Hi This is my first post on the the forum, I've been a member for a few months lurking in the background admiring some of saws posted here. I've just received a copy of Simons British Saws and Saw makers, what an excellent reference and mammoth piece of work it is. Of course one of the first things one does when reading a book like this is to dig out your own saws and find out a bit more about them. I've had this 12" saw for a while now it was covered in paint, (which helped preserve the blade I suppose but meant a lot of work to the handle). The entry in the book for this company suggests a long life ( 1873 - 1959) but then states that it is unlikely that any saws with both names on it will be recorded. I'm guessing that my saw dates to the early 20th century based on very little evidence apart from instinct. I would welcome a more qualified view from someone who knows what they are talking about lol. Rob
Hi Rob, What a lovely looking saw. The handle especially has come up well. I would not be surprised if Simon wanted a image of the mark. I will mail him to tell him that it is on here. Your dates I would guess are about right, possibly a little either side of the turn of the century. I initially thought that it may be a little pre 1900, but then I looked again and saw the Ltd. at the end of the name. Whilst limited Liability companies came in the 1840/50's (I forget when exactly), there seemed to be a flurry of them appearing around the 1905 mark and so this may be a more realistic date. The interesting thing for me is that it has what sometimes appears on Victorian saws, a play on words within the trade mark. In this case, possibly 2 plays. The first is a pair of spectacles and I C (phonetically I See), presumably with the aid of the glasses. No 2 is a bit less likely but still possible. It would probably be within living memory at the time that I was used as a "J". Thus you have a substitute I C for J C - Jonas and Colver. This I think is a long shot though. Fred
Thank you Fred, I must admit I always thought the I in the spectacles was a J substitute, as you say it was not an unusual practice in times past. However I am a bit thick as I never put 2 and 2 together to come up with the 'I see' play on words. As you say it is a lovely looking saw, though the handle grip is quite small ( and I have big hands) it was one of my first old saws so I did get it sharpened and used it, I now have an A House, Clapham junction 14 " rip saw that is now my rip saw of choice so it doesn't get a lot of use now. Rob