Unusual Wheeler, Madden & Clemson Saw

I thought I would share this saw that I picked up some time ago to see if anyone had seen one before and if anyone knew what it was used for. It's clearly marked Wheeler, Madden & Clemson, Middletown, NY but I can't find any reference to it at all. The blade is 11 inches long and it's all cast steel. The handle is so narrow you can't get a good grip and the decorative floral features that stick out inside the grip hit your knuckles making it impractical for any serious work. I bought it because I thought it was unusual and very attractive. I know of one other and it's in the collection of John Sindelar, who runs Sindelar's Traveling Tool Museum. I contacted John and he said he's never been able to find out anything about it. I'm thinking it may have been made in limited quantities for exhibit or display only. Does anybody have any ideas or contributions?

Thanks,

Vince

 

Hey Vince
What an unusual and wonderful saw. I have never seen one except with John and also have no specific idea what it was for. I can only give a WAG. The observation that it would be uncomfortable to use suggests to be this might be for some ceremonial, decorative use and now that there is more than one, maybe used in an organization or fraternity with more than one location. The florid handle shape harkens back to something very early, but the stamp is after 1860. The stamp is unusual also because I have never seen this particular Wheeler Madden & Clemsen variation. All the saws and stamps with the Clemsen all have Wheeler Madden in an arch over a Clemsen. Wiktor Kuc, a contributor here and has a tool site has done a lot of study on the company and may have more to add.
enjoy
Joe S.

 

What a cool & unusual saw, that handle is gorgeous. It nearly looks it cuts on the pull stroke or am I imagining it?

Regards

Mari

 

I agree with Mari, it does seem like it has been sharpened to cut on the pull stroke and the handle set up looks to be more comfortable in the hand to pull rather than push.
It has the look of a surgical saw to me and being made entirely from steel, it would be easier to boil clean.

 

Bridecake saw? Surgical saws typically have straight or more "pistol" style handles (I'm not sure what the official designation is for such handles).

 

I don't think that handle was meant for actual hard use, as in a back saw or a surgical saw. My vote is more for something like a bridecake or some other single use saw, mostly ceremonial. Even the fastening, two bolts directly on the blade, wouldn't hold up well to any sustained sawing through any hard material.
David

 

Thanks for your feedback. Bridecake saw, why didn't I think of that? Joe, I've seen the straight marking on their butcher knife/saw, but arched everywhere else. Mari & Rob, you're right, it cuts on the pull stroke. I thought it might be surgical at first because it's all steel, but then I looked at dozens of amputation saws on Pinterest and looked at several medical museum/private collector sites and found that 99% were either backsaws or hacksaws specially designed for the job. None looked anything like this. I think I'm being swayed to bridecake saw because of the ceremonial look, the light duty requirement and the right size and shape for a clean cut. I can't rule out that it could be for any ceremonial event where they were purely for display. But why the pull stroke? Maybe that just works better when cutting cakes?
Thanks again for your help.
Vince