A topping plane is part of a set of cooper’s tools used by a cooper. A cooper uses a topping plane, also known as a 'sun plane', to give a level surface to the 'chime' which is the bevelled edge at the top and bottom of a cask.A tool used by coopers for hundreds of years that has not changed in design during that time and is still in use today. Item at this time cannot be associated with an historical event, person or place, provenance is unknown, item assessed as a collection asset as it is believed to have been produced before 1950. Coopers Topping Plane, wooden with metal blade & metal plate on base. Makers mark on blade unreadablewarrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, coopers topping plane, coopers, topping plane, sun plane, coopers tools, wood plane

An unusual carpenters hand saw for cutting wood with a curved blade A mass produced tool made for domestic use no history or manufacturing provenance currently available.Hand saws are significant as various designs have been in use since biblical times the subject item at this time cannot be associated with an historical event, person or place, provenance is unknown, item assessed as a collection asset as it is believed to have been produced before 1950.Saw metal with wooden handle curved bladeNoneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, saw

Bow saw wooden frame with metal bladeflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, bow saw

Axe broad with wooden handle. Marked Collins Hartford on blade & W & ?warr stamped. Blade 28cmL x 165Wmm 690mmL overall. Axe head cracked. Number not foundflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, axe broad, broad axe, collins hartford

Bung borer are a class of tools that bore a tapered hole in a wooden barrel, cask or flask, the tool makes a graduated tapered hole called a bung hole. The bung that goes into the hole can be made from wood, rubber or cork to make a tight seal or a tap is used to dispense the liquid inside the barrel. Often two holes would be made the first in the middle of the barrel and its highest location when laying on its side, this is use to fill the barrel. The second one, with the barrel now standing up, would be bored on one side of the head, near the rim, opposite the filling bung. That would be the one that would receive a tapered wooden or metal tap for dispensing liquid. There have been many models of bung borer used, the age old pattern is of a simple tapered spoon, later more sophisticated models would appear to do the same job and over the years numerous types of design have been patented.The subject item at this time cannot be associated with an historical event, person or place, provenance is unknown, item assessed as a collection asset as it is believed to have been produced before 1950.Bung borer threaded with wooden handle. Nonewarrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, barrel bung hole borer, barrels, coopers tools

R Timmins & Sons were makers of heavy steel 'toys' - toy in this context means any small metal object, including hand tools. The company was founded in 1790 by Richard Timmins and was situated in Hurst St, and later in Pershore Street, Birmingham. In 1850 Richard Timmins died aged 60 and the company continued with his wife Ann and their son Henry who were the executors of his will. In 1889 they were taken over by another Birmingham maker, W & C Wynn of Suffolk Street also edge tool makers and the business moved to Commercial Street Birmingham in 1872. For a few years, both companies continued to operate under their original names. In 1892 they were incorporated as Wynn, Timmins & Co, and in 1897 the premises in Commercial St were renamed Century Works. The company survived until 1969 when they were taken over by Balfour Dawins Ltd of Sheffield, and the works in Birmingham then closed.A significant item given its age having the probability of having been made after Richard Timmins had died and before the take over in 1872 during the time the company was being run by his wife Ann and son Henry. Given the inscription on the item is "A Timmins & Sons". The items significance is social given it was used to clean bungholes in barrels and was possibly used in the early cooperage industries of the early Australian colony. Bung reamer metal with wooden handle. A Timmins & Sons stamped on blade.warrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, coopers tools, bung hole reamer, barrels, barrel making

Weight metal various sizes (4) flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, weight

"S" Spanner metal double ended. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, "s" spanner

Compass Saw, metal fine long bow. Wooden handle is brokenflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, compass saw, saw

Dividers used to measure diametersflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village

Cold chisel Burred headflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, chisel

Hacksaw with wooden handle, with adjustable frame for different size blades.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, hacksaw

A shackle is a U shaped piece of iron closed with a pin across the jaws. It is used for securing anchors to their cables, joining lengths of chain cables and so on. This type of shackle is the same size and shape as an ordinary link of the cable and fits into the snugs of the cable holder when verring or weighing. This Kenter type, chain joining link or shackle would commonly be used with anchor chain in the marine industry for applications such as anchors, moorings and ballast. It is a versatile link that can be opened and closed by removing and re-inserting the taper pin and lead plug, allowing for easy joining and detaching lengths of chain, and for repairing damaged links in chain.This is an example of ship's maritime hardware used in Victoria in the 19500s.Half of a chain joining shackle or joining link, Kenter type , painted blue. Often used as a marine anchor chain link. A complete shackle would comprise an oval shaped loop of thick metal and central metal chock comprises three pieces; two half oval pieces with shaped ends. The pieces are joined by a taper pin diagonally through holes in each piece, then fixed firmly by a lead plug in a hole near the head of the pin. This object is missing its other half, plus the chock and the tapered locking pin.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shackle, joining link, chain joining shackle, anchor chain joining link, marine chain joining link, kenter type chain joining link, marine hardware, kenter chain joining shackle

1898-1903Chock(2509.1) and Tapered Locking pin(2509.2) of a Kenter Chain Joining Shackle. Painted Blue. The two halfs of the shackle are missing.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, joining shackle, kenter chain joining shackle

Lugged Joining Shackle. 2510.1 is a Tapered pin, 2510.2 is a bolt and 2510.3 is a lug shackleflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village

One Half of a Kenter Chain Joining Shackle, painted blue. The other Half, Chock and Tapered Locking Pin are missing.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village

Spokeshave - wooden Coopers Maker A Mathieson & Son Glasgow. Has JJP stamped on front No blade or wedge.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village

Panel plough plane, with blade missing. Has wooden handle shaped like saw handle. Two large bolts with wing nuts at endsflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, panel plough plane

Metal Handle of unknown use. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, handle

Metal Handle of unknown use.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village

Wooden drawer, has no knob on front.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, wooden drawer

Kentor or Pinless, Naval or Patent anchor chain shackle. Metal painted white.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, kentor or pinless, kentor, pinless, shackle

Derrick Spider Band - round spiked metal band. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village

Garden Shears. 660mm long. Borer in handle. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village

A special version of the rebate plane, the keel and stem rabbet plane. This was a wider than the usual rebate or rabbet plane, and the blade was set askew to the side to give a slicing action. It was used for cleaning out the rabbet cut from the head of the stem, and along the keel, to take the ends and edges of the planking - its angle varied according to the ship.Rabbet plane. Has a makeshift piece of wood screwed to base to protect it. Made by Sherman Nth York. Blade size 2". A square piece of leather is tacked to top of plane. Red paint markings are on one side.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, rabbet plane., wood working, wood working tools, hand tool

Plane, Low angle a metal plane having the iron set at a low angle to the workpiece. Used for trimming cross grain. Piece broken off end of plane.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, plane, metal plane

This Jack plane is used for general purposes such as shaving off surplus wood to bring a piece of work down to size and plane the edges of a door to smooth them off. This plane is an example of the tools used by ship builders in the maritime trade from the 19th century to the present day.Jack Plane; a large oblong shape with an aperture at one end, a long wooden guard that protects the sharp metal blade, and a saw like handle at other end. It is stained a red-brown colour.flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, maritime museum, maritime village, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, wood working, wood working plane, wood working tool, jack plane, plane, wood plane, general purpose plane, tool, builders tool, carpenter's tool, ship builder's tool, maritime trade

Spokeshave, wooden & metal. Router blade. "J Glow" stamped on front and "R Crumble" on back.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village

In 1792 John Manners had set up a workshop making woodworking planes at 14 Saracens Lane Glasgow. He also had employed an apprentice Alexander Mathieson (1773-1851). But in the following year at Saracen's Lane, the 1841 census describes Alexander Mathieson as a master plane-maker now at 38 Saracen Lane with his son Thomas Adam working with him as a journeyman plane-maker. Presumably, Alexander must have taken over the premises and business of John Manners. Now that the business had Thomas Adam Mathieson working with his father it gradually grew and became more diversified, and it is recorded at the time by the Post-Office Glasgow Annual Directory that by 1847-1848 Alexander Mathieson was a “plane, brace, bit, auger & edge tool maker.” In 1849 the firm of James & William Stewart at 65 Nicolson Street, Edinburgh was taken over and Thomas was put in charge of the business, trading under the name Thomas A. Mathieson & Co. as plane and edge-tool makers. Thomas's company went on to acquire the Edinburgh edge-tool makers “Charles & Hugh McPherson” and took over their premises in Gilmore Street. In the Edinburgh directory of 1856/7, the business is recorded as being Alexander Mathieson & Son, plane and edge-tool makers at 48 Nicolson Street and Paul's Work, Gilmore Street Edinburgh. The 1851 census Alexander is recorded as working as a tool and plane-maker employing eight men. Later that year Alexander died and his son Thomas took over the business. Under the heading of an edge-tool maker in the 1852/3 Post-Office Glasgow Annual Directory the firm is now listed as Alexander Mathieson & Son, with further entries as "turning-lathe and vice manufacturers". By the early 1850s, the business had moved to 24 Saracen Lane. The directory for 1857/8 records that the firm had moved again only a few years later to East Campbell Street, off the Gallowgate area, and that through further diversification was also manufacturing coopers' and tinmen's tools. The ten-yearly censuses report the firm's growth in 1861 stating that Thomas was a tool manufacturer employing 95 men and 30 boys; in 1871 he had 200 men working for him and in 1881 300 men. By 1899 the firm had been incorporated as Alexander Mathieson & Sons Ltd, even though only Alexander's son Thomas appears ever to have joined the firm so the company was still in his fathers' name. In September 1868 Thomas Mathieson put a notice in the newspapers of the Sheffield & Rotherham Independent and the Sheffield Daily Telegraph stating that his firm had used the trade-mark of a crescent and star "for some time" and that "using or imitating the Mark would be proceeded against for infringement". The firm had acquired its interest in the crescent-and-star mark from the heirs of Charles Pickslay, the Sheffield cutler who had registered it with the Cutlers' Company in 1833 and had died in 1852. The year 1868 seems also to be the one in which the name Saracen Tool Works was first adopted; not only does it figure at the foot of the notice in the Sheffield press, it also makes its first appearance in the firm's entry in the Post-Office Glasgow Annual Directory in the 1868/9 edition. As Thomas Mathieson's business grew, so too did his involvement in local public life and philanthropy. One of the representatives of the third ward on the town council of Glasgow, he became a river bailie in 1868, a magistrate in 1870 and a preceptor of Hutcheson's Hospital in 1878. He had a passion for books and was an "ardent Ruskinian". He served on the committee handling the bequest for the setting up of the Mitchell Library in Glasgow. When he died at Coulter Maynes near Biggar in 1899, he left an estate worth £142,764.  Company's later years: Both Thomas's sons, James Harper and Thomas Ogilvie were involved in the continuing life of the firm. James followed in his father's footsteps in becoming a local public figure. He was appointed Deputy Lieutenant of the County of the City of Glasgow and was made a deacon of the Incorporation of the Hammermen of Glasgow in 1919. His brother Thomas Ogilvie was recorded as tool manufacturer and employer in the 1911 census. Thomas Ogilvie's son Thomas Alastair Sutherland Ogilvie Mathieson was born in 1908 took a rather different approach to engineering, however, by becoming a racing driver. In 1947 he wed the French film actress Mila Parély. The firm had won many awards at world fairs for their goods. At the Great Exhibition, London, 1851. Prize medal for joiners' tools in the class of Cutlery & Edge Tools, Great London Exposition, 1862. Prize medal honoris causa. International Exhibition, Melbourne, 1880. Gold medal International Exhibition of Industry, Science and Art, Edinburgh, 1886. Prize medalThe firm of Alexander Mathieson & Sons was one of the leading makers of hand tools in Scotland. Its success went hand in hand with the growth of the shipbuilding industries on the Firth of Clyde in the nineteenth century and the emergence of Glasgow as the "second city of the Empire". It also reflected the firm's skill in responding to an unprecedented demand for quality tools by shipyards, cooperages and other industries, both locally and far and wide.Plane Smoothing Coffin A Mathieson & Son makerflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village

A smoothing plane is a wood plane used for making a smooth surface to wood surfaces traditionally, these planes were blocks of wear resistant hardwood, often beech or maple, which were worked to the shape or size required. The blade, or iron was likewise formed to the intended flat or level profile and secured in the body of the plane with a wooden wedge. A traditional cabinetmakers shop might have many, perhaps hundreds, of moulding and smoothing planes for the full range of work to be performed. Large crown mouldings or smoothing plane surfaces required planes of six or more inches in width, which demanded great strength to push and often had additional peg handles on the sides, allowing the craftsman's apprentice or other worker to pull the plane ahead of the master who guided it. This plane is a coffin pattern smoothing plane and is unmarked so the maker is unknown however it's design and patina indicate it was probably made in the mid to late 19th century and would be regarded as a vintage or antique item sought after today by collectors of vintage tools. A vintage tool made by an unknown maker, that was made commercially for firms and individuals who worked in wood and needed a tool that could produce a flat or level finish to timber. These types of planes came in various shapes and sizes to achieve the required finish to timber surfaces used in cabinet making. This item is a significant tool from the mid to late 19th century that today is quite rare and sought after by collectors. It gives us a snapshot of how furniture and other decorative finishes were created on timber by the use of hand tools only. Smoothing Plane Coffin type Noneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, plane