Very rare to find one of these in good condition due to pitting caused by the trowel digging in soil and the related dampness. Manufactured by leading makers Brades Co. This is a nice example of a tool used in the Victorian passion of keeping ferns.
The Victorians were mad for ferns, growing them in Wardian cases in their drawing rooms, conservatories and ravine gardens, and hunting many of the UK’s native ferns to the verge of extinction. Then they fell from favour.
The old tool collector 