Thread: Sheffield Razors & Pond Works???

Hello,

I have a general question on Sheffield blades & what "Pond Works" refers to on a razor I just picked up. It shaves GREAT but I'd like to know more of the history on this razor! The blade is stamped with what appears to be:

"...ASH BROTHERS & CO" (stamped on a curve)
"PONDS WORKS" (?)
SHEFFIELD (in italic upper case letters)

On the blade itself seems to be another set of stamped letters: "R or P O X O"??? Don't have any idea here and then "ENGLAND" stamped on the tang in capital letters.

I tried looking for anything but came up empty. Does anyone have the approximate date of manufacture and who these brothers are? I wish I could post a photo, but the image doesn't give the detail to the already ground down letters. Also, I see so many Sheffield marked blades but just as many other names on the blades above Sheffield. Did Sheffield make the blade to turn around & have someone else stamp theirs above them? I'm a little confused here.

Like I said, it shaves great!

Best and thanks for any responses or replies.

JR

Sheffield isn't a maker's name, it refers to the place of manufacture, the city of Sheffield in the UK.
I'm afraid I can't give you any information on the maker's name you have. I do have a couple of blades labelled Pondworks myself, but mine were made by Marsh and Shepherd.
Kind regards,
Alex

You'll find similar company with photos over here http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...-environs.html

Maybe your stamp read Marsh Brothers originally?

I think Hog's right - a quick check in the 1854 Sheffield directory turns this up:

Post office directory of Sheffield ... - Google Book Search

17 Forge lane, Marsh Brothers and Co. (first column, about half -way down).

So you know they were around in 1854....not much help, I know, but a start.

James.

Oh, and Uniclectica has it down as:

MARCH BROS & CO
Pond Works, Sheffield until 1852
Navigation Works, Sheffield ca. 1853 - 1920

(I'm assuming that the name is a typo - maybe not?) A small bit of variance there, but that may help narrow down the date a bit more.

James.

I don't know Sheffield other than it is a large industrial city. Pond will be a part of the City probably near Pond Lane down Pond Road. I also guess at one time there was a pond there. A large steel maker will have made items of steel at different Factories or "Works". Pond Works means the steel factory in Pond, Sheffield, England.

Sheffield in the United Kingdom was the centre of the British cutlery industry. A razor was just a sharp knife to a cutlery maker. Many of the stamping marks that you find on Sheffield England razors can be found on everyday cutlery items such as knives, forks and spoons.

Thanks a bunch for the replies!

BAD news is...I fumbled it this morning and broke the tip so now it's out of of service!!! @#$%!!! Stupid me! Is there any hope you think of still being able to use it? I'm bummed!!!

Thanks again for your help.

James