R Farnham

R Farnham

 

One candidate found who fits the estimated date of the planes

Robert Farnham

b 1770 - d 1800

Boston housewright in 1794 court document, 1795 and1796 deeds, 1796 Boston Directory on Clark Street. Also, a housewright in 1800 probate documents.

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In his will; wife Margaret (Elizabeth in 1796 deed) and children Robert and John. Elizabeth died in 1799.​

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Here is Patrick Leach's description of a set of twelve planes that were found together: "A fresh discovery of a dozen 18th century planes that never were sent to 1000 different directions during their existence; each with classic characteristics of early New England planemaking. They are all stamped R.Farnham within a rather unique maker's mark where it appears (the stamp-maker) waffled between the zig-zag border and the much easier to make straight border. An unreported maker ..." Researched by EarlyAmericanPlanes ... along with ... "documentation that indicates Robert Farnham was a housewright. He's ... listed as such in Boston directories, residing at Clark St., in Boston's North End, just a hundred yards from the ocean-front, and dying there June 1800 at age 30. His estate was probated the following month (things weren't sluggish in the legal profession back then) and he had a fair bit of wealth." Per the plane set: "always together, the planes range from simple profiles to a sash plane, a dado (longer than 10”), and a panel raiser; with a unique slender wedge and very long irons." Noting .... "there are subtle variations in his work with most being flat chamfers (of varying widths), with yellow birch for the bodies and wedges; one plane is beech..." Some planes ..."have ash wedges that are original; a couple show round chamfering that started to appear late during the18th century; a couple have flutes below the chamfers in the manner of the southeast MA and RI makers ..." The lengths ... "range 9.75"-10" (most are 10”); a couple have lignum boxing, which started to appear in Boston area planes during the late 18th century, with notable Boston makers, Timothy Tileston and Levi Little, using the same material ..." Although ...."(the Farnham planes show no resemblance to the Boston planes of that era which mimic English made planes, it's possible Farnham apprenticed south of Boston, learning a different style, and then moved there to ply his trade) ..."The maker mark ... "is very strong on some planes, weaker on others, some with double strikes, all are marked with his name." "Such modern discoveries (as this one) are few and far between, how these managed to stay together for over 225 years is a stroke of luck, they deserve to remain together for many future centuries."

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