Found a backsaw at an estate auction last weekend, and have been trying to determine its pedigree. The brass back is stamped "Wilkes, Sarum, Double Refined, Cast Steel". Proud owner "H Hewlett" has engraved his name on the back, and stamped it on the handle. It looks to me like it might have been made in the later 1800s, (and might have been used for sawing concrete after being sharpened by an ADHD child) No leads from the usual handbooks/lists Google found one other "Wilkes Sarum" saw as having being listed for sale My best guess is that Sarum is the placename, being the old name for Salisbury, (in Wiltshire, England), where the Directories list a continuous presence of Wilkes' mongering in iron from 1842 thru 1917 (and various Hewletts as residents) John Wilkes, Ironmonger, 1842 and 1852 John Wilkes & Son, Ironmongers, 1867 Wilkes & Son, Ironmongers, 1875, 1890, 1907 Wilkes, Son, & Casey, Ironmongers, 1915 I don't suppose "Sarum" instead of "Salisbury" , or "Wilkes" instead of "Wilkes & Son" is significant, as local customers would readily recognize the shorter names, and a frugal merchant might prefer the smaller stamps that would be cheaper and easier to use. Likely the saw was made by some major sawmaker for the Wilkes for resale. Does anyone recognize the heavy "Double Refined" stamp ? ("double refined" is 25mm long)
Hi Kiwi, Nice bit of research, I don't think I could add anything, other than to have a guess at the maker. Just a wild stab in the dark, Richard Groves used a "Double Refined" stamp on some saws, but it's not entirely clear what "Double Refined" actually means, marketting hype perhaps. So the next logical step would be to compare some Groves saws of around the same era, and see if anything looks familiar. Regards Ray