Charles Stuart Harris was from a family of manufacturing silversmiths and was an active silversmith between 1852 and 1897, running the business which eventually was to become C.S. Harris & Sons Ltd in 1897.
The business was found by Charles Stuart Harris in 1897.
They acquired an extensive range of premises in Hatton Garden, Red Lion Street, Bateman Street in Soho, the latter probably acquired in December 1897 from two other Stuart Harris’ – Arthur and Ernst who were trading as ‘Harris Brothers’.
The company kept trading until 1934 but had given up most of their premises by that time except those at 41 & 43 Hatton Garden. They were eventually taken over by I Freeman & Sons, another manufacturing silversmiths and dealers in antique silver and plated items also of Hatton Garden.
Carl Christopher Krall was a German silversmith. He traded as Barkentin & Krall with the partnership of Jes Barkentin, a metalworker of Danish origin, in Regent Street, London.
The origins of the company date back to Alexander Macrae who established his business in 1856 in Covent Garden, London.
In 1870 he entered into a partnership with Martin Goldstein changing the firms name to Macrae & Goldstein. In 1878, the partnership was dissolved. Martin Goldstein continued to trade under his own name until 1886. At this time he sold the firm to Cornelius Joshua Vander, who was actually originally an apprentice to Macrae & Goldstein.
Vander entered his first mark on 18 October 1886, while he was based in Soho, London. C J Vander continued until his death in 1904. At this time the firm was continued by his sons Alfred and Henry Vander.
In the 1920s Henry’s sons Henry and Arthur, and also Alfred’s son Norman entered into the firm. The firm continued to succeed at home as well as in the USA, where C J Vander managed to cultivate a wide export business.
Circa 1930, the firm became a limited liability company, changing the name to C J Vander Ltd.
In 1996 the firm was acquired by Syratech Corporation, owners of the leading silver brands in the USA.
CHRONOLOGY
Alexander Macrae - c. 1856 - c. 1870
Macrae & Goldstein - c. 1870 - 1878
Martin Goldstein - 1878 - 1886
Cornelius Joshua Vander - 1886 - c. 1930
C.J. Vander Ltd - c. 1930 - 1996
Bursar (later Estates Bursar), and Clerk of Works (later Buildings Manager)