Hello all, I was the underbidder on this saw. (The first two photo's below.) At least this was the one of the two that I really wanted. It looks very old but I have not been able to decipher the name. Can anyone tell me what I have missed? I hope that I haven't got it completely wrong and it was the H W Mason that made the money. (2nd two photo's) Fred
I don't think that the first name is Groves. The first letter might be a G or a C , but the second letter is A. The rest I cannot tell. The only thing that it may be is Gabriel and Sons but the third letter does not look like a B and I am not sure that the possible number of letters is right for that. Fred
Nice old style handle on the Groves & Sons saw (I'm with Enjuneer on this). The H W Mason looks fairly ordinary in comparison (but is that a "dot" between Cast and Steel ? )
Fred I agree with Groves & Sons. See the attached pictures but forgive my lack of artistic ability. Bob
You, Enjuneer and Bob are right Kiwi, it is Groves and Sons. I will do an enormous mea culpa on this one. And yes, it looks like a cast dot on the Mason. I thought when initially looking at the handle on the Groves that it must be an 18th century one, and it may yet be so. But I was hoping that it may have been a more obscure maker and I am now not so unhappy that I did not win. Unless, of course, the Mason is hen's teeth rare. H W Mason is not in BSSM and so this is possibly the case. The Mason does not do as much for me as the handle of the Groves does. It is an absolute beauty. Thank you all for correcting me. Fred
I agree Fred. While not getting a Groves marked saw is not too much of a loss, it is a very nice handle on that keyhole saw. H W Mason does seem to be an uncommon mark, although a few turn up with google. Perhaps H W Mason was a trade name. I'd guess the Mason mark to be English and to date near mid 1800s, based on this medalioned backsaw http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/hw-mason-saw-split-nut-early-maker-133915660 (I tried a little searching on "Crescent Works", and although there's been lots of them in England, including at least two in Sheffield, I didn't notice an immediate link to a H W Mason, or to any "sawmaker")
That Groves saw looks pretty old Fred, that nose & shaped handle, also the position of the split nuts (non horizontal) is from what I've seen on other saws is an indication of a very early saw, I wonder if it's pre 1800? Mari
Hi Mari, I based my rather silly bid on the fact that it was 18th century, but looking at it again, it may be very early 19th. That is splitting hairs though. But someone was at least $2.50 sillier than I am. Fred
Hi Fred and everyone, BSSM has Groves & Son with some 18c dates (begins 1787), so it is possible for it to have been made then. But dating by the handle style is, as we all hear and say repeatedly, is difficult. To that end I attach an image of a saw with a similar handle. But the mark is Thos Tyzack, for which maker working on his own BSSM has dates of 1833-37. So my confusion continues unabated as I stumble around among these wonderful old saws Cheers, David
Thank-you David, Informative as always. You can always be relied upon to come up with golden nuggets of information. Fred