Peter McBride

Antique and Old Tools

Updated :- Monday, 06 July 2020

 home | antique and old tools | links | email       

Mathieson and Son, Glasgow -  Antique Tool Faking & Forgery
For more than 20 years a tool dealer has been known to apply a fake "Mathieson - Glasgow" mark to collectible Antique Tools
to deceive buyers and boost the sale value. Some of these tools are sold for multiple $100s above their true value.
These 12 circled features below will identify a mark made with the fake Mathieson punch.

Here are the specific features that help identify this mark.

1. The most obvious is the "S" in MATHIESON which has a distinct tilt to the right.
2. Just below that "S" - the star has a tilt to the left, and is closer to the left point of the crescent than the point on the right.
3. The bottom curved line of the crescent is ill defined and thicker, and on most marks is missing. (the punch may be worn, broken or dented below the surface of the punch)
4. On the inner curved line of the crescent, just to the left of centre there is small raised point.
5. The cross bar on first "A" is distinctly lower then usual on genuine marks.
6. The cross bar on the "A" in MATHIESON is also distinctly lower then usual on genuine marks, and the right leg is a little too long.
7. The "A" in MATHIESON is nearer to the M than it is usually seen on genuine marks.
8. The "O" in GLASGOW has a distinct egg shape.
9. The left leg of the "A" in GLASGOW is distinctly shorter than it should be, and kicks away to the left.
10. The right side of the "N" in "& SON" is misshaped, it has the right upright cut short and it is thicker. 
    (this is because of a deformation of the punch on it's edge, and it often fails to strike the wood. It is often missing from the imprint altogether)
11. The top right of the "S" in GLASGOW drops to a point.
12. The top of the "O" in SON is flattened and deformed out to the right.

 I own three tools with this mark.
 I've inspected and recorded 5 more, and seen many offered for sale and/or sold with the fraudulent marks from the same punch.
I'm always interested in hearing about and recording more tools with this mark.