Drabble + Sanderson + very poor but early?? etch.

Hello all,

I bought this saw a couple of days ago mainly because of the flat handle, looked at it and put it to one side as I could see nothing on the blade. (It was cleaned already - unfortunately- to the extent that it is now).

I was looking at it again today and caught the shadow of an etch, hence the photo's and this thread.

I am wondering:-" Why stamp the back and etch the blade"? One of the explanations that I can come up with is that it was at the time when the company was either in the early days of etching as a practice or that they were experimenting with it. The handle would indicate (I think) an earlier rather than a later saw.

Also below the "Drabble & Sanderson" "Sheffield" which is a simple etch that appears in the (I think Kelly's) 1901 Trade Marks Section there is a more ornate one. In the Whites 1879 Trade Index section there is no mark for Drabble and Sanderson and I have as yet found no intermediate or prior directories to look at with trade mark sections in them.

If anyone has a saw with this etch on, I would like to see it, or as second best a printed trade mark containing the etch.

Sorry about the quality of the pictures but the etch was very hard to photograph. I will try again at some stage in a different light.

Does anyone know how I can enhance what etch is left without further damaging it?

Hoping for some pics and advice

Fred