Hey Ray et al., Let me preface this thread with fact I had nothing to do with the "abuse" (cleaning) put upon this saw. The late owner thought that it was a good idea to clean and marbleize all the tools that he owned with a vigorous cleaning and heavy poly varnish. The stamped local planes were over cleaned but still went for silly prices. There were other Scottish planes in the group that came out of a big tool box but I have no idea if they were from the same joiner. This gem I stood and waited a few hours to eventually get for the price of a couple of Lattés. That was my Saturday morning. This 10" brass back with an open beech handle has stamped on it "WALLACES DUNDEE CAST.STEEL WARRANTED". I am more familiar with the Wallace name as it relates to the Montreal plane maker Alexander Wallace. There is a wealth of info in the "Guide to Canadian Plane Makers and Hardware Dealers 3rd edition on Alexander and his family but I can find little info on the rest of the family other than what we have from W.L. Goodman"s "British Planemakers From 1700". WALLACE, Thomas Dundee Peter St. 1818-1820 WALLACE, Alexander & James Peter St. 1824 WALLACE, Alexander & CO Meadow Close, 98 Murraygate 1829-1837 WALLACE, James & Co. 115 Murraygate W 1829-1830 Alexander moves to Montreal as a plane maker around 1840. So.....were the brothers plane makers and part time tool sellers and then had these saws made for them or was this made in the plane makers shop? I looked back and I didn't see info from Simon to suggest they were saw makers but I may have missed that. I would think that this saw would predate the 1840s when Alexander emigrated to Canada with his family. enjoy, Joe S.
Hi Joe, First let me say that I find it ironic (putting it politely and mildly) that I live 25 miles away from Dundee and an 1824-ish Dundee saw turns up (at a guess) 3000+ miles away. I say an 1824 -ish saw for the simple reason that that was the only time that there were "Wallaces" plural operating from the same firm and from the same premises. The Dundee 1824 directory (p.144) has the following Wallace Alexander Toolmaker Peterstreet (all one word) Wallace James Do. Do. (The Do's should be under toolmaker and Peterstreet. It comes out right in the draft, but not in the finished text). And they are listed as toolmakers and not merchants. As far as the 1829/30 directory goes, Goodman has it spot on that they appear to be separate companies operating as planemakers from ostensiby separate premises. There is no indication what sort of tools they made or whether they had their saws factored for them. Did firms outsource saws as early as 1824?? Dundee is known more for its jute, jams, shipbuilding and whaling than its steel but it is only a hop, skip and a jump from the Fife where there was coal and iron ore aplenty, much as in Sheffield and, in terms of shipbuilding - a need for saws. I have found that the final reference (as far as I can see) to Alexander Wallace being in Scotland was in the 1842 directory. Thereafter he vanishes. There are only 4 Wallaces in the 1845 directory, there being a James who is a cabinetmaker but there is no way to say if it is the same one. A lovely saw. And I couldn't think of a much better home for it. Except, of course, mine. Fred
Hey Fred I always wonder what sort of a journey some of these saws have made in its 3,000 mile trip. I was at the auction looking at the planes of another Dundee planemaker (Dryburgh)who settled about 25 miles from where we live. Canadian made planes were few and far between so the Dundee connection was coincidental. I find this saw so typical to any other saw at this time, and so I have this feeling that it might have been made by one of the other large manufactures. It would have been great to see the development of a separate "Scottish" style but this example is so typical. Plane makers certainly would have a large stock of beech and know how to handle some of the issues. Cheers Joe S.