Healey London saw

Discussion in 'Forum: Saw Identification and Discussion' started by gmac, Mar 12, 2016.

  1. gmac

    gmac Active Member

    Messages:
    37
    h6.jpg h7.jpg Hello all,

    A friend of mine brought back a saw he had found while on a trip to
    New Zealand, and is trying to find some information about its origins.

    I was hoping that my copy of Simon Barley's book would help, while there was
    an entry for Healey, there was not much information.

    Could any one help with this saw's identification.

    It is a 28" straight back with nib 4 ppi (5 ppi at toe) rip saw with a London pattern beech
    handle held with three split nut screws, stamped HEALEY LONDON,
    the blade is thick and heavy and fairly full width.

    Regards

    Graham.
     
  2. gmac

    gmac Active Member

    Messages:
    37
    some more Healey saw photos
     
  3. gmac

    gmac Active Member

    Messages:
    37
    how do I upload photos?
     
  4. admin

    admin Administrator Staff Member

    Messages:
    32
  5. gmac

    gmac Active Member

    Messages:
    37
    Hi Ray,
    with the picture upload video, I can't enlarge the window
    and there is no sound
    Graham.
     
  6. admin

    admin Administrator Staff Member

    Messages:
    32
    Hi Graham, That help video came from vimeo, I suspect the problem might be that your browser doesn't support flash. It plays ok on Chrome, SeaMonkey and Firefox.
    The original of the help video can be found here, copy the link below into your browser.
    Code:
    https://vimeo.com/13955213
    Ray
     
  7. Barleys

    Barleys Most Valued Member

    Messages:
    546
    In British Plane Makers, a plane mark is illustrated from "late 19th early 20th century" with an address at 188 High Street, Poplar; it is fairly certain that this Healey was a dealer, and that the saw is from the same stable: the mark on a back saw I found on ebay in 2008 was probably from a similar date. I've tried using the infinitely tedious website historicaldirectories to look for Mr Healey but got frustrated and bored. Will try again, meanwhile the photos may get loaded and we can check the dates a bit more closely.
    Simon
     
  8. gmac

    gmac Active Member

    Messages:
    37
    Hello again,
    I've watched the upload video and will try again to upload
    the photos of the Healey saw.
     
  9. gmac

    gmac Active Member

    Messages:
    37
    well that didn't work,
    had a message saying

    "the uploaded file is too large for the server to process"

    the image size range from 2.07mb to 3.62mb
    do I need to reduce these somehow?

    Graham.
     
  10. admin

    admin Administrator Staff Member

    Messages:
    32
    Hi Graham, Can you try a smaller image and see if that works.
    Ray
     
  11. gmac

    gmac Active Member

    Messages:
    37
    Hi all,

    I have taken some fresh photos of my friends Healey saw
    and have cropped and reduced their size and will attempt to
    upload them.

    Please have a look at them, and if you have any suggestions
    about its identification, I will be most grateful.

    Thank you

    Graham.

    h1.jpg h2.jpg h3.jpg h4.jpg h6.jpg h5.jpg
     
  12. Barleys

    Barleys Most Valued Member

    Messages:
    546
    Thanks very much for persisting, Graham!

    Your friend's saw is a very characteristic London saw of the last 20 or so years of the 19th century and maybe a bit beyond – London pattern handle, three screws, large boss and fairly narrow nose, and a maker/dealer's name as a surname plus the single word London. If I was feeling stronger (nay, much stronger), I'd search the directories for this man, who was I suspect an ironmonger. Maybe another day…
    Simon
     
  13. gmac

    gmac Active Member

    Messages:
    37
    Hello Simon,

    thanks for your reply, by directories do you mean
    Grace guides, the Gazette, are there others that you can suggest
    so that I could look through as well.

    What would your assessment of this saw be, one to leave as is and admire
    wearing gloves or clean it up and use.

    thank you

    Graham.
     
  14. Barleys

    Barleys Most Valued Member

    Messages:
    546
    Wonderful what a night's sleep can do: I only had to spend an hour or so on the website Historical Directories of England and Wales to make a fair guess at Healey's identity. I've written the following entry:
    "HEALEY LONDON

    Not identified, but a strong contender would be Charles Healey, chairmaker, of 27 Mintern Street, Hoxton (<1882-1910>); this furniture-making area supported many workers in wood who often specialised in making furniture parts, and who frequently dealt in tools. He would not have made saws, and his source for factoring them is not known. Because these London handsaws were so characteristic and similar, it is tempting to think they all came from one maker; none is documented, but a guess might be J.V.Hill, the long-lived and perhaps most succesful maker in 19th century London. "

    To complete it, could Graham perhaps email me direct a nice big image of the maker's mark please? (to barleys@mac.com); it would make the 306th extra image I've accumulated for the update.
    Thanks very much Simon (PS: I didn't try either of the other two sources Graham suggests, but I'd be v interested to know if they can be contributory here.)