Historical information
This stainless steel breadknife was used by a household in Emerald in the early-to-mid portion of the Twentieth Century.
Stainless steel (steel which did not rust) became more commonly used for tableware and kitchen equipment from the late 1920s. There are several names attached as inventor of the process; a nearly identical alloy had been noted by English workers Clark and Woods in 1872 but Sheffield gun-researcher Harry Brearly is most often credited with the invention of true stainless steel (in 1915). However when Brearly attempted to patent his invention in the United States an existing patent by metallurgist Elwood Haynes was discovered. Haynes and Brearly went into partnership in 1929 to form the American Stainless Steel Corporation which produced 25,000 tonnes of stainless steel in America alone.
Thomas Turner and Co was formed in Sheffield, England, in 1802 and originally products for Brownell's patent knives. By 1825 they manufactured their own products, focusing on tableware, pocket knives and tools. The company registered silver marks in 1865 and 1884. The company was one of the biggest employers in Sheffield at the start of the Twentieth Century, and was one of the first companies to market 'hygienic' stainless steel products.
Significance
This item is significant as it provides insights into the cooking equipment and techniques in use in the region in the early-to-mid twentieth century. As such, it also provides insights into the shifting social and economic conditions of the time period.
Physical description
The object is a commercially manufactured stainless steel breadknife with a wooden handle. The handle may have originally been painted green, however much of the paint has abraded. The knife was used by a resident of Emerald in the early-to-mid twentieth Century. It is made of stainless steel, which became increasingly common after inventions to refine the process of making it in 1915. The knife was manufactured by Thomas Turner & Co of Sheffield, England.
Inscriptions & markings
Reverse:
THOMAS TURNER & CO. /
SHEFFIELD. ENGLAND /
STAINLESS STEEL
