Hello All, This is another one which most of you will probably have seen on Ebay. I think that "an unassuming little saw" probably describes it best, but its pedigree is quite a good one, coming as (I hope) it must from the firm recorded in London in 1754 and 1760. BSSM goes on to say that sometime between 1760 and 1797, the company was taken over by John Peters. Judging by the handle this saw comes from the 1797 end of those dates. I have left it as it was delivered to me and thankfully the seller had the good judgement to leave it uncleaned/unrestored as well. I can also say that (surprisingly for a saw owned by me) it cuts well. A couple of days after I got it I was rooting around in vain for my modern hardpoint, out of desperation tried a couple of other old saws that I had hanging around (without success - they all stuck in the cut) and finally turned to this one. It went through both hardwood and softwood with ease, and neither of the woods were particularly dry as I had recently taken them out of my outside wood stack. One thing that puzzled me originally was the punch mark below the name, and before I had got it in my hands I thought that there might have been a little trade mark in the bottom of the hole. But there isn't and there is a smaller but corresponding one on the reverse of the back and which I am now surmising may be an (additional?) attempt to compress the back onto the blade. Fred
Congratulations, Fred! That's a treat to see. Such a rare saw! I'm beginning to recognize a style of London handle from that decade of the 90's. Howel, in particular, employed the same handle as your Squire saw. And to think that it still works? David (later edit: as did Moorman viz this post by Wiktor; http://www.backsaw.net/forum/index.php?threads/moorman-london-cast-steel.598/
Lovely Fred Right off the bench with the obligatory paint splatters and ya tried it too. If it isn't abused it should last another 230 years. enjoy that sweetie! Joe S.
Here's another example to add to our knowledge. The longer, fully rounded, boss on this one should date it a bit earlier than Fred's example. Perhaps 1760-70.
Absolutely gorgeous saw - thank you for sharing. BTW - for those of us still getting-their-eye-in on London saws - William Squire's trade as a saw-maker at #102 Wardour Street ceases towards the end of 1781, when succeeded at that address by John Peters. His new trade, at a different if fairly nearby address - as a maker of patent trusses (Squire held Royal Letters Patent as from 1781) appears unlikely to include wood-working saws; tho' he then made: "Squire's improved Saws for amputations"