T Suffolk.

Discussion in 'Forum: Saw Identification and Discussion' started by whiskywill, Aug 22, 2014.

  1. whiskywill

    whiskywill Member

    Messages:
    14
    I have an open handled tenon saw with the name T.Suffolk Sheffield stamped on the steel spine.
    I understand that the name was used by Thomas Turner and Co. Does any body know what age this saw might be?
     
  2. fred0325

    fred0325 Most Valued Member

    Messages:
    1,084
    Hi,

    Is there any chance of posting an image of the saw. I don't know whether T. Suffolk is a brand of Thomas Turner and Co. or not, but the company is recorded as being at the Suffolk works from 1837 to 1932. This gives no dating help at all, but hopefully and image would.

    Fred
     
  3. Barleys

    Barleys Most Valued Member

    Messages:
    546
    T Suffolk

    I think I can help here – I've seen one or two these saws before (backsaws only, so far), and have answered the same query made to TATHS as follows:
    There is no documentation, but there are several reasons to believe that this is a second (or sixth, or whatever) quality product of Thomas Turner, of Suffolk Road:
    1. There is no saw maker of that name in any trade directory that I have seen.
    2. It was common practice to dream up "new" names for lesser quality product lines – a helpful sales technique for the traveller with samples and needing a new patter, "Have you seen this latest line of our saws, sir, The Suffolk, quite new and very reasonably priced [ie extremely cheap] but well up to our usual high quality..."
    3. Other firms used street names for product lines, eg the Bowdon and Fitzwilliam saws made by Joseph Tyzack, whose works had one door on Bowdon Street, and the other on Fitzwilliam Street, or the Limbrick or J.Hillsborough saws made for (not by) Ward and Payne, of Limbrick Works, Hillsborough.

    Having said that, if it's well sharpened and set, this saw would in all probability be quite a good user.

    The others I've seen are about 1900, give or take 10 years.
     
    Last edited: Aug 24, 2014
  4. whiskywill

    whiskywill Member

    Messages:
    14
    Here are some photographs of the saw.
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