Gentlemen,
Before we run Henry even further into the ground than he already rests,
could we please temper these comments with a slight dose of facts:
First:
Henry never made any saw line called "G.Bishop". He did however make a
second quality line, the #1 to be exact, under the name "C.Bishop".
Perhaps the other comments about making someone think they were buying a
George Bishop saw could be correct, but I really doubt it. I have my
own theory which I'll get to in a bit.
Second, For the record, Disston made these second quality lines:
No. 00: Jackson
No. 0: T.Taylor
No. 1: C. Bishop
No. 3: Brown's
The model numbers relate to the hand and panel saws. Disston had
different model numbers for the backsaws.
Third: Henry Disston was paternalistic and an all around great guy.
I don't think Henry resulted to subterfuge or any other hijinks to sell
his saws. I believe his saws became popular because they were damn
good, and people liked to use them, he could make them cheaper than
anyone else because he invented the technology to make them ahead of the
competition, they came with a warranty, and Disston stood behind his
work. But, then I try to always look to the light instead of the dark
side, but that's just me.
On the homepage of my website, there is an image pulled from an early
Disston catalog. It reads:
"If you want a Saw, it is best to get one with a name on it which has a
reputation. A man who has made a reputation for his goods knows its
value, as well as its cost, and will maintain it." Henry Disston
While I'm sure it's true that Henry used aggressive business tactics,
anyone who has read the book: "A Place to Live and Work--The Henry
Disston Saw Works and the Tacony Community of Philadelphia" by Harry
Silcox will know that Henry had a vision to give back to the people that
worked for him. He moved out of center city Philadelphia to expand his
saw works, but also to build a community that reflected his charitable
ideals. The Tacony community had churches, community halls and Disston
even built an elaborate water pumping and storage system to ensure that
the workers in the town had a safe, clean water supply. There were over
600 homes in the community which could be rented or purchased at a
nominal rate. In 1867 Disston wrote in a letter to his workers:
"This [company and community of workers] is what I live for. We all
ought to live to make each other happy. God knows the greatest desire
of my life is to see all that I am connected with happy. And I believe
to this day that there is not a happier or more contented family in the
world. I say family because I consider you and myself of one and the
same family. There has [sic] never been any wants that I could afford
to alleviate but that I have endeavored to do so as I would my nearest
kin...The object of men and Boss should be mutual, the Boss to give all
he can when times will permit, and the men under a close competition to
be willing to help meet the market...Whatever money I make is spent in
improvements to facilitate us in putting goods into the market at such
prices that we will have work as long as any house." Henry Disston, Nov
13 1867.
I didn't see any mention that the way to be successful was ripping off
the competition's name.
Fourth: The Theory
I believe (and can prove in one instance) that the second quality lines
mentioned above were not named from absorbed companies, but rather for
dedicated workers or other people that Disston owed a debt to.
While doing some patent research, I ran across utility patent number
101,942 granted to a Mr Thomas (T) Taylor on April 12, 1870. The patent
was for a new way to manufacture circular saws. If you read the letters
patent, it's obvious that Mr Taylor was one of Disston's workers. It is
signed "Thomas (his + mark) Taylor. The guy couldn't even write! I
would bet anything that the "T. Taylor" line of handsaws was named after
this gentleman in gratitude for this patent and others that I likely
haven't run across yet. I suppose you could also make the case that Mr
Taylor was the owner of some competitor, and that the saw mafia ruffed
him up, breaking his fingers, and they drug him to the patent office to
sign over his patent as the final outrage. I doubt, however, that this
is the case. ;)
I don't have any firm proof, but I have always thought that the
"Jackson" line of saws was named after Jackson Gorham who holds patent
14,863 for the combination saw (saw with a built in square and ruled
blade). There is no record that Gorham ever signed over his patent to
Disston, but neither have I ever seen a combination saw made by any
other maker. I believe that Disston struck some deal with Jackson
Gorham, buying his patent and then producing the saws. As a tribute to
this nifty idea, which no doubt appealed to the inventor in Henry
Disston, he created the Jackson line to honor Mr Gorham. I have an
original 1879 catalog which shows 5 different combination saw models :
the #43, 42, 38, 39 and 29. The 43 which is shown is marked Disston,
the 38 and 29 which are the only other two shown are marked "Jackson
Gorham" No direct proof, but pretty convincing. It should also be
noted that Jackson was a pretty common name, then as now. It could be
named after anyone.
As for the saw that started all this, I don't believe that it is a
Disston Product. I could be wrong, but it looks very British to
me...not the sort of thing that would be made on this side of the pond.
Open handled saws are uniquely British.
So, still searching for the connection with Mr Brown and Bishop, but I'm
sure it will turn up.
Hope this helps shed some light on a subject that was getting pretty
murky.
Pete Taran
Vintage Saws on the web at:
http://www.vintagesaws.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Erik von Sneidern [mailto:enrico62@w...]
Sent: Saturday, October 18, 2003 6:51 PM
To: oldtools
Subject: [oldtools] Re: Teaching a Galoot to fish
Steve wrote:
> So, Henry was using the name "G. Bishop" when he did not buy out
George
> Bishop, and he used the name Jackson though he never bought out any of
> the various Jacksons who made saws, and you seem to say he marked saws
> Davis though he didn't buy out R. H. Davis. Doesn't something feel a
> little
fishy
> here?
>
Yes. Brown and Broadwell are two other names used by Disston which were
the names of regional manufacturers. Likewise, there is no knowledge of
them being absorbed by Disston. Seeing how protective Henry was of the
reputation of his name and patents, it may be a reflection of his though
process and business strategy in regard to the assimilation of other
sawmakers into his control. We have no way to know at this point, but
maybe he took the approach of resistance is futile. Be absorbed or be
damned. He did not grow from being a young maker of saws in a rented
basement to the world's largest manufacturer of saws through pleasant
demeanor and good fortune. There must have been some of the qualities
of Rockefeller and Ford at work.
Erik von Sneidern
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