Description

Rare Antique Herring Bros. 'London,' Hand Forged Carving Gouge For the Professional

Antique Herring Bros 3/16" (5mm) Cut, Straight Carving Gouge, #7 Sweep, Length 8 3/4"

Master Hand Crafted Tool with Perfect Balance

The Marks on the High Carbon Steel Come About as a Result of Great Age. Images are highly enlarged 

Sharp and Ready to Use

History

Leading carving experts, like Chris Pye, Ian Agrell, Mack Headley, when asked about classic tools, always list "Addis," "Herring Bros" and "Ward & Payne" as the best carving edge tool makers. Accurate, precision carving tools with perfect balance. 

When the famous sculptor Gaston Lachaise (1882-1935) left France to immigrate to the USA in 1905 (aged 23) he stopped off in London to take part in an exhibition there. While there he also bought a Herring Bro 'London' gouge for his carving work arriving in Boston US in 1906.

In 1853 - Thomas Herring, 19, married Harriet, the daughter of Samuel Joseph Addis (S J Addis). The couple had two sons, Thomas Herring (born 1853) and Joseph Herring (born 1857) when his mother Harriet sadly died in childbirth. Later Thomas Herring went into the carving tool business with his brother Edwin, setting up shop across the street from Samuel Joseph Addis (his father-in-law) on Gravel Lane, Southwark, London. It was from them Lachaise bought his Herring gouge later discovered in his toolbox when he died. Lachaise was most famous for his "standing woman" carving later cast life size in bronze among many others.

Please note: The images form part of the description