Hello all, I don't normally go for American saws but this one "spoke" to me. It is not the best example of this make, but then again I have not seen that many others referred to and which is partly why I bought it. Another partial reason is that it has that rather nice pointy bit (proper nomenclature??) of the handle running along the back, and I have not so far got an example of such. I cannot find out much about the maker either. Examples have appeared on other websites but the resulting discussions have not come up with much. For some reason I cannot now retrace those searches and so I am going from memory when I say that I think that this man operated from Boston. I realise that I will be asking some of those who may have replied to other websites research this maker but there are also some on here who are very adept at such things. I would love to know more. Fred
Hi Fred, I don't know the official term for the pointy bit either, but I always call it the "nose" (it does stick out above the "cheek") "J H Noble" was the secondary line of Richardson Bros of Newark, New Jersey who operated as a single company 1866-90, then formed an alliance with 3 other sawmakers (Wheeler, Madden &Clemson, Harvey Peace, and Woodrough & McParlin) to form "The National Saw Company" 1890-1906, which continued to market saws under the original names. Then taken over by Disston, although I don't think Disston continued to use the "Noble" label My reprint of the 1895 National Saw Company catalog shows a J H Noble backsaw, but without the pointy bit which seems to be reserved for the "Richardson Bros" labelled saws (although they all also have a hook, unlike your saw) So it appears your saw dates from sometime before, or after, the 1895 catalog
Hi Kiwi, Thanks for the reply. A very succinct and informative middle paragraph. My faith in the human race has not been misplaced. And at least I now know that the saw was made before 1895.............or after. Fred
Sheffield makers on rare occasions produced this "pointy bit" handle - no documented name for it there either. I was recently sent pictures of this nice one by Moulson brothers, made about 1880, at a guess.