My old tool collection has officially begun with the purchase of the wooden plow plane below. This is a plane last owned by a woodworker named R.J. Cox (who was at least the second owner of the plane, having overwritten the name of the previous owner). The plane feels great in my hand and I look forward to making some shavings with it soon. You can only stop and wonder how many pieces of fine cabinetry this plane has contributed to and the stories it could tell.

With the help of WoodCentral's hand tool forum I've been able to establish the plane as an English Stothert Bath plane built prior to 1857 using an iron forged by Wayne & Payne sometime after the 1840's, sold through C & C Wright of Boston, England. That puts the date in the 1840's or 1850's (assuming the iron hasn't been replaced).