Anybody any thoughts on this steel backed SPEAR saw. London pattern handle. 3 saw nuts, 1 being smaller. Probably beech handle. Before saws were marked 'John Spear' (c.1812) ? Handle tends to wrap around to form the older style circular cheek, but not quite. It is in as bought ($20) condition...how much should I work on it (I am experienced in this field, but I never remove the split saw nuts!) Roger
Hi, I know nothing of this saw personally but I can tell you what HSMOB says about the mark. They have:- Spear, John Gibralter Street (Sheffield) [italics my insert] Saws marked "Spear". And they have the dates 1814 to 1824. They do have a mark "John Spear" but that is when they were early Spear and Jackson (post 1830). There is not a lot more that I can add except to say that it looks a wonderful saw. I am sure that those on here who collect S and J's will be able to add a lot more. As far as working on it goes, as long as the rust is not active I would just wipe it down with light oil (I actually prefer furniture polish which has beeen diluted to liquid with cellulose thinner or similar - then it does not adversely affect the wood if you get the polish on it ) on a rag to remove the loose rust and then leave it. But then I am particularly "non-interventionist" as far as renovation goes and again, particularly on a saw this early. Not all are. Fred
Hi Roger, Thanks for the picture, I've been looking at it for a while, and I'd be thinking it's John Spear, rather than Alexander Spear, John was Alexander's nephew and probably made before Samuel Jackson became a partner in 1825, after he first became apprenticed in 1814... The handle style looks "chunky" to my eye, the thicker top horn. Without out a great deal of confidence I'd say it's 1820's or thereabouts. As far as cleaning, I think conservation is a good approach, that is do whatever is required to stop rusting etc. etc.. I think you've got a nice little bit of history there.. When you think of all the people who have used that saw over the last 200 years.. Regards Ray
SPEAR only I have a couple of saws marked John Spear and that is why I figured that if this saw is just marked SPEAR it might be from a period before John grew to eminence and the firm was still controlled by Uncle Alexander. I also surmise that the name John Spear would have been used for a brief period only since when Jackson was taken into partnership surely the S&J name would have been immediately used. We do know that the firm was known as John Spear & Co from 1812 onwards, another reason why I surmise pre- 1812. I was also drawn to the chunky top horn, which seemed to make it quite early, but must report that this horn shows signs of having been severely truncated and would have been significantly longer.