H M & Co

[LAURA SCOTT 0]

I am trying to identify some cutlery that I recently came across and after a quick google, it brought me to the Sheffield Form.   I have just read through a really interesting and informative post about Sheffield cutlery makers (started in 2005) which answered a lot of questions except two!   I have been unable to work out why H M & CO (Harris Miller & Co) should be indentified alongside David Mellor on a well known interenet auction site.   Was David Mellor the designer of cutlery for H M & CO?   And if not, why would they be identified together?   In the original post, someone specifically asked about an odd design of knife, which I also have and wonder if anyone who worked there, would know what it was for or who it was for?   It measures approx 17.8cms long maximum and although it looks like a knife, it doesn't have a blade, it has more like a long, thinner triangular shaped, very shallow bowl, which comes to a rounded tip.   The date on the reverse of the handle is either 1965 or 1966.   Thank you in advance for any help.

[RiffRaff 10]

Bone marrow scoop?

[sadbrewer 20]

Just a little about Harris Miller & Co, the company was owned by Armin Krausz born somewhere in Europe, possibly Hungary, in 1899.  He seems to have been a multi faceted businessman... he was working as a Cutler in Sheffield at least as early as 1925 but in the early 1930's he took an interest in the building industry and was largely instrumental in building the Duke Street flats and later the Regent Court flats at Hillsborough .

[LAURA SCOTT 0]

1 hour ago, RiffRaff said:

Bone marrow scoop?

No I don't think it is a marrow scoop, which seems to be long but the same width, whereas the one that I have is wider at the base where it joins the handle, making an inverted V shape to a rounded tip.

[RiffRaff 10]

3 hours ago, LAURA SCOTT said:

No I don't think it is a marrow scoop, which seems to be long but the same width, whereas the one that I have is wider at the base where it joins the handle, making an inverted V shape to a rounded tip.

A very badly designed bone marrow scoop?

😉

[TSL 0]

Dessert spoons? https://www.ebay.com/itm/6-x-VINTAGE-H-M-CO-1972-CUTLERY-dessert-Spoons-cheese-collectable/184205193850?hash=item2ae37c327a:g:RoAAAOSwf0teXng8

 

Also, David Mellor did design the Thrift range of cutlery that was manufactured by HM & Co and bought by the government for schools, hospitals etc., back in the 60s and 70s. But in my experience, vendors on auction sites seem to mention almost everything they can think of  just to get people interested.  The designers mentioned in this link are a good example - they're just trying to get these names into the search criteria, and not necessarily suggesting that they designed these particular spoons.

Edited December 2, 2020 by TSL
Correct spelling

[RiffRaff 10]

Worth mentioning there's a David Mellor Design 'museum' out Hathersage way?

Might be worth a call/visit (if/when open?)

[pattricia 574]

2 hours ago, RiffRaff said:

Worth mentioning there's a David Mellor Design 'museum' out Hathersage way?

Might be worth a call/visit (if/when open?)

Ive been there a few times

[LAURA SCOTT 0]

On 02/12/2020 at 15:02, TSL said:

Dessert spoons? https://www.ebay.com/itm/6-x-VINTAGE-H-M-CO-1972-CUTLERY-dessert-Spoons-cheese-collectable/184205193850?hash=item2ae37c327a:g:RoAAAOSwf0teXng8

 

Also, David Mellor did design the Thrift range of cutlery that was manufactured by HM & Co and bought by the government for schools, hospitals etc., back in the 60s and 70s. But in my experience, vendors on auction sites seem to mention almost everything they can think of  just to get people interested.  The designers mentioned in this link are a good example - they're just trying to get these names into the search criteria, and not necessarily suggesting that they designed these particular spoons.

These are identical to the ones that I have but with your info above, I do wonder whether they may have been knives designed for use in primary schools.   I have an interest in vintage cutlery having inherited a vast amount from my late aunt and I have spent many hours researching what I have.   With reference to the above auction site listing, I doubt that these are dessert spoons or cheese knives as they wouldn't hold much pudding and they don't have a cutting edge for cheese but suspect that the seller was hedging their bets!   Many thanks for your help, it is very much appreciated.

[TSL 0]

 

39 minutes ago, LAURA SCOTT said:

These are identical to the ones that I have but with your info above, I do wonder whether they may have been knives designed for use in primary schools.   I have an interest in vintage cutlery having inherited a vast amount from my late aunt and I have spent many hours researching what I have.   With reference to the above auction site listing, I doubt that these are dessert spoons or cheese knives as they wouldn't hold much pudding and they don't have a cutting edge for cheese but suspect that the seller was hedging their bets!   Many thanks for your help, it is very much appreciated.

I did wonder if they are fish knives.  Here's some modernist Viner's ones from about the same date, which look very similar.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Viners-International-Japan-Mosaic-Modernist-Stainless-4-x-Fish-Knives-/131131449457

 

I'm sure if you mailed a picture to the Mellor museum, they'd be happy to tell you if he designed them.

 

 

[DeWasteney 3]

Fish Eater Blades (Fish Knives), or Fish Carver Blades (Fish Server Knives) which was wide, flat  and had a groove down the length to capture any juice. Also had the "nick shape" at the end as all fish blades did at the time. The fish eater forks and fish carver forks also had the "nick shape" on either side of the fork prongs

 

In 1963 o 1967 I was at I.S.Dearden and Sons Ltd on Liverpool Street - also known as Monogram Cutlery Ltd. They also manufactured the full range of traditional patterns with the hard solder knives etc and every imaginable item of cutlery and scissors from their take over of F.A.Kirk Ltd and another company a few years earlier

 

Maybe a picture of your item will be a great help

 

There is a posting on this site for Monogram Cutlery and one of the contributors is Neville Dearden (using a pseudonym) who is the youngest of Mr I.S.Deardens children - probably around 80 years old now - a possibility he may have some old FA.Kirk literature which could help identify the item

 

Hope this is helpful - Best Regards - Victor M Hutchinson - Malaysia 

[Cyclecar 24]

I think these are grapefruit spoons.