Rare (Needham's Patent) Antique Cigarette Holder / Dispenser, Engraved - Welsbach light Company, Manufacturer of Gas Light and Mantles etc
Dated around 1900
Silver or nickel plated on brass.
Overall height 14cm, chamber height 8.5cm and diameter 7cm.
Good condition for age, with some superficial wear, scratches and tarnishing etc.
Welsbach Gas Light Company
Manufacturers of burners, gas mantles, stoves, cookers, gas and electric metallic filament lamps. Employees 1,000.
An incandescent gas mantle, gas mantle or Welsbach mantle is a device for generating bright white light when heated by a flame. The name refers to its original heat source in gas lights, which filled the streets of Europe and North America in the late 19th century, mantle referring to the way it is hung above the flame. Today it is still used in portable camping lanterns, pressure lanterns and some oil lamps.
Makers mark / retailer, to the base - Hollings, New Oxford St, London
Patent design by renowned silversmiths - Needham’s
William Needham, the founder of the company that bears his name,was born in Mitchell Street, Sheffield on the 21st Oct 1853. His parents were Joseph & Jane Needham and Joseph was a joinery tool maker. So, it is no surprise that William followed a similar career and becomes a silver smith/cutler.ln the 1871 census he is still living with his parents (51 Lansdowne Road) with an occupation of Silver Cutler. Later, he married Annie and they had two sons: William Henry Needham(b1877) & Ralph Clarke Needham (b1883).. In the '81 &'91 census WIlliam is described as a silver fruit knife maker. After moving house at least once a decade he & Annie finally settled on Harefield Road, where he died in 1915 leaving £3634
William's eldest son, William Henry Needham lived on Harefield Road most of his life. At the age of 14 he was described as a silver fruit knife maker , like his father. He marries Elizabeth in 1901 and in 1903 they have a son William Edwin Needham. Similarly, Ralph Clarke Needham was a silver fruit knife maker, lived on Harefield Road, married Bertha Annie and has two children, Dora & Ralph Clarke (b1905)
In 1891 William Needham registered as a silversmith at the Assay Office in Sheffield with a works address in Jessop Street. William and Ralph Needham (William's two sons) are listed as Partners of the firm, 15th July 1936, based at Portland Works, Hill Street, Sheffield. There is a company calling card for William Needham. Cutlery Manufacturer, Portland Works, Hill Street, Sheffield. It states the company was formed in 1884
The first mention I've found to date for Needham Bros is in Directory of Topography of Sheffield in 1862. But there is confusion as there are two companies called Needham Brothers. The first has Henry WIlliam and Charles Needham as proprietors making spring knives at Cavendish works while the second sees William & Joseph Needham producing the same knife at the Hanover works on Milton Street. After 1862 I have found no more mention of the first Needham brothers but the same is not true of the firm of William & Joseph. But before we look at the Needham Brothers of WIlliam & Joseph what do we know of the other Needham Brothers. Well Henry William and Charles Needham were, not surprisingly brothers whose parents were William and Harriett Needham. They were born in Sheffield respectively in 1820 and 1824. Their father was born in Eckington and came to Sheffield in 1806 as an apprentice where he subsequently married Harriett Hobson. It's not surprising then that Henry William and Charles followed in their fathers footsteps as knife makers.
Documents in the National archives ( BT 31/31478/50526), state that Needham Brothers ltd was incorporated in 1896. Assay Office records in Sheffield show that marks were issued to Needham Bros Ltd of Baker's Hill in 1900 and 1901. A new mark was issued in 1903 but by then the company had moved to 36 Matilda Street; a further mark was issued in 1906. In the 1919 Register of Trade Marks issued by the Cutlers Company of Sheffield, Needham Bros had two: Repeat and Barclay Brothers. They produced a range of cutlery, razors, scissors & skates , examples of which are shown above.The question is who were the proprietors as both Joseph and William were dead? Needham Bros Ltd registered with the Sheffield Assay office on the 27th February 1920 with directors: Francis Joseph Needham, Effie Jane Needham, Mary Ann Needham & Harold Barnaby Collins. They were initially based at 36 Matilda Street and then moved to 82,Tenter Street, Sheffield. By 1933 the proprietors of Needham Bros were Francis Joseph Needham and Francis Edwin Needham. They registered a further mark on the 19th May 1933, the company was based at 111 Matilda Street, Sheffield.
Who are all these people? Francis Joseph Needham & his brother Edwin George Needham were the sons of Francis & Mary Anne Needham & were born respectively in 1880 & 1874. They followed their fathers trade and were spring knife cutlers. In 1905 White's Directory has the two brothers Edwin George & Francis Joseph plus their father Francis as cutlery manufacturers at Needham Brothers.