Richardson Bros Saw... From Sheffield?

[J_SAMa]

Got an odd case here... The saw is stamped "Richardson Bros, Sheffield". Now I've heard of an American company of the same name (the famous hollowed saw from Lee Valley's collection), but what's this one got to do with it?



Stamp:

You can only make out "ichardson", but I supposed it can't be anything other than an "R"

The sellers states the company was first registered in 1930, but no matter how i look at it (the handle, the "notch"), its no later than mid-1850s.
And the handle is somewhat odd too. In my (very limited, almost non-existent) experience, only backsaw handles have that flat at the bottom... Well I suppose the maker could make it anyway they liked, its just a bit unusual to see it on a handsaw

Here's the medallion:


Any insight is appreciated,
Sam

 

[woodbrains]

Hello,

Richardsons exists today, cutlery and scissors. I assume a relative.

Mike.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

I goggled 'Richardson brothers Sheffield', and whilst I learned nothing about any sawmakers of that name, I did learn that there is a brand of cutlery named Richardson Sheffield. Apparently, they no longer make anything in Sheffield, so the name is arguably now something of a con.

Looking at Sam's pictures, the saw does look very Sheffield. The stamped rather than etched blade suggests pre-1850ish, and the London pattern handle rather fits with that, though the lamb's tongue looks a bit crude compared with many of similar vintage, and the handgrip looks a bit larger than many of the era. It's possible that 'Richardson Bros' was a brand name used by one of the better-known saw makers, or that the saw was 'factored' - made by an un-named maker for the Richardson company to sell under their name. There was a lot of that went on in Sheffield.

 

[AndyT]

Hmm. An interesting one.

According to this page https://ukmade.wordpress.com/tag/richardson-sheffield/ although the Richardson name is still found on cutlery they are not a Sheffield company. Were they Richardson Bros though? I'm not sure.

The place I looked first for this question was, naturally, Simon Barley's recently published book British Saws and Saw Makers.

He does not list "Richardson Bros" as a saw maker, so we can confidently say they were never recorded in trade directories of Sheffield.

But my guess, guided by what he has written, is that it may be a second quality line. These often had made up names that sounded like real companies. There is extra evidence for this in his statement (p91) that the London Pattern handle was used on second quality saws well into the 20th century, as it was cheaper to make. He shows this sort of handle on handsaws as well as on backsaws.

There's a good article by Simon Barley on these second line trademarks on the TATHS website at http://www.taths.org.uk/tools-and-trades/articles/41-when-was-a-sawmaker-not-a-sawmaker (which doesn't list Richardson Bros, unfortunately).

 

[Sheffield Tony]

An aside, but if you look at Richardson's 1839 range, you will find that those are a return to "Made in Sheffield".

 

[Slinger]

Born & brought up in Sheffield in the 30's,40's & 50's, I well remember Richardson opening a factory at the bottom of Fitzwilliam Street (just off The Moor), immediately after WW2. I remember it well because I was caught rollerskating in their 'yard' & got rollocked by the manager.
Slinger

 

[AndyT]

Born & brought up in Sheffield in the 30's,40's & 50's, I well remember Richardson opening a factory at the bottom of Fitzwilliam Street (just off The Moor), immediately after WW2. I remember it well because I was caught rollerskating in their 'yard' & got rollocked by the manager.
Slinger

Yes, but was that "Richardson Brothers" or was it Richard Richardson, makers of cutlery, tableware, etc, but not saws?

 

[J_SAMa]

Born & brought up in Sheffield in the 30's,40's & 50's, I well remember Richardson opening a factory at the bottom of Fitzwilliam Street (just off The Moor), immediately after WW2. I remember it well because I was caught rollerskating in their 'yard' & got rollocked by the manager.
Slinger

Thanks. That reminds me, I should try my luck on that Sheffield forum. With any luck I might even find people who were employed there (if that "Richardson Bros." really existed).

 

[Slinger]

Regarding my earlier comment, I suddenly remembered after pressing the submit button, that it may have been Richards & not Richardson. I say that because at the time, as a local kid, we were told it was to be pronounced as 'RICKARDS' & that it was a German firm, but I'm not too sure whether that was just a rumour.
Slinger