Even in the era of the cordless electric drill, simple hand tools hold a special appeal for collectors. Divided into six categories including handmade traditional European and American designs made for working wood, metal, and leather, as well as tools for the building trades, with over a dozen specialized hammer shapes, this volume shows how our ancestors used to carve, rivet, gauge, saw, and join together their daily lives.

Collectible Hand Tools features over four hundred color photographs accompanied by detailed captions explaining the significance of every tool displayed, and a section of useful addresses to guide the curious. Whether ordinary or extraordinary, the history and function of the tools that have built our world are yours to discover.