Ray, et al. This saw came recently from our favourite on line auction. It was unnamed because the stamp as we will see was hard to see even for me who knew what and where to look. The handle was the tell tale sign on a fairly early saw. I couldn't resist and I wasn't disappointed when it arrived. A 26" blade with a beech handle held on by 3 screws. The stamp is hard to see but we have a "S Peace" above a "German Steel" mark. What is odd is the letters seem to be almost single stamped in a sorta straight line. S. Peace is Samuel Peace who resided at 5 Smithfield. I have found him in the directories up to 1828 but the HSMB suggests from 1814-1825 and that was referenced from directories and Kenneth Roberts some "19th Century English Woodworking Tools." I have two queries. Has anyone any S Peace saws with a later William and Samuel Peace (1822-1829)markings that might differentiate a later saw date or include this saw in that time period. Peace and Co (Edwin and Samuel)was a later union 1833-1841 which would become Eagle Works. I am thinking this saw is too early for any of these later manufactures but we need to see a different stamp to be sure. The second question is about the "handle connectors". This is only my second saw with this bolt through two brass heads. The other is a very early American saw (1830s). The face side isn't slotted so was this iron or steel bolt soldered, riveted or peened to the brass and then slotted on the far side of the handle and screwed tight? Was this a typical connector for a few years? enjoy the pics Joe S.
Hi Joe, i don't think that I have a Peace saw in any of their incarnations and so I am at a loss re. your first question. I may not be of much help on the second either. Bearing in mind that I have absolutely no evidence to support what I say, I have always thought that this type of fixing through what is essentially a conventional early saw screw is, in fact, a repair. Effectively substituting the steel centre rivet for the brass threaded pillar. The centre screw on your saw looks to have the rivet peened over on the front and on some saws that I have seen, the steel centre rivet is also peened over on the split nut side as well. However, if yours are threaded to take the nuts, that is either a very well thought out repair or, as you say, an original fitting. On much later saws you get this type of fitting as original, but I don't know about something this early. Fred
Hi Joe, Regarding the screws, FWIW I have a saw (which was originally 4 medallion Taylor Brothers saw) which has threaded steel pins peined through the 2 remaining medallions and with regular brass split nuts screwed on the opposite threaded side
S.Peace The Peace families (note the plural) are a nightmare! They suffered from a severe shortage of imagination in applying first names, with only about 4 to go round for 200 years, repeated generation after generation...And they all worked in a very small area, often in the same street. Here's an attempt to clarify, with each number indicating a separate family: 1. Samuel P 1814-1828 2. Charles & Samuel 1833, using the address Eagle Works from 1837, and morphing over time into Ibbotson, Peace then Peaces, Spafford then WK & C Peace from 1859-1958 3. William & Samuel [again, but different...] P from 1823 at a different address to C & S P but only 4 doors away from Samuel 1. and becoming William & Samuel P, then Samuel & Sons, then (1849) Joseph P until 1921. 4. William, H, & E, from 1846-1852 There were also Peace Bros, Frederick P (what originality!), Peace, Ward & Co, and Joseph H P (1893-1944). So to Joe's nice saw, quite early, maybe 1830? Agree, the fasteners look like replacements to me, and I've several medallions that have had to be refixed or strengthened like Kiwi's.I'd probably put it as one by Samuel 1, but I've got only one backsaw example by him, so nothing to compare Joe's with. My one handsaw by S. Peace & Sons is marked with that way, and is definitely later.