The first edition of the classic work Four Centuries of Dutch Planes and Planemakers by Gerrit van der Sterre appeared 10 years ago. Unfortunately this bilingual (Dutch + English) book was sold out rapidly. For several reasons it has taken many years before a second edition could be realised. But now it’s there.

For hundreds of years the wooden plane has been one of the predominant tools in woodworking. Like Britain, Holland played an important role in developing this tool. Dutch planemakers exported their products to the United States and many other countries in the world.

Four Centuries of Dutch Planes and Planemakers is the first detailed book on the Dutch hand plane. It discusses the workings of various types of planes in detail, using clear drawings by the author as illustrations. The history of the hand plane in Holland goes back as far as Roman times, but the author’s specific purpose is to concentrate on the professional planemakers in important Dutch centers like Amsterdam and Rotterdam.

Apart from the many craftsmen who made their own hand planes, professional planemakers started their activities early in the 18^th century. Their products were often dated and beautifully decorated with mostly standardized carvings. The end of the 18^th century saw the demise of the guilds and in the 19^th century the production of hand planes became mechanized and industrialized. The marks that can be found on the planes reflect this development. Therefore a register of planemaker’s marks is an integral and valuable part of the book.

Author Gerrit van der Sterre unfortunately passed away one year after the publication of his book. Up until the end he was busy preparing corrections and additions for a possible next edition. Liber et Commercium has now issued a revised second edition based on these corrections and comments from involved readers. The book (hardcover, 264 pages, 131 photo’s/illustrations) can be ordered directly from the publisher, LiberEtCommercium.com. 

Source: Liber et Commercium