WARD & PAYNE

"WARD & PAYNE SHEFFIELD
West St. 1803-1930
Limerick Works 1890-1970
Founded in 1803 by David Ward, edge-tool manufacturer. 1837: David Ward & Sons. 1837: David Ward & Co. 1845: Henry Payne became junior partner but he died in 1850 whereupon the ownership reverted wholly to the Ward family. After 1845, the firm built a large business in edge-tools concentrating on carving tools, chisels and gouges.
In 1911 the firm published what is probably the most comprehensive illustrated catalogue of tools ever issued by a Sheffield manufacturer. extending to 501 pages, this list contained a wide range of wooden planes and also metal planes of the english type. This catalogue demonstrates that the firm, like many others in Sheffield, manufactured only a small proportion of the tools offered.
At this time formemost amongst the tools that were actually manufactured by the firm were shovels, spades and forks, sheep shears and carving tools, gouges and chisels. It is unlikely that any planes were made by the company.
The firm's principal trade mark (crossed forging hammers above an anvil with the initials W & P to the sides) will be familiar to all tool collectors; however, planes bearing this emblem are not as common as might be expected considering the eminence of the firm." [GOODMAN: 447]