Far-Fetched Etch Inquiry

[Jared McMahon]

I'm deeply intrigued by a handsaw I've had for a while now. It's a ~26" rip saw, 5-1/2 points, nib, fairly old-looking contours on the handle (lambs tongue, a good number of curve details, etc.), traditional split nuts, and a Warranted Superior medallion.

There's definitely an etch but it's just barely detectable. Does the following sound at all familiar to anyone?

- Two concentric ovals/elongated circles
- Possible lettering in the strip between the circles
- I'm pretty sure there's a head in the center, either a bear or something that could easily be mistaken for one
- Possibly something to the left side of the circles, but the etch is so faded, this could be merely dirt or scratches

I realize this is almost nothing to go from but the saw seems more exotic than the typical examples I find around, and the inability to find out anything further just makes me all the more interested. None of the references I have at hand (which ain't much, admittedly) have anything like this etch shown.

[Jim Koepke]

Warranted Superior medallion.

These were common to just about every saw maker who supplied stores with a second tier model.

Some have different emblems inside. I believe Disston used some with a keystone inside. Most display an eagle.

The etch may have been for a specific hardware merchant.

jtk

[Rodney Walker]

Can't help identify it, but sounds like a cool saw and certainly older than what I run into. If I get back into the 20s I count myself lucky.
Rodney

[Jonathan McCullough]

Could it be this one? You're certainly in the right part of the country for the manufacturer. Etches are notoriously difficult to photograph, but it might help to identify.