M. Salt & Sons anybody??

[Manchestertattoo]

Hi there, whilst trawling the auction sites for a new addition I came across a razor by the maker M. Salt & sons which also had 21 bull st. Birmingham stamped on the tang. Does anybody have any info on this razor as I'm stumped, I've looked in my goins/tweedales/Schroeder books and can't find a thing. Google wasn't much help either!! Any guesses on age too?? Many thanks, rob.

[Martin103]

Nice looking blade. I did find a couple things on M. Salts & Sons 21 bull st. Birmingham, they were part of The Great Exhibition in 1851 registered as Manufacturers.Cases of surgical instruments.
Also an advertisement from the Auckland Star from 1874.

[Manchestertattoo]

Thanks Martin!!!! Where the heck did you find that info??!! It's a great looking blade, so much so I bought it. Can't wait to hone her up.

[Neil Miller]

They were cutlers and (mainly) surgical instrument makers.

They exhibited surgical instruments in the Great Exhibition of 1851 in London.

Strangely, 'M' stands for Mary. The firm was started in the 1700s by two brothers, who handed it down in the late 1700s/early 1800s to Richard Salt. They had a premises in Dale Street Wolverhampton in 1822. At that premises we also have - in 1828 - a Sarah Salt. I suspect she was the wife of Richard. In 1828 she was trading - still in Wolverhampton - as Sarah Salt & Son. As Richard is last listed (as far as I can find) in Whites 1849 directory, I suppose he died before the change of name. Sarah passed the business on to Thoas Partridge salt, who died in an outbreak of cholera at the age of 45, when it went to Mary and Thomas Partridge Salt II. In 1845 came the move to Wolverhampton.

You can find more by Googling for Salts Healthcare UK.

Regards,
Neil

[Manchestertattoo]

Thank you Neil, amazing info. What would you date the razor at in your opinion??

[Neil Miller]

Job to say Rob. Could just predate the Great Exhibition, but by less than a decade if the info re: Mary is correct (she appears in the 1849 directory alongside Richards name: Richard is listed as cutler and surgical instrument maker, and Mary is listed as 'Salt, Mary & Son' cutlers and surgical instrument makers).

The design endured for a long period of time, so it could have been a decade after the Exhibition too, I suppose.

Regards,
Neil

[Martin103]

Since the company was awarded "Cutlers to her Majesty" in 1845, makes this razor pre-45?
Nevertheless, the razor condition looks very good, perhaps ivory or bone scales?
Even the original box looks in good condition as well. Post more pics when you get it.

[Manchestertattoo]

Will do Martin. Thanks again for the info!!

[Neil Miller]

Since the company was awarded "Cutlers to her Majesty" in 1845, makes this razor pre-45?
Nevertheless, the razor condition looks very good, perhaps ivory or bone scales?
Even the original box looks in good condition as well. Post more pics when you get it.

Strangely enough, although a wiki article states 1845 as the date that 'cutlers to her majesty' was awarded, 301 years after the first Salts were in business the manager, John Salt (of Salts Healthcare UK) said during an interview (in 2002) that the date was in fact 1854 - somewhere, somehow or other, the last two figures of one cited date have been transposed.

John Salt also remarked that by the time the original John Salt died in 1755 his company had established him as a 'surgeon instrument maker' and cutler. Later, Salts maintained the surgeon instrument making as their main business while trading in other wares.

He went on to say that in the early 1800s the firm moved to larger premises in Birmingham's Dale End, surgeon instrument making still being the mainstay of the business. In 1845 the business was moved again to more prestigious premises in Bull Street. In the third quarter of the 19th century, trade in Birmingham picked up and brought great prosperity for the Salts.

In 1854 Salts had a new status as 'Cutlers to Her Majesty' in addition to the surgical instrument and truss manufacturing business. In 1863 Salts was granted a Royal Warrant and in 1867 became Cutlers to the Emperor of France. The firm's cutlery on the Emperor's table was a measure of its international outlook and in the same year it was one of the 57 exhibitors at the Paris Universal Exhibition where it was awarded an 'honourable mention'.


The difference between 1845 and 1854 is only small - 9 years, but enough to confine a razor not bearing 'cutlers to her majesty' on it to the years prior to 1854. One thing that leads me - though not 100% - to believe John Salt's memory rather than the Wiki article is the actual catalogue of the Great Exhibition for 1851. Other firms such as John Rodgers have 'cutlers to her majesty' appended to the name, whereas M Salt & Sons does not.

Regards,
Neil

[Manchestertattoo]

Thanks Neil, so the razor would have been made between 1845 when at bull street and 1854 when awarded 'cutlers to..' That's great. And still looks to be in great condition. Il post more pics when it arrives!