B68-352 COMBINATION PLANE.  Baines Patent.  Patented in 1874 by John Baines of New York City, whose profession is listed as “oar maker.”  It was designed to be configured as various types of planes, including smoother, filletster, plow, sash and beader.  It has a handmade look, likely as a prototype rather than production model, and also appears to be missing some of the attachments necessary for different configurations.  Brass body and fence with beech tote and wedge;  1-5/8" cutter marked "P*ML."  The sole has an adjustable throat and decorative pattern of grooves presumably to reduce friction.  The fence slides on brass arms and is locked with thumbscrew on the underside, there are also matching thumbscrews on top of the arms.  The fence has three holes that may have been intended for a wooden face that is not there.  The only other known example is in the D’Elia Museum.  More information will be included in the forthcoming Volume III of Roger Smith’s Patented Transitional and Metallic America Planes, to be available exclusively from the Fine Tool Journal.  From the collection of Harold Unruh.  Good+ 1000-2000