Maybe this?

Fretsaw: A fine (about 1/32") saw used to cut veneer into decorative shapes. ... Mitre: Joint between two veneers, often in borders of marquetry pictures at ...
www.marquetry.org/glossary.htm
It could be this?

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Note added at 6 hrs (2006-03-13 10:37:00 GMT)
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Except that 'scie à arbalète isnt the translation given in the huge Collins/Robert dictionary (Fr/Eng).... for fretsaw...I'm still searching

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Note added at 10 hrs (2006-03-13 14:41:19 GMT)
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Thanks Chjristopher. I was also thinking of handwork. Even so you couldnt translate this term as 'crossbow' in UK English surely could you it would give the wrong idea! I'm going to keep looking.

one or the other for marquetry, not sure which though :°)

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Note added at 10 hrs (2006-03-13 14:42:08 GMT)
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the one in the photo is a bandsaw

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Note added at 10 hrs (2006-03-13 14:43:52 GMT)
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.. or a jigsaw (seriously)

Sue Levy's site shows us a picture of one:

http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/inventai/presenta/visites...

Which is of a machine I've never seen before.

Since we're having trouble finding a convincing English page for it, I'd suggest "reciprocating power fretsaw".

I'ts a fretsaw (as opposed to a bandsaw) and the large bow acts as a spring, allowing the stiff, vertical blade to go up and down (reciprocating).

As far as I can see, the only advantage of this machine over a bandsaw is that it uses a blade which is much more simple (just a straight piece of metal), whereas a bandsaw is a large circle --much more expensive to make (and buy, when they break).

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Note added at 10 hrs (2006-03-13 14:41:01 GMT)
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My guess would be that this kind of saw has a long history (in France --check Diderot), before the technology was in place to make bandsaw blades.

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Note added at 11 hrs (2006-03-13 15:54:21 GMT)
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Note to LBMas:

"For more context, I should have said 'une scie à arbalète actionnée au pied,' "

Yes, this is probably what you might find in Diderot (if, indeed, he illustrates such a tool).

"which supports Sue's picture"

Well, the one in Sue's link is, clearly, a giant one, for serious industrial production work.

"On the website mentioned by Janet and Bourth, it is translated as a crossbow saw, but as it is a French company, I think it too is a translation into English.

My thought exactly.

OtOh, it since we are dealing with what appears to be a tool which is associated with the French, it may well be that the literal translation is used --it's just that I've never heard of the term.

"My father-in-law is a former woodworker, so I have a call into him. Who knew.... ;)"

What!?

You mean you married the guy without knowing his background?


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Note added at 12 hrs (2006-03-13 16:11:11 GMT)
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"foot powered reciprocating fretsaw"

Would you like me to ring M.-H. Poisson and ask what it is exactly? His/Her site refers to a "scie à arbalète" in French and translates it as " 'crossbow' saw", which I suspect is not the right term, but they could at least tell us what the thing looks like.

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Note added at 8 hrs (2006-03-13 12:11:24 GMT)
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Otherwise there's a couple of marqueteurs d'art locally, in the Yellow Pages, who would undoubtedly take great delight in sharing their knowledge (people usually do).

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Note added at 14 hrs (2006-03-13 19:06:46 GMT)
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GOT IT! SCROLL SAW

Had thought of this earlier, but not knowing what a scie à arbalète is was not prepared to suggest it.

I rang a local marqueteur whose description matches the photo found by Sue.

A specialized tool for CUTTING INTRICATE DESIGNS AND PATTERNS IN THINNER STOCK. The scroll saw leaves a lustrous finish on the sawn edges which usually requires no sanding if using the proper blade. The scroll saw is very pleasurable to operate. The wide throat opening allows the work piece to be constantly repositioned to follow the tight curves of fretwork, marquetry and puzzles. The scroll saw size is determined by the distance between the blade and the upright support for the upper arm. A 16 inch scroll saw will allow 16 inches of wood to pass between the blade and the upper arm support.
http://www.toolcenter.com/dscroll.html
Picture of small one at http://www.toolcenter.com/8354sl.html

Scroll Saw An electric scroll saw is one of those tools that you can easily do without, but once used, there is no going back. We use a Hegner saw.
http://www.artmarquetry.com/glossary.htm

scroll saw (or jigsaw)
Freehand curve-cutting machine (along with the band saw) with FINE-TOOTH BLADES THAT CAN CUT INTRICATE PATTERNS and SMOOTH EDGES IN THINNER STOCK. Operates with little vibration, quick blade changes and easy-to-operate clamps. Is stationary, as opposed to a sabre saw, which is portable
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/remodeling/article/0,1797,HGTV_3659... [with picture]

Scroll saw
The scroll saw is one of the easiest power bench tools to use. They are well suited for detailed work such as CUTTING INTRICATE PATTERNS. The narrow wide of the blade allows it to make tighter turns and much smoother cuts than its larger cousin the band saw. It also has the ABILITY TO HAVE THE BLADE THREADED THROUGH THE WORK PIECE FOR INTERIOR CUTS - it is the ONLY BENCH TOP POWER TOOL THAT CAN DO THIS.
http://www.sears.ca/e/info/tools/tglossar.html


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Note added at 15 hrs (2006-03-13 19:08:37 GMT)
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The local guy said it is LARGE saw, like the one in Sue's photo, presumably, rather than the pictures in my references, but I think that changes nothing regarding the name.

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Note added at 15 hrs (2006-03-13 19:13:23 GMT)
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Hegner scroll saws (referred to above) are called "scie à chantourner" by their Swiss manufacturer.