Whilst wandering round an antique shop in Cockermouth in 2007 I spotted a shiny bowl in a corner of the 1st floor showroom. It had a hammered finish & looked to be Arts & Crafts silver so I picked it up. It turned out to be a Borrowdale bowl, which brought back memories from the 60s when I stopped at a shop in Borrowdale & saw a window full of stainless steel items. The amazing thing was that they were all hand made & the quality was superb. Having got the bowl I stared buying more via ebay, & soon saw Old Hall items that I remember seeing in shop windows in the '60s.
Without repeating a lot of history, I think it's safe to say that J & J Wiggin (Est.1893) who used the Old Hall name for their stainless steel products produced the best household items of the highest quality it was possible to buy. In 1928 Nellie Wiggin suggested that her husband make items out of the new Staybrite (1912 Harry Brearley at Brown-Firth) being marketed by Firth Vickers in England, and used for the entrance canopy at The Savoy in London, in 1929.
In 1955 Robert Welch was appointed Consultant Designer a move that would prove to be an outstanding success. The "Campden" range was Robert Welch's first project, the four section toast rack of which won a "Design of the Year" award from the Council of Industrial Design in 1958. The Glory Years of the 1960s followed. Many of his designs were destined for museums all over the world as examples of British design & quality manufacture.
The superb quality of Old Hall products as well as their design, are reasons enough for me to have the few items I've collected so far, & I hope you will enjoy seeing them.
Without repeating a lot of history, I think it's safe to say that J & J Wiggin (Est.1893) who used the Old Hall name for their stainless steel products produced the best household items of the highest quality it was possible to buy. In 1928 Nellie Wiggin suggested that her husband make items out of the new Staybrite (1912 Harry Brearley at Brown-Firth) being marketed by Firth Vickers in England, and used for the entrance canopy at The Savoy in London, in 1929.
In 1955 Robert Welch was appointed Consultant Designer a move that would prove to be an outstanding success. The "Campden" range was Robert Welch's first project, the four section toast rack of which won a "Design of the Year" award from the Council of Industrial Design in 1958. The Glory Years of the 1960s followed. Many of his designs were destined for museums all over the world as examples of British design & quality manufacture.
The superb quality of Old Hall products as well as their design, are reasons enough for me to have the few items I've collected so far, & I hope you will enjoy seeing them.