Bone shards:

So would this thing actually work as advertised, or was it one of those early Caveat Emptor / Buyer Beware moments?

Wanna see the world’s largest saw? Yes, yes you do.

Wanna hear Ave Maria played on a musical saw? Yes, yes you do.

Why buy a giant riding saw when you can just hire one of these guys?

One of these contraptions still exists! Sadly, they don’t show it in action.

Lastly, and not for the squeamish, a history of the punishment known as Death by Sawing.

The ad copy:

GIANT RIDING SAW

Will actually do the work of four men, Quicker and Better.

UNPARALLEL SUCCESS!

One man is able to saw logs of any size. No more back aches. — The work cheaper and better done, in one half the time. It will saw a two-foot log in three minutes. EVERY FARMER NEEDS AND SHOULD HAVE ONE. Agents wanted. Circulars, with terms and illustrations, free.

W. W. Bostwick & Co, 178 Elm Street, Cincinnati, O.