Harrison, Fisher, & Co Ltd

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OLDE CUTLER
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Harrison, Fisher, & Co Ltd

Post by OLDE CUTLER »

I picked up this nice Sheffield pen knife at the local fleamarket today for a few bucks. It is stainless steel blade, 3 and 1/2 inches OAL, and does not look like it has been used much. The handles are metal, but non magnetic, could be non magnetic stainless or nickle silver, and is only about 1/8 of an inch thick. Mark side of the master blade reads Harrison Fisher & Co Ltd Stainless Sheffield. The secondary pen blade is marked Stainless Sheffield England. The metal handle material has a fish scale like pattern applied. Joints are tight and it snaps like a mouse trap.
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"Sometimes even the blind chicken finds corn"
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OLDE CUTLER
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Re: Harrison, Fisher, & Co Ltd

Post by OLDE CUTLER »

There is not much out there in the way of info on Harrison Fisher & Co Ltd Sheffield. The only things I have found are a picture of a knife very similar to the one I pictured, but was Sterling Silver. Other info suggests that they were in the business of Stainless Steel tableware in the UK in the first half of the 20th century. My 2nd edition Goins lists a Harrison Sheffield England but gives no dates. Other books I have list nothing for them.
"Sometimes even the blind chicken finds corn"
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danno50
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Re: Harrison, Fisher, & Co Ltd

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Tweedale's Directory of Sheffield Cutlery Manufacturers 1740 - 2013 had a full page about Harrison Fisher.
The firm was founded in 1896 by Harrison Fisher. They originally specialized in plated goods and table cutlery. They registered two silver marks in 1898. In 1902 Samuel Lawton became a partner. Harrison died in 1907 and Lawton continued to run the firm until Harrison's widow married Samuel Marsden Inman. Inman joined the firm and jointly managed under Lawton. Lawton retired in 1936. Roger, the youngest son of Inman, joined the firm in 1931, becoming joint managing-director after the war. In 1946 the electric plate and pewter side of the business was sold. Harrison Fisher started buying up small aquisitions. In 1975 they completed a friendly takeover of Taylor's Eye Witness (formerly Needham Veall & Tyzack).
Tweedale says that in the early 1990s: "Harrison Fisher, which employed about 200 people, was probably the only surviving example of the type of firm which had flourished in nineteenth century Sheffield - one which marketed a full range of cutlery". The firm remained family owned. In 2007 Harrison Fisher & co Ltd was renamed Taylor's Eye Witness. By 2013, when Tweedale's guide was published, he says the company faced a challenging future.

Sorry for the long winded answer, I never know how much detail to include when paraphrasing from a guide book. Here is a pearl Harrison Fisher, also in stainless, that I have.
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OLDE CUTLER
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Re: Harrison, Fisher, & Co Ltd

Post by OLDE CUTLER »

danno50 wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 11:54 pm Tweedale's Directory of Sheffield Cutlery Manufacturers 1740 - 2013 had a full page about Harrison Fisher.
The firm was founded in 1896 by Harrison Fisher. They originally specialized in plated goods and table cutlery. They registered two silver marks in 1898. In 1902 Samuel Lawton became a partner. Harrison died in 1907 and Lawton continued to run the firm until Harrison's widow married Samuel Marsden Inman. Inman joined the firm and jointly managed under Lawton. Lawton retired in 1936. Roger, the youngest son of Inman, joined the firm in 1931, becoming joint managing-director after the war. In 1946 the electric plate and pewter side of the business was sold. Harrison Fisher started buying up small aquisitions. In 1975 they completed a friendly takeover of Taylor's Eye Witness (formerly Needham Veall & Tyzack).
Tweedale says that in the early 1990s: "Harrison Fisher, which employed about 200 people, was probably the only surviving example of the type of firm which had flourished in nineteenth century Sheffield - one which marketed a full range of cutlery". The firm remained family owned. In 2007 Harrison Fisher & co Ltd was renamed Taylor's Eye Witness. By 2013, when Tweedale's guide was published, he says the company faced a challenging future.
Sorry for the long winded answer, I never know how much detail to include when paraphrasing from a guide book. Here is a pearl Harrison Fisher, also in stainless, that I have.
Thanks for the info. I was hoping there was a Sheffield collector book out there with some details.
"Sometimes even the blind chicken finds corn"
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Waukonda
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Re: Harrison, Fisher, & Co Ltd

Post by Waukonda »

Nice purchase, OC.
Great info and knife, Danno.
Ike
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danno50
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Re: Harrison, Fisher, & Co Ltd

Post by danno50 »

Thanks Ike.
Dan
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