shaped tool was essential for "riving" or splitting wood along the grain. By hitting the blade with a wooden mallet and prying the handle, coopers split staves from a log without damaging the wood fibers, ensuring the barrel wouldn't leak.

"Tight" vs. "Slack": Coopers were highly specialized. A "Tight Cooper" made barrels for liquids (wh***ey, whale oil), while a "Slack Cooper" made barrels for dry goods like flour or nails.

Auction Details
📍 IN-PERSON Auction: Ronora Lodge, Watervliet, MI
🗓️ Date & Time: May 30, 2026, at 11:00 AM
🛻 Free Dealer Tailgating!
📝 Absentee Bids Now at FineToolJ.com
🌐 Full Catalog & Details: finetoolj.com

🏆 The Victorious Rebel! 🏆Ever wonder what happened when the world's most famous tool inventor got into a legal fistfight...
05/26/2026

🏆 The Victorious Rebel! 🏆

Ever wonder what happened when the world's most famous tool inventor got into a legal fistfight with Stanley? You get the Bailey Victor line.

Leonard Bailey was a prolific designer and plane maker, who patented several designs for planes in the mid-1800s, many of which were bought by Stanley Rule & Level. Their relationship fell apart, however, in 1875, over patent infringement lawsuits, and Bailey began making his own line of Victor planes. While exceptionally made and beautifully designed, they were not as popular at the time as the Stanley line, and Bailey discontinued them by 1888.

These aren't just tools; they are the result of Leonard Bailey’s attempt to reclaim his legacy. Known for their circular lines and incredible craftsmanship, his early planes and Victor series was only made for a short time before Bailey retired from the planemaking business. Don’t miss your chance to own one!

Featured Lots:
💎 Lot 196: A stunning Bailey Victor No. 1 Block Plane.
💎 Lot 51: A rare 1876-patent No. 41 Spokeshave.
💎 Lot 199: The ambitious No. 14 Combination Plane.
💎 Lot 187: Vertical post fore plane. Made before his association with Stanley, these planes feature a vertical post cutter adjustment.

📅 Join us Saturday, May 30th in Watervliet, MI!

🔗 Catalog & Absentee Bidding at FineToolJ.com

💡 DID YOU KNOW? 🛡️ The Check Protector (Lot 328)Before digital banking, "Check Raisers" (forgers) were a massive threat....
05/25/2026

💡 DID YOU KNOW?

🛡️ The Check Protector (Lot 328)
Before digital banking, "Check Raisers" (forgers) were a massive threat. This heavy-duty machine protected businesses by shredding the payment amount directly into the paper fibers so it couldn't be altered. It’s 100% un-hackable tech from 100 years ago!

⚖️ The Steelyard Scale (Lot 60)
One of the oldest tools in human history! Based on the Law of the Lever, it uses a single sliding weight to balance heavy loads. It was the "pocket scale" of the 19th-century farmer and merchant.

📬 The Postal Trio (Lot 219)
Early postal scales often have the postage rates engraved right into the metal. These were essential tools for every household when the U.S. Post Office first switched from "per page" to "per ounce" billing.

📅 Saturday, May 30, 2026
📍 Watervliet, MI
🔗 Full Catalog: FineToolJ.com

🛶 Harvesting the River by Moonlight 🌙Long before modern fishing gear, the "Eel Gig" was the essential tool for the night...
05/23/2026

🛶 Harvesting the River by Moonlight 🌙

Long before modern fishing gear, the "Eel Gig" was the essential tool for the night-time fisherman. This Saturday, May 30th, we are offering a stunning example of American folk-art utility.

🔱 Lot 385: A hand-forged, three-prong Smith-Made Eel Gig.
It features its original 45-inch octagonal wooden shaft and a traditional leather-wrapped grip. The octagonal shape wasn't just for looks; it gave the fisherman a non-slip grip in the heat of the catch.

📅 Saturday, May 30, 2026
📍 Watervliet, MI
🔗 FineToolJ.com

🪚 A Cut Above: The Evolution of the Saw! 🪚From the massive pit to the delicate veneer, the variety of saws in the 19th c...
05/22/2026

🪚 A Cut Above: The Evolution of the Saw! 🪚

From the massive pit to the delicate veneer, the variety of saws in the 19th century was staggering. Each of these lots represents a specific solution to a woodworking (or medical!) challenge.

Historical Fun Facts: The Open Pit Saw.
This was the giant of the forest! Before sawmills were common, two men (the "topman" and the "pitman") would use this massive blade to manually rip whole logs into planks. It was grueling, back-breaking work that literally built early America.

The Bone Saw: Not all saws were for wood! Lot 175 is a specialized medical instrument. In the era before power tools, surgeons relied on finely crafted, high-carbon steel saws for quick, precise amputations.

Foot Treadle Scroll Saw: A precursor to the modern jigsaw, these were powered by the operator's foot, much like an old sewing machine. This allowed the craftsman to have both hands free to guide the wood through intricate, decorative "fretwork" patterns.

Veneer Saw: These small, curved blades were designed to cut thin layers of expensive wood without tearing the delicate grain, allowing cabinetmakers to create the beautiful inlaid surfaces seen on high-end antique furniture.

Auction Details
📍 IN-PERSON Auction: Ronora Lodge, Watervliet, MI
🗓️ Date & Time: May 30, 2026, at 11:00 AM
🛻 Free Dealer Tailgating!
📝 Absentee Bids: Accepted April 30 – May 29.
🌐 Full Catalog & Details: finetoolj.com

Shape Shifters: The Evans Flexible & Steers Planes🌀 Bending the Rules of Woodworking! 🌀Standard planes are built for fla...
05/21/2026

Shape Shifters: The Evans Flexible & Steers Planes

🌀 Bending the Rules of Woodworking! 🌀

Standard planes are built for flat surfaces, but what happens when you need to smooth a curve? These patented "oddities" are among the most sought-after by collectors for their unique mechanics.

Featured Lots:
Lot 191: Evans Patent Flexible Sole Plane
Lot 189: Payson’s No. 001 "Toboggan" Plane
Lot 129: Stanley’s No. 20-1/2 Flexible Sole Plane.

Historical Fun Facts:
The Evans Patent: The Evans flexible sole plane features a thin, spring-steel bottom that can be adjusted using a screw mechanism to be either concave or convex. It allowed a craftsman to plane circular work, like the staves of a large tank or curved furniture pieces, with a single tool.
Payson’s No. 001: Manufactured by Brown Special Machinery Co. of Chicago, these planes are typically marked “patent applied for” but no patents were ever issued. This plane gets is moniker from the distinct upturned ends that resemble a toboggan.
Stanley No. 20-1/2: This japanned version of Stanley’s traditional nickel-plated No. 20 flexible sole plane plane was named the No. 20-1/2 to differentiate itself, but when Stanley began japanning all of its No. 20 planes in 1919, the No. 20-1/2 was discontinued.

📅 LIVE, IN-PERSON Auction Date: May 30, 2026
📍 Location: Ronora Lodge | Watervliet, MI
🔗 Catalog & Absentee Bidding: FineToolJ.com, link in bio.

🕯️ Fueling the 19th Century ⚙️Before light switches and grease guns, there was the glow of the oil lamp and the precisio...
05/20/2026

🕯️ Fueling the 19th Century ⚙️

Before light switches and grease guns, there was the glow of the oil lamp and the precision of the brass oiler. Next Saturday, May 30th, we are offering a beautiful collection of copper and brass utility wares.

✨ Lot 321: A pair of Copper Oil Lamp Fillers with unique square bodies and a classic dimpled texture.
✨ Lot 211: A trio of Brass-Ended Oil Cans, remarkably complete with their original 100-year-old caps!

These polished pieces of history represent the "hidden" tools that kept the Victorian world running smoothly.

📅 LIVE, IN-PERSON auction: Saturday, May 30, 2026
📍 Watervliet, MI
🔗 More info and Absentee bidding: FineToolJ.com

Address

9325 Dwight Boyer Road
Watervliet, MI
49098

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+18009649036

Website

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