Jackson

Discussion in 'Forum: Saw Identification and Discussion' started by purfler, Aug 19, 2012.

  1. purfler

    purfler Most Valued Member

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    I cleaned a saw I bought the other week thinkiing it was a US (most likely Disston because of the shape of the "shield" in the centre of the circle in the medallion) Warranted Superior and found that some of the etch remains. What I can read (I doubt it will photograph)
    reads:

    JACKSON (in an arc)
    ESTABLISHED (FONT A THIRD THE SIZE OF ABOVE)
    1840
    WAR S(?)TONES CAST STEEL ( outer words in an arc)

    The "shield" shape is repeated in the etch, with the surrounding words in what would be mantling in heraldic terms. (sorry for the clumsy description)

    The handle is beech the blade (along the teeth) 20" and it has a nib. It is 8 points to the inch.

    This is the handle, if it is of any help:

    https://picasaweb.google.com/timrobinson22/Saws?authkey=Gv1sRgCMy2rJ-4l9HslgE#5778340228117501330

    Any suggestions welcome. HSMOB does not seem to help, nor does googling.

    Regards and thanks in advance.

    Tim

    PS Yesterday's acquisition was a quite nice Disston 7, 1897-1917, for $5.
     
  2. TobyC

    TobyC Most Valued Member

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    The etch isn't clear, (maybe if you print it out) but you can see a Disston Jackson here, on page 136.

    Toby
     
  3. ray

    ray Administrator Staff Member

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    Hi Tim,

    The medallion is the Disston Warranted Superior, With the keystone logo and I'd be pretty confidant it's a Disston Jackson.

    Regards
    Ray
     
  4. purfler

    purfler Most Valued Member

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    Thanks for the replies Ray and Toby, and the link. The picture on page 136 looks like it, based on what is visible on mine.

    Roughly what years were the Disston Jackson's made? 1890s to post WW1?

    Thanks again,

    Tim
     
    Last edited: Aug 19, 2012
  5. TobyC

    TobyC Most Valued Member

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    I guess my post was confusing, I meant the etch in the catalog that I linked to.

    Toby
     
  6. purfler

    purfler Most Valued Member

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    Toby,

    I edited my first reply - I realised I had misunderstood you.

    Thanks,

    Tim
     
  7. TobyC

    TobyC Most Valued Member

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    I saw. And I'll accept the blame for not being clear. I'm still looking into the start and stop dates for Jackson saws.

    Toby
     
  8. TobyC

    TobyC Most Valued Member

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    I sent an email to Erik von Sneidern, and this was his reply;

    Toby
     
  9. TobyC

    TobyC Most Valued Member

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    The etch should be something like this.

    [​IMG]

    Toby
     
  10. purfler

    purfler Most Valued Member

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  11. TobyC

    TobyC Most Valued Member

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    This is part of another email from Erik von Sneidern.

    This is from RayG.

    This is also from RayG.

    Toby
     
  12. TobyC

    TobyC Most Valued Member

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    You're in Sydney, and Disston had a factory in Sydney, so it's easy to assume that your saw came from the Disston factory in Sydney, but it could just as easily have come from the US. When people cross the ocean they tend to take things with them.
    The only Disstons that I've heard of that were made in the Canadian and/or Australian factories were those marked Disston or Keystone. I don't know if they made the Brown's, C Bishop, T Taylor or Jackson saws outside of the US.

    Toby
     
  13. purfler

    purfler Most Valued Member

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    Hi Toby,

    Many, many thanks for the information. I have a particular interest in Australian tools (my plane collection now focusses on those made here - barring the odd unrecognised bargain).

    All this begs the question - is anyone writing a history of hand tool manufacture in Australia? Or more relevantly, given my day job (archivist), is there any program to collect, preserve and make available the records of tool companies here. Such a program really needs to proceed before any attempt at the writing of a comprehensive history. I have a pretty good knowledge of archives and manuscript collections in Australia, and I think I know that it is an area where there has not been a great deal of activity.

    Regards,

    Tim
     
  14. TobyC

    TobyC Most Valued Member

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    Well, you would think so. There is more than enough interest to make it worthwhile.
    There is HTPAA , which doesn't have much to offer, and HTPS of Western Australia, which doesn't even have a current homepage, and I'm sure there's others, but the short answer is no. There is an opening in that department if you're interested!

    Toby

    There is also TTTG which I have not looked into yet.
     
    Last edited: Aug 23, 2012
  15. purfler

    purfler Most Valued Member

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    Toby,

    I am interested, but as I said the first thing is to to ensure the records are located, preserved and prepared for use. I've been an archivist for 32 years and have seen any number of half-baked "histories" written before the sources were even found, let alone prepared for use. I will make enquiries amongst my colleagues, particulary those in collecting institutions like the Mitchell and National Libraries, the Uni of Melbourne Archives and the Noel Butlin Archives Centre at the ANU - all of whom collect and hold business records.

    In the meantime if anyone reading this knows of records from Australian tool making companies - anything at all - please let me know.

    Regards,

    Tim
     
  16. PeterEvans

    PeterEvans Most Valued Member

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    Tim,

    There are a number of people interested in the history of Oz tool makers. Data is scattered, as the local companies, mostly post-war 2, are no longer in existance. What is available:

    TTTG http://www.tttg.org.au/php/tttg_Page.php?n=01 publishes a newsletter 6 x pa that often contains material on Oz makers. There are regular Sydney meetings, a number of knowledgeable members - and I am sure your interest to research companies will be well received.

    HTPAA http://www.htpaa.org.au/ausmakers.php lists known makers/merchants, has many knowledgeable members such as Graeme Plaw who was a senior executive with Turner Industries and later Stanley Australia. The 4 x pa journal + other publications conains a lot of local info.

    Both organisations are worth joining (I belong to both) if you do not already belong.

    Good sources are the State Archives at Kingswood for compay filings - and of course Trove http://trove.nla.gov.au/, where you will find for example an advert by the parent company of Silex Tools indicating they also imported Saab planes! But you have probably already dipped into those sources.

    Have you seen (not saws) "Australian Woodworking Planemakers" by Trevor Semmens, 1998. A bit out-of-date now, but a good starting place for planes.

    Of course, there are a large number of merchant catalogues, such as Anthony Horderns in Sydney, and Danks and McPhersons in Melbourne, around.

    Cheers
    Peter
     
  17. purfler

    purfler Most Valued Member

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    Dear Peter,

    Many thanks for the reply. I know the web sites and keep meaning to join - I'm going to have to stop work, it gets in the way of doing interesting stuff :)

    I didn't know of the Semmens book - I'll chase it up.

    The loss of Australia's archival heritage is sadly too common, tool makers are going to be just another example. When companies close or merge there is the greatest risk to the records. Most people think they might have any value and don't even think to ask someone who might know. I wonder if Stanley Australia has retained any of the Turner records, of even its own? There are costs involved in keeping records, and the job of my unit (comprised of archivists and records managers) is to destroy as much as possible as soon as possible - but what that means is that the resources are then available to properly look after the records that are needed for long term retention. What needs to happen at the close of a company is for an archivist to do an appraisal exercise on the records, rather then all being sent to landfill.

    Regards,

    Tim
     
    Last edited: Aug 26, 2012
  18. TobyC

    TobyC Most Valued Member

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    I may be wrong about what they made/didn't make in the Canadian/Australian Disston factories! I have now seen these.
    So I guess it's possible that any, or all of the second line saws could have been made there.

    Toby
     
  19. TobyC

    TobyC Most Valued Member

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    [​IMG]

    Lousy picture, but it is a "the Imp" from Toronto, Canada

    (I added this picture because sometimes you don't get to see the pictures or attachments on the Canadian site unless your signed in)

    Toby
     
  20. purfler

    purfler Most Valued Member

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