Thread: Ibbotson Peace hand saw

Hi oldworkshop here,

Picked up a 14" tenon saw or back saw.
It is stamped with Peace Ward & co Sheffield. Victoria reins.
Is this related to the same company.

Hi OW

The short answer is probably yes as in "related" but no, not the same company. I have to point out here that I had to defer to Simon Barley's book "British Saws and Sawmakers from c1660." In this publication he states that there were four primary Peace families all in the Sheffield region of the UK:

Peace & Marshall. 91 Scotland St
Peace, Charles & Samuel & Co. Eagle Works, 84 Russell St. (This family included my Ibbotson Peace saw above)
Peace, William & Samuel. 77 Scotland St, 9 Forge La and 48 Meadow St.
Peace William H & E. 55 & 43 Garden St.

Then there were several other Peace families:

Peace Ward & Co was one of those and operated from Agenoria Works, Savile St East between 1859 and 1868. He also notes that they took over the premises from Beet & Griffiths, who moved their premises to a new development. There is a pic of the stamp on a back saw in Barley's book. If you would like to post a pic of your saw I can compare it to that in the book.

Regards
Paul

IMG_20191103_100013[2084].jpgIMG_20191103_100020[2083].jpgIMG_20191103_100031[2082].jpg

Hi Paul,
Here are the pics of the saw.

thanks Martin.

Thanks for the pix Martin.

Is the medallion on the "reverse" side of the saw or is that a photographic hiccup?

The stamp is very similar but not exactly the same. In Simon Barley's example "Sheffield" is in lower case and it does not have the symbols between Peace and Ward and Sheffield. However it is close enough to say it is the same company.

It would be interesting to know if it found it's way to the States via Robert Ibbotson, who we know acted as an agent. However, this is conjecture on my part.

Regards
Paul

Hi Paul,

medallion is on the reverse of the saw as you say. I do not live in the states but in
Jersey Channel Islands U K. I paid 50 pence for it about 1 month ago. A

Hi Paul .

I am having trouble replying,
Have you any idea how old the saw is?
I collect any old tools, The handle has a small crack
and is badly sharpened

Thanks Martin

Martin

For some inexplicable reason I read your address as New Jersey. What a terrible faux pas! I am thinking of becoming a recluse to pay for my sins, living in a cave with just my saws (of course ).

Barley states that Peace Ward operated from 1859 to 1868 so that would put the age around 150 to 160 years: Old. However the saw depicted in his book he lists as circa 1870. I am not sure why it was outside the operational time frame. It is a slight anomaly, but in any event, your saw has quite a bit of age on it.

Now the medallion being on the reverse side is unusual. I have only seen it once before and it turned out that something had occurred with the photographic process which is why I asked that question. The only other instances have been where it clearly was originally on the "correct" side but for some reason had been put on the wrong way. So that leads me to ask if there is a large gaping hole on the other side of the handle where the medallion might have originally sat. It looks as though the other saw screw is placed conventionally with the split nut on the reverse side.

There appears to be a mismatch.

Regards
Paul

Hi Paul.

There is a gaping hole on the other side but the medallion would
not have fitted in the hole. I thought someone may have tried to take the
handle off. It does not look as if the medallion would have fitted on the other side.

Thanks Martin