It has been quite awhile since I've been able to report an interesting backsaw find. This past weekend I did come across a Smith & Son backsaw and will upload some photos of it. Hopefully this will be of interest. Any idea of date of manufacture? Thanks! Joe
Hi Joe, And an interesting backsaw find it is. According to HSMOB you only have 20 years to play with re the date - from 1814 to 1834, or 25 if the Smith and Sons at 188 West Street (1839) are the same ones who were at Coalpit Lane and Glossop Road a little earlier. Looking at the style of mark and the lack of cast(dot) I would put it at the latter end of their above recorded timescale. I think that a serious WAG of late 1820's/early 30's would be in order, but WAG I am afraid that it is. Fred
Smith and Son Hey Joe I had posted a few Smith saws back in Sept. of 2012 and Simon was good enough to respond with a great list of Smiths in which he finally ended it with the quote that it was leaving the discussion as "clear as mud". Where the saw fits into the list he gave us I couldn't hazard to guess but the stamp is different again than what we have seen. Each of the words is a different stamp. To which I would have to concur with Fred's educated guess that it would probably be a little later than earlier. Great early saw though in pretty nice shape. Joe S.
Here is the link to Joes' saws/Simon's comments. http://www.backsaw.net/index.php?option=com_jfusion&Itemid=58&jfile=showthread.php&t=329 Fred
An overdue thank you for your replies to my post. Knowing the age of this saw makes me doubly appreciative of finding it--and also doubly curious as to its path from Sheffield, England to a pile of lawn tools and other miscellaneous items in a back-yard shed in central New York state, USA. Thanks again, Joe