Hello there,
Rainy days are great sometime as they allow me to sit in front of my computer rather than fiddling around with tools.

We did have a very nice tool trip around the last 2 auctions in UK. As you can see our auction is building up, and there is even more items to come.

I am actually cleaning a wonderful tool chest containing the tool kit of a wood engraver (over 200 tools!). This lost trade had to carve end grain wood, and it was very often boxwood, to make very fine woodcuts used in printing. This is the first time I come across tools of this trade and it is facinating to gain understanding of it through an insight in such a comprehensive kit. This will be offered on sale next week.

As you know I like to share my finds, here's one: This is a winemaker's jug, hollowed out of one piece of chestnut. The bottom is inserted in a groove, like in cooperage. Sure they were using greenwood in order to be able to slide the bottom in place, then through the drying process the bottom would become tight and waterproof. I guess it was quite tricky to decide of the size of it: not too tight otherwise the jug would split and the work wasted...