The MACo Ltd 1937, A slice of history

Discussion in 'Forum: Saw Identification and Discussion' started by lui, Nov 1, 2010.

  1. lui

    lui Most Valued Member

    Messages:
    77
    Hi All,

    I have aquired a old catalogue from 1937. Its the MACo ltd catalogue and it's a beutiful slice of history.

    It's not small, having 1600 pages, and sells everything, Fire places, ranges, baths, mangles, furniture, gates, sheds , bicycles, door knods, infact if it was made back then it's in the catalogue.

    One of the more telling bits of social history is the label in the inside cover that states,

    "95% of the goods in the catalogue are of BRITISH MAKE, goods of foreign origin are clearly marked"

    I suspect that the equivilent goods nowadays would be less than 5% and be clearly marked as British.

    I've attached some scans of some of the carpentry tool pages that I thought you would be interested in.

    I never really got the hang of pounds, shillings and pence, looking at the charts of carpenters pay it seems that a carpenter in 1937 was paid on average around 60 shillings a week for a 5 and a half day week.

    So a good saw was a day and a halfs pay.

    [​IMG]
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    regards

    lui
     
  2. ray

    ray Administrator Staff Member

    Messages:
    671
    Hi Lui,

    Thanks for posting that, I know Spearior (Spear and Jackson) and Disston of course, but "Themac", "Red Tang" and "Mowbray" are new to me. They look like they might be house brands.

    Mowbray Street in Sheffield of course has been home to some saw making firms over the years, maybe there is a connection of some sort there.

    These "house brands" can often be the among the most problematic to track down, since they generally don't appear in trade directories, and catalogues like yours are often the only source of primary data.

    Regarding "Made In UK" we have the same situation in Australia, most of the stuff in hardware stores is imported, most often from China.

    Regards
    Ray
     
  3. lui

    lui Most Valued Member

    Messages:
    77
    Hi Ray,

    Themac, is "The MAC" own branded goods, and is common through out the entire catalogue.

    The Mowbry, I had see referance to before but I couldn't track down where, however there is another referance to the Mowbray in the link you attached to the etching thread.

    The mowbray was a saw made by Taylor brothers. Who had a works on mowbray street, I'm not sure when they closed down but were present in 1925, so it wouldn't be unreasonable to assume that they were still going in 1937.

    regards

    lui
     
  4. fred0325

    fred0325 Most Valued Member

    Messages:
    1,084
    Hello Lui,

    One of the first pictures that I posted on the site was of the Mowbray etch on a handsaw blade. I was quite taken with the sheep having a halo above its head. It is in my gallery under Sorby Disston and Taylor, but I'll put it here too.


    Its a bit grubby and rusted but you can see the main theme of it.

    The handle looks quite late, which is probably why the etch has survived.

    Fred
     

    Attached Files:

  5. ray

    ray Administrator Staff Member

    Messages:
    671
    Hi Lui and Fred,

    Nice work Lui, for spotting the Mowbray brand in that list of Taylor Brothers Registered Marks, looking at the same image, I also see "Red Tang" is listed in the middle at the bottom.

    [​IMG]

    The image is from Wiktor's site, courtesy of TATHS and Simon Barley who published the image from a document in Ken Hawley's collection.

    (I hope that covers the attribution sufficiently :) )

    So, I think it's obvious that at least some, if not all, the "Red Tang" saws were also made by Taylor Brothers,

    I would be surprised if they didn't make the "Themac" as well.


    Regards
    Ray
     
    Last edited: Nov 21, 2010
  6. ray

    ray Administrator Staff Member

    Messages:
    671
    Hi Fred,

    Thanks for solving another mystery, I have long wondered what manner of exotic creature had posed for the Taylor Brothers Logo, at one stage I was convinced it was a seal.

    [​IMG]

    Sheep with halo it is!.

    Regards
    Ray
     
  7. ray

    ray Administrator Staff Member

    Messages:
    671

    Hi Fred et al,

    A recent discussion, has thrown a little extra light on the Taylor Brothers Trademark,

    Evidently it's called the "Paschal lamb" a symbol used in heraldry, with Christian, and Masonic symbolic connections.

    Here is a google image search for "paschal lamb"

    http://www.google.com.au/images?um=...=1&q=paschal+lamb&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

    Sometimes the pennant appears to be a cross, other times it's the St George Cross. Sometimes with halo, sometimes not.

    The Taylor Brothers version, is lying down, perhaps that has some additional symbolic significance?

    Interesting subject, if not strictly saw related.

    Regards
    Ray