OK. Oz gets the prize. Oz, here's your prize: :eyeslam:
Anyway, the point is to try to recognize the anachronism in this picture. The frog and the lever cap don't match. The lever cap has a "kidney" shaped hole. This was introduced in the type 16 planes (1933+). The frog has a solid face with an arched top, indicating that it is a type 15 or earlier. Type 16+ frogs have a kind of ogee-shaped contour on the top, with some hollowed out areas on the face of the frog. So... the frog is ≤ type 15, and the lever cap is ≥ type 16. This is what is sometimes called a "frankenplane". The seller has put together parts from different types of planes to make a marketable product.
What type is the BODY of the plane? Who knows? You can't tell from the pics or description. Some ways you COULD tell would be if the seller showed a pic of the area just below the front knob (is there a raised rib there?), or told you what the patent dates were (are there 0, 1, 2, or 3 dates listed?). If you knew this, you could better ascertain the date of the body.
Now, the real question is: does this affect the value of the plane? As a collector, yes; as a user, not really. It should work just fine, but don't pay collector prices for it, IMHO. If this goes for <$20, it might be worth it to you just for the usable wood or other parts (if you happen to have a plane that is in need of repair). One other thing to mention: You can't tell the condition of the tote (rear handle) from the pics or description. Personally, I wouldn't bid on this one without clarifying that with the seller (more detailed pics or description), because the wood is really all I personally would want this one for, anyway.
So.... are posts like this helpful? I know I learned a lot from posts like this on Woodnet.
