Some while back I set the parameters of my saw collecting, at least as far as those I keep are concerned. Generally I have been fairly good at keeping within those boundaries, but this saw was not one of those occasions! I noticed it in a group of saws and it just appealed. I had no interest in the other four saws and I contacted the seller asking him if he would consider pulling it out of the bunch and selling it separately. I told him what I was willing to pay and to cut a long story short he agreed and we struck a deal. His president would have approved.
The saw says nothing other than Ibbotson Peace, although the medallion is quite unusual. I immediately thought of the Harvey W. Peace firm that made very good saws during the last half of the nineteenth century in the US. However, there was nothing in Erv Schaffer's book on North American saws so I looked further afield.
In Simon Barley's book Ibbotson referenced Peace and under that name the town of Sheffield had a whole dynasty of saw and steel makers. Under Ibbotson, Peace & Co it explains that Robert Ibbotson was a sawmaker who went to live in the States and became an agent from 1834 onwards. The partnership was in conjunction with Charles and Samuel Peace, whose place of work was the Eagle Works at 84 Russell St., Sheffield. Simon Barley lists this partnership as between 1845 and 1852, but other partnerships carried on the business at the same address in succeeding years.
Apparently there were at least four sections of the Peace family operating from Sheffield. It is not clear if Harvey W, Peace was a relative, but this article gives a little background:
Harvey W. Peace
Harvey Peace was born in 1831 in Sheffield and emigrated to the US in 1849. He started his company in conjunction with one of his younger brothers around 1861. It is not too big a stretch to imagine there is a family connection as he worked as a saw grinder in the UK.
Enough on the background. This is the saw:
Attachment 460537
It is a mighty beast. 28" long and 4ppi with a bead and nib.
Attachment 460538
The handle is the classic lambs tongue style and set off the saw plate but low down in the prevailing style of the day. Four saw screws hold the blade on with the top screw being a smaller diameter than the other two. They are of the split nut type as you would expect from this era. The medallion is unusual in that it i slightly domed but also set absolutely flush: Quite a work of art to my mind both in the execution of the medallion and the setting in the timber. Wearing well considering the saw is around the 150 - 160 year mark. Although I mentioned the Ibbotson peace partnership as 1845 - 1952 Barley's book shows a medallion of the same style that was on a back saw (probably a smaller version of the medallion) which was dated 1860 and was auctioned in the US. There is an inconsistency there in the timelines that was not explained.
There is a little damage to the top horn which I need to glue back before it becomes completely detached.
The saw plate is thick: Very thick. It does need a little attention with the dog hammers, but only a few taps. The first and third pix are at the toe and heel along the toothline while the middle pic is at the top of the toe. Although it is showing it to be thinner the blade is not tapered.
Attachment 460539Attachment 460540Attachment 460541
The saw may not have had much in the way of sharpening. As you can see it is almost 8" deep at the heel.
Attachment 460542
Now I will have to find somewhere to keep it in amongst the oddballs!
Regards
Paul