Hello all, This is one of the few saws that I haven't got off Ebay recently, it came from an auction in Edinburgh. I suspect that it will be of interest to only a few as there are probably not many of these around. I have never seen the name before and Simon didn't believe it until I sent him the photographs. I can find a reference to this company in only the 1841 and 1852 Post Office Directories for London. They were wholesale ironmongers and had premises at 189 Union Street, Borough ( although which Borough is unclear). There are no Holmers listed in the on-line directories between 1852 and 1895. The blade (which is surprisingly straight) is 12 inches and with quite a substantial boss. The back is brass. The stamps have a certain interest as there are (to my eye) 4 separate ones with 3 different letter styles and with the "Holmer" stamp way out of kilter with the rest. Perhaps pointing to the fact that it was one of many different supplier's stamps that was added after the main (and quite neat) stamping had been done. The fact that the "spring" and "temper" are completely different and separated as they are, is also a bit odd, as you would expect these to be the same and spacially related to each other. I don't know why, but the handle looks a little later than 1850 -ish, but I don't think that it has been replaced and so I am wrong (which is not unusual) or they lasted at least a decade or two after the last recorded entry that I can find. So, does anyone have any other sources for London, or know of any online that I haven't found. I have looked in the London Gazette, but all I come up with is an error message. In anticipation. Fred
Hey Fred Nice saw again. I would have to agree with all that you have said as it being an 1850 ish saw. I also found Holmer, Bummet and Pix as Iron mongers in the 1808 directory but it really doesn't look that early. Odd stampings all around from a large saw maker and then the Holmer stamp name added. Handle doesn't look messed with but I can't see what the nuts look like on the other side. As to who made it originally we would only be guessing. Joe S.
That's some gorgeous wood on that handle, although the shape is quite bulky. Is the handle loose? I ask because the tops of the cheeks are pointing skyward, which tells me that it is either very loose or it's a remounted handle that wasn't done well.
holmer hello fred borough is the borough in south london famous for it,s fruit market.union st runs east from blackfriars rd for about half a mile towards london bridge hope i,m not telling granny how to suck eggs pat
Hi all who have replied, Whilst the handle was loose, and I emphasise was because I have done to this saw something that I have never done to a saw before that was not to be used as parts, and that is take the handle off (and replace it). The handle is original to the saw and there is not the play in it to level the chamfer with the blade Simon in his own inimitable way was quite blunt about the saw, remarking that the handle was poorly finished and noting that the word "London" was missing from in front of "Spring", thus denoting that it was not a first quality saw. I assume that the poorly fitted handle was part and parcel of it being of lesser quality. But that just means that it fits in well with the majority of my current collection. Thanks for the London geography lesson Sweaders, I really am ignorant of anywhere in the UK south of Derby and to the west of the Pennines. I have been moving consistently northwards looking for less populated places to live as civilisation catches up with me. I am currently living near Pitlochry and expect to have to move even further north unless the rising cost of fuel saves me. London is another world, to be visited only when necessary and under duress. And finally Joe, I think that this one will remain a mystery. But that is part of the fun with old saws. Fred
A couple more references: The Kent Directories ... "Holmer & Co. ironmongers, 165, Borough" http://books.google.com.au/books?id...0CEEQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q="holmer & co"&f=false On bill to Petworth House, 1827 ... "Holmer, Martyr & Co., ironmonger" http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/A2A/records.aspx?cat=182-pha10-11&cid=-1#-1 Thanks, Paul
OK ... and a few more ... marvelous these records have been digitised ... http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/18218/pages/280/page.pdf http://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:William_Holmer_(1) http://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:William_Holmer_(2)