This 8 inch brass-backed saw is not all that special, although it is very pleasant to hold in the hand. It is as much a tribute to the mark makers skills as to the saw maker's - it certainly has more words struck in a smaller space than I can recall anywhere else. It's also one of the ones that's hard to date, as I think that the appearance alone would do for anything between about 1840 and 1920. Gardner was (according to British Plane Makers 3) at Narrow Wine Street only from 1899, and entered himself in the list of saw makers (or "saw makers") only in 1910, so perhaps we'd better date it at around those two dates. But the most striking thing about it is its performance. It's absolutely straight, and although not the sharpest ever, it made a cut as shown very easily, leaving a kerf only 1/64 inches wide. There is an owner's name on both sides of the handle, and we should take off our hats to this Mr Weeks, who looked after his nice little saw so carefully that a century later it will still perform exactly as it should – if only I had the skills to do it justice!
Simon, I think that this saw looks great, all that text in such a small place, in many other circles, the more info you have often helps to narrow the field of events you are interested in, manufacture of said saw for example. Eventually the tool makers would of out sourced more and more work, the more skilled they became, often changing direction to suite the times and other changes in there business. One heck of a lot of info in a tiny space, obviously very well looked after. Almost like piece work, handles made by one, plate done by another, eventually the whole package coming together, oh to of been a fly on the wall then in one of these shops.