Woodworkers, hobbyist, collectors who enjoy using hand tools welcome to my Website…

I want to thank you for visiting my page, and if your like me, you are extremely passionate about woodworking tools.  I, so much so, that I devoted my career to selling 19th century antique tools.  As a tool dealer, I think of myself as a preserver or our American heritage.  These are our roots, these are the tools that built our country.  I am forever learning about our early tradesmen and their influence on American woodworking.  When I discover these tools in dirty basements, garages or barns, all scuffed, scraped and discarded generations ago, I feel honored to be given the unique opportunity to restore them “very gently” back to their original beauty, as they once were, many generations ago.  I feel like I am giving them a “new life” to be used and cherished for another century or more.  The quality and hand craftsmanship of these old tools cannot be reproduced today – this is the very reason why they are so sought after, by woodworkers and collectors alike.

My antique  business was Established in 1982 and I specialized in restoring and selling 19th Century antique furniture.  The genesis of the tool shop occurred almost unknowingly.  I had stumbled upon an old antique tool chest, which I was going to restore, but upon further inspection, I was greeted with a wonderful assortment, of what I believed to be, old carpenters tools.   I knew little about them, but I was determined to learn more.   As I cleaned them up, I realized the beauty and learned about the function of these old relics.  I started selling them in my shop and they were immediately my best sellers!  In 1985 I bought a private collection of over 800 antique tools from a life-long tool collector, this was a major boon for my business, as you could imagine.  It took me months to research, catalog, clean and price them.  I was overwhelmed with the amount of interest from collectors and craftsman.  My tool business immediately took off. In 1988 I published my first “Whitney House Antiques Tool Shop Mail Order Catalogue”.  It offered well over 1000+ tools, some of which were the most sought after and extremely collectible pieces such as a signed “Erlandsen” ivory bow drill,  Ca 1700 Austrian inscribed “Sign of Trinity”  Goose Wing Axe, a Solid Ebony Horn Plane,  18th Century  Ebony and Brass Brace and a Cesar Chelor, Wrentham Plane (which I owned and regret selling to this day) to name a few.  It was so well received that it was hard to keep up with the orders!  I had loyal customers from all over the world.

I specialize in early woodworking tools, trade tools and agricultural implements for the collector or craftsman.  I am always on the hunt to find the best quality tools so that I can keep my “Tool Shop” at the Lafayette Mill Antique Center constantly fresh and restocked.  I always have on hand a superb assortment of over 1,000 plus antique and vintage tools for the collector and user.  I personally select all items from private collections and estates.    I have a good assortment of user quality metallic planes, molding planes, plow planes, braces, levels, calipers, drills, chisels, axes, draw knives, handsaws etc as well as other specialty trade, primitive farm implements and iron tools.

I am a long time member of “Crafts of New Jersey”  Collectors of Rare and Familiar Tools Society – A Premier Antique Tool Collector’s Club. and my shop recently had an a Dealer Profile article in the The Tool Shed a journal of Tool Collecting published by Crafts of NJ. (visit “In The News” to see all articles about my tool shop history). I am also a member of Early American Industries Association, Celebrating Trades, Crafts and Tools in American History and Their Impact on Our Lives.

I couldn’t have done this with out my best friend and husband; Bob, who introduced me to antiques in 1978.  He still supports me to this day.  We have been happily married for 38 years.

In my spare time, I am the proud mother of four and the grandmother or 8.  I enjoy riding my two quarter horses, Gus and Charlie and spending time with my favorite buddy, Bailey my Golden Retriever.  I love the outdoors, gardening, hiking, biking and EVEN fishing…..just to name a few of my interest.