Rare Antique Richardson Brothers Saw Fine Tooth

Description

Antique / Vintage saw - Richardson Brothers Newark NJ
Beautiful medallion
Some grip was added to the handle for comfort, but could easily be removed for someone looking to do full restoration.
Appears to have been made in the late 1800's - early 1900's
Etching is faint, but the logo can be made out with the right lighting.
Carpenters, hand tools, fine wood working
The state's earliest sawmaker of whom there is any record was one Isaac Harrow, and English toolsmith who set up a planing and blade mill in Trenton in 1734. He made mill saws and cross-cut saws along with a large number of other products. One-hundred twenty-five years later, the undisputed leaders in New Jersey's saw industry were Christopher and William C. Richardson, who established their saw works at 15 Railroad Ave., Newark, in 1859. The Richardson brothers were rather early in America's saw industry. Because of the lack of high quality steel, all but the crudest saws used in this country were imported up to about 1839. After that date and until 1855 American saw manufacturers used imported steel. Then Henry Disston produced the first crucible saw steel in America. The Richardson brothers started producing saws in Newark four years later. Their firm went under the name of C. & W. C. Richardson up to the year 1866 when it was changed to Passaic Saw Works - Richardson Brothers. In spite of the name, Christopher seems to have taken over full management after 1869. During the late 1870s, "Passaic Saw Works" was dropped from the title and only Richardson Brothers was retained. Around that time the works were moved to 19-29 River St. At this location, the saw works covered an area of about four acres and in the late 1800s employed close to 200 workers. Christopher Richardson controlled the business until the mid-1880s, when it was taken over by others. Around 1900 the name of the firm was changed to Richardson Bros. - National Saw Co. As the most productive of early New Jersey saw works, Richardson Brothers made enough saws so that it is not difficult to find examples in good condition today. Because of the various names under which these saws were manufactured, it is reasonably easy to date them. Their earliest saws were marked C. & W. C. Richardson and those after 1865 PASSAIC SAW WORKS, RICHARDSON BROTHERS. Some were simply marked RICHARDSON BROTHERS. On April 30, 1878 Christopher Richardson registered his "BEST - R" trademark. This consisted of a Maltese cross with an "R" in the center and on each of the four arms letters making up the word "BEST". Thus, this trademark on any saw or saw attachment identifies it as having been manufactured after the date of registry. Among the variety of saws produced by the Richardsons were: panel, ripping, circular, butcher, bow, back, compass, and pruning saws. They also made scroll and fellow webs, knives, cutters, molding irons, and springs. Richardson cane knives were a sideline of which they were particularly proud. They sold well both in this country and abroad.