Mystery hand cranked fretsaw?

[toolsntat]

Hello, recently I was very lucky to be gifted by Bill and Sarah Carter a hand cranked fretsaw.
The only marking on it, apart from some wonderful pinstriping, is the word PATENT cast into the frame.
I know it was previously purchased in France before finding it's way to England.
The fact it says PATENT in English indicates it possibly came from an English speaking country.
Any ideas?
Cheers Andy
Pictures via David Stanley's Auction.

 

[AndyT]

That's pretty!

From the styling, the colour, the pin striping, it looks American to me, from the late 19th or early 20th century.
I enlivened a dull TV programme last night by flicking through the US patents in the category "scrollsaws" listed on datamp.org.
I couldn't spot anything like it. (But this was on my phone, so the drawings were small, and there are 350 of them.)
Of course, it was easier and cheaper to just put the word PATENT on your product without paying for an actual patent. Especially if it was big, cumbersome and awkward to use!

But maybe you've got it installed on the corner of your breakfast table already and are already scrolling away!

(I do need to get clued up better on searching British patents, which I intend to have a go at, maybe once the glorious spring weather goes away )

 

[Phil]

Very nice and good condition.


Are you going to use it? You need good one-hand control of the work piece while you crank away.

 

[toolsntat]

That's pretty!

From the styling, the colour, the pin striping, it looks American to me, from the late 19th or early 20th century.
I enlivened a dull TV programme last night by flicking through the US patents in the category "scrollsaws" listed on datamp.org.
I couldn't spot anything like it. (But this was on my phone, so the drawings were small, and there are 350 of them.)
Of course, it was easier and cheaper to just put the word PATENT on your product without paying for an actual patent. Especially if it was big, cumbersome and awkward to use!

But maybe you've got it installed on the corner of your breakfast table already and are already scrolling away!

(I do need to get clued up better on searching British patents, which I intend to have a go at, maybe once the glorious spring weather goes away )

.Thanks Andy, it seems Google often fails me these days so you hitting 350 of them is a good start to say the least.
There's one hit I did get with Google Lens of a similar machine by possibly the same manufacturer
https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi ... ll_saw.jpg

Yes breakfast table sounds a great option for cutting lifelike "eggy soldiers"

Very nice and good condition.


Are you going to use it? You need good one-hand control of the work piece while you crank away.

Yes Phil, quite stunning really.
I have Hobbies hand cranked versions and have a go when exhibiting at events. They seem better suited to use as this wobbles a bit but it could easily be operator error :eusa-doh:
But no, I don't see me using it alot
Cheers Andy

 

[Trevanion]

I had a look on Espacenet between 1870 and 1930 (I think the most likely period) for "Fret Saw" and "Scroll Saw" and I couldn't find anything identical.

These two looked similar:

 

[Phil]

I have Hobbies hand cranked versions and have a go when exhibiting at events. They seem better suited to use as this wobbles a bit but it could easily be operator error :eusa-doh:
But no, I don't see me using it alot
Cheers Andy

Andy what is a "Hobbies hand cranked"?
Or do you use a hand fret saw?
At a local wood-show a couple of years ago a chap was using the fret saw and cutting far better by hand than what I can do with my 2 Hegners

 

[toolsntat]

I had a look on Espacenet between 1870 and 1930 (I think the most likely period) for "Fret Saw" and "Scroll Saw" and I couldn't find anything identical.

These two looked similar:

Thanks for these, particularly like the idea of sewing machine and fretsaw combination from Mr Dearborn, maybe I'm looking at a new challenge of incorporating a sewing machine onto my treadle lathe as well :eusa-whistle:
Cheers Andy

 

[toolsntat]

I have Hobbies hand cranked versions and have a go when exhibiting at events. They seem better suited to use as this wobbles a bit but it could easily be operator error :eusa-doh:
But no, I don't see me using it alot
Cheers Andy

Andy what is a "Hobbies hand cranked"?
Or do you use a hand fret saw?
At a local wood-show a couple of years ago a chap was using the fret saw and cutting far better by hand than what I can do with my 2 Hegners

No Phil, not hand held but once again cranked with a handwheel like the mystery one.
This is it on it's first outing.
Cheers Andy

 

[toolsntat]

A note here to show you a couple of interesting features.
The areas circled in yellow show a sort of rocking pivot point which I haven't quite fathomed out yet. The actual fixed pivots are in red circles.

The nice little feature in the blue circle is a retractable pin to stop the bottom arm going down which makes it easier to give tension when installing the blade. Or at least that's how I see it. :eusa-think:
Cheers Andy

 

[Phil]

No Phil, not hand held but once again cranked with a handwheel like the mystery one.
This is it on it's first outing.
Cheers Andy

Andy, very interesting, never seen one before.
What do you you cut on it? Puzzles?

What do you sell at the shows?

 

[toolsntat]

No Phil, not hand held but once again cranked with a handwheel like the mystery one.
This is it on it's first outing.
Cheers Andy

Andy, very interesting, never seen one before.
What do you you cut on it? Puzzles?

What do you sell at the shows?

Alas Phil, time to fess up, all this tool collecting malarkey leaves me with an embarrassment of riches, in so far as, I've got most tools for most jobs but I rarely get around to using and producing with them.

As for selling at the shows I attended it'll be just a few bits I've weedled out for petrol money :eusa-whistle:
Cheers Andy