Sat. Morn 10-12-19

[Mike Hutchison]

Purchased a Disston Handsaw for $1
24" Overall Length from Toe to End of Bottom Horn
Picture/s will show why Plate not Measured.
Saw has split nuts and an "Inchworm" Stamp 6 1/2" in
from the Toe.
All I can read so far is HENRY DISSTON;
there is more stamping underneath but VERY faint.
Probably would not have noticed it if not for the
picture on the Disstonian site.
Handle has some fairly serious cracking; horns are intact.
8 T.P.I. Crosscut

10-12-19 002.jpg10-12-19 001.jpg10-12-19 003.jpg

[Jim Koepke]

That looks like something over which a collector might go nuts.

jtk

[Scott Winners]

Yup. That was one dollar well spent.

[Mike Hutchison]

Guys
Ya might think I'm buff-dogging here (Local synonym for BS)
but if I had seen the "Inchworm" stamp I probably would have told the lady she
needed to do a little Googling or something. BTW, that is the first time I had
ever seen that stamp; In pictures or in the wild. The surface rust was pretty
heavy and there was no nib so I didn't think it was anything too crazy special.
Sure the split nuts told even me it was old.
The young lady (and new mom) said she used to be a picker.
Not sure where that leaves me ethically. I am really getting
interested in "what is it worth" of late. It drives me nuts when the
Antiques Roadshow revisits appraisals from 15 years ago and classic pieces
of American furniture depreciate in value 40%. (I am assuming when I see these
new valuations that the piece has not suffered any damage.)
To me auction value can be almost a meaningless term
if for some reason/s the right people are not in the room
when the item goes on the block.
I guess I am too literal, black and white in my thought process
but there should be some, for my lack of a better term,
retail value and means of arriving at same.

[Jim Matthews]

I'm not sure that industrial products should be considered "rare" - useful variants might be valuable.

For $1 and the cost of a sharpening it might be useful.

[Phil Mueller]

If you’re really interested in knowing all there is to know about the saw, go to vintagesaws dot com, click on the “for sale” saw and for $10 get a full ID and appraisal. Pete is a fellow creeker and an expert in saws.

[Jim Koepke]

The young lady (and new mom) said she used to be a picker.
Not sure where that leaves me ethically. I am really getting
interested in "what is it worth" of late. It drives me nuts when the
Antiques Roadshow revisits appraisals from 15 years ago and classic pieces
of American furniture depreciate in value 40%. (I am assuming when I see these
new valuations that the piece has not suffered any damage.)

The 'pickers' on TV seldom 'pick' tools unless they are something automotive. They pick for their clientele.

Since 2004, 15 years ago, there was a major financial shift in the economy. People with money like to invest some of their wealth in 'safe havens.' Safe havens can fall out of favor rather quickly. At times a few people with a bug for something go on a spree and move the whole market. The market follows their whim, then retracts when they move on. Sometimes the retraction takes longer than the rise. Sometimes it falls off a cliff.

jtk

[steven c newman]

Disston saw rehab, 2 saws 1.JPG
Disston No. 7 , medallion.JPG
Disston saw rehab, detail.JPG
The Rip saw didn't have a medallion...
Disston saw rehab, rip saw details.JPG

[Tom Vanzant]

Mike, strictly based on the medallion, the saw appears to date from the mid 1840s. The eagle is looking up, pretty well aligned with the “I” in Disston, and Philadelphia is abbreviated “Philada”. The medallion should be 1” dia.
I’m not familiar with the “Inchworm” stamping. The cut off heel is the only negative that I see.
Definitely $1 well spent. Do not clean or restore this saw before a known authority can examine it. There are such folks on this forum.