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1950,s Broad Arrow Cutlery Makers. Help Please


Kalfred

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Hello. I just recently bought a War Department “broad arrow” dessert spoon with a for issue date of 1954. It took very little time for me to become stumped over whom might be the maker with the “W.S.Ltd” makers mark.

2145572954_W.S.LtdWarDept1954.thumb.jpg.56dfbd602ab71ea81453edfc60d98c0c.jpg 

During WWII, Sheffield was Government directed to continue being the centre for British cutlery manufacture and even some Birmingham companies needed to move to Sheffield in remain in that business. I am assuming “W.S.Ltd” was based in Sheffield as it was less than 10 years from the end of the War and am hoping that if that was the case there maybe Forum members who know or could speculate on the full maker’s name.

I have images in my “collection” of 2 other similarly dated “broad arrow” pieces of cutlery and I hope the makers of these items might be identified as well. From 1950 there is a spoon with “M.S.Ltd” for its maker’s mark and from 1955 there is a fork with the maker’s mark “F.G.& S”.

1555894770_M.SLtdwarDept1950spn.jpg.1c878de96577ccbe6f40baac60759eb4.jpg658304517_ArmyforkF.GS1955.jpg.276152613912a1cac33421bc3ea3975f.jpg

Like with my just purchased spoon, these makers may not be Sheffield based but I am hoping they are and there may be memories of company names. From information I was given in response to an earlier post, I understand the complex numbers on the items, are part of a “Nato” stock number. You may have noticed the 2 spoon marks have the same C.C.0731 on.

Kalfred

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Every firm that provided cutlery etc to the government whether it be the Army, Navy, Airforce, Prisons the Arrow was put on , cartoons of prisoners always showed the Arrows because that's what was on the clothes issued. So every company that had a contract or order to fill for the government had to put the Arrow mark on .

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Just to underline “Tozzin’s” comments, the photo below is of an item currently for sale on line.

919264113_JwwardTinsnips1944.jpg.f5b9c61fe568a9c583f2d6ae4577a6e4.jpg

Still “War Department, but perhaps these “J.W.Ward” tin snips issued in 1944 could be an interesting view for Sheffield forums fans. I have seen a few similar items at car boots and at auctions.

Kalfred

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