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M Bernard & Co Duracut Works


Kalfred

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Hello, I saw on line, the below of image of manufacturer’s marks on a piece of non- bladed table cutlery.

1652745408_aabMBernardCox-ns.jpg.b3c03610c1fe4563ab076b5f97b3cd86.jpg

“Sheffield” is obvious, and the maker or possible retailer appears to be “M Bernard & Co”. There is another mark “X-NS” that could be a trademark.

I looked on line for a bit more information and found few more useful images. Happily for some Forum members most were of bladed cutlery. Better than this they generated an actual trademark “Duracut”.

394544396_aaDuracutMBernardCoSheff.jpg.52aa0fa71dffe8ccf38c26d5ef394cad.jpg

1848770364_aaMBernardSonLtdcarversmarks.jpg.81c47f209cc2b338d9a76c13e1e40d2a.jpg

I love a trademark because trademarks often give rise to or stem from the company’s “Works” name. There is in fact a post on our forum from 2010 mentioning a “Duracut Works” but predominately concerning a joinery tool making company “Robinson Hall Ltd” (I was unable to make a link work. The post is in this Made in Sheffield section)

Here there is the reference concerning “Bernards” shown below, an extract from “Archaeological survey on Rockingham Street / Newcastle Street”

“Duracut. Alan Wasden Limited, Hand Tool Manufacturer. Has a dedication stone which reads: "M Bernard & Co April 1939. This stone was laid on behalf of the above by Miss Shifra & Master Derek Hiller" The building had been used continually from 1939 to 2004 for the production of hand tools, notably hard steel punches and cold chisels.”

The “Rockingham Street/Newcastle street” address of “Duracut works” is confusing as there is an images on line for “Duracut” works and it gives the address of “Rockingham Street at the junction with St Thomas Lane”. Though the company at this address may be a development as it is called “M Bernard & Son Ltd”.

s33746.jpg

 

We have 2 addresses for 2 “M Bernard” companies just for confusion. Were they at different periods, using more or less of the same building? And what is there to indicate their production period?

"M Bernard & Co” seemed to have been at “Duracut” works in April 1939 and the yellow and black handled carving set looks to me of the Art Deco period and likely product of the 1930’s.  

Robinson Hall Ltd was registered on 04/04/1942 at “Duracut” works so does this mean "M Bernard & Co” ceased production in 1942?

The only other piece of dating I can easily find is going back to my first photo. That mark “X-NS” is not a proper trademark but was the mark allowed to be put on generic cutlery made for civilian use during WWII. That cutlery in my first photo item says that it was made in Sheffield but it had to have been made in Sheffield, as during WWII, cutlery production was concentrated in Sheffield and the Birmingham factories were changed exclusively to wartime production needs. This inference comes from the book by “John Price” (of Birmingham’s Arthur Price & Co), the “Cutlers Tale”, relating his family’s bemoaning not even being able to make generic type “XNS” cutlery items in the War when Sheffield makers could.

There is a last image just to add to the interest and I wonder where it might fit in? Its cutlery does look of a slightly later style.

685878929_aaMBernardSonLtdcanadaBadge.jpg.504c7f841081b0686202c7fdd3f1d499.jpg

I have found a few fragments of information about  “M Bernard” and “Duracut”. I hope there is a lot more to be added from the Forum.

 Kalfred

 

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I went into Bernards firm to visit a mate, it’s was like walking into a Victorian scenario but then again most cutlery firms were like that, they were very reluctant to invest in modern machinery. In the trade Bernards was pronounced “ Ber - nards” , don’t know why but it was.

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HelloTozzin, thanks for your observation. Can it be dating? If you are just 30 years old that would not have been all that long ago, would it?

Kalfred

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7 hours ago, Kalfred said:

HelloTozzin, thanks for your observation. Can it be dating? If you are just 30 years old that would not have been all that long ago, would it?

Kalfred

Oh if I was thirty years old, I visited the works in around 1962 / 63.

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My family, (Alan Wasden Ltd.) bought Duracut works at 60, Rockingham Street S1 4EA, and the Duracut trade mark in around 1976.  Initially we were heat treatment specialists then we diversified into hand tool manufacturing, mainly builders tools such as cold chisels and brick bolsters.  We moved the business out in around 2004 and later sold the business and trademark.  We sold Duracut Works in around 2006.  Sadly, its now been demolished and student flats are now built there. 

The photo is us lifting a drop stamp into the building in the early 1980s. We had to close the road on a Sunday and take some of the roof off.  The stone mentioning Bernards can be seen on the photo in between where its says Private Parking.

IMG_3122.JPG

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