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R.Groves &Sons Saws

R.Groves & Sons

R.Groves & Sons Tenon Saw 1
Established in 1770 I believe, Richard Groves & Sons was a thoroughbred Sheffield steel refiner and producer of edge tools. (I mainly hunt for their wonderful saws, one of which is pictured above).

Steadfast to their old localities in Snow hill are Richard Groves & Sons, perhaps the oldest saw manufacturers in the town. Mr. Groves, the grandfather of the present firm, always had an open Bible before him on his work-board.
(Reminiscences of Old Sheffield, Its Streets and Its People” Robert Eadon Leader – 1875)

William White, White's General & Commercial Directory of Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley, Chesterfield and Worksop.  (Sheffield: William White, 1879).
William White, White’s General & Commercial Directory of Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley, Chesterfield and Worksop.
(Sheffield: William White, 1879).

I have seen saws marked as Sheffield, obviously, but also marked with ‘London’. It would seem there is some agreement that the London mark was to convey more of a prestigious quality once R.Groves started exporting. Some people disagree and think the London mark is more to denote quality, where the ‘London Spring’ is purely to denote the use of the best quality spring steel.

(Note: The word “spring” is a pretty common descriptor on saws. Spring steel was different for the higher carbon (about 1%-1.5%) content and other elements and compounds in the alloy. It could be tempered to a good hardness for tools while having a quality of elasticity (as opposed to brittleness). This grade of steel was good for carriage springs, hence the name, and top-grade handsaws).The saw I have recently purchased has the Sheffield mark with ‘silver steel’.

R.Groves & Sons Tenon Saw 3
R.Groves & Sons Tenon Saw 4

The ‘& Sons’ is thought to be in use at least after 1822, with Groves starting to use label screws (medallions) around then. Groves saws carry the ‘USE’ medallion from around 1825. The advertisements for Richard Groves and Sons show the “USE” as their corporate mark. The corporate mark was granted by the Cutlers’ Company and Registered In England and Germany.
R.Groves & Sons Tenon Saw 2

William White, White's General & Commercial Directory of Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley, Chesterfield and Worksop.  (Sheffield: William White, 1879).
William White, White’s General & Commercial Directory of Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley, Chesterfield and Worksop.
(Sheffield: William White, 1879).

R.Groves obviously did very well in their business, with exporting making up a good percentage of their trade.

A Day in the New York Cristal Palace - Popular Companion to the "Official Catalog"... by William C. Richards, A.M, 1853. In the clipping below we can see that Richard Groves was exhibiting in good company.  The companies like Howarth, Jackson and Marsh Bros. were one of the most prominent and well recognized Sheffield industrial leaders.  Richard Groves & Sons was among them.
A Day in the New York Cristal Palace – Popular Companion to the “Official Catalog”… by William C. Richards, A.M, 1853.
In the clipping below we can see that Richard Groves was exhibiting in good company. The companies like Howarth, Jackson and Marsh Bros. were one of the most prominent and well recognized Sheffield industrial leaders. Richard Groves & Sons was among them.
A Day in the New York Cristal Palace - Popular Companion to the "Official Catalog"... by William C. Richards, A.M, 1853. In the clipping above we can see that Richard Groves was exhibiting in good company.  The companies like Howarth, Jackson and Marsh Bros. were one of the most prominent and well recognized Sheffield industrial leaders.  Richard Groves & Sons was among them.
A Day in the New York Cristal Palace – Popular Companion to the “Official Catalog”… by William C. Richards, A.M, 1853.
In the clipping above we can see that Richard Groves was exhibiting in good company. The companies like Howarth, Jackson and Marsh Bros. were one of the most prominent and well recognized Sheffield industrial leaders. Richard Groves & Sons was among them.

R.Groves & Sons Tenon Saw 5
R.Groves & Sons Tenon Saw 6

I buy good quality tools from well-known 19thc makers. If you have any R.Groves saws in good condition, get in touch.