Carrs Silver is a Sheffield manufacturer rich in the traditional silversmith skills the city is famous for and committed to strengthening its reputation in the global market for classic and contemporary silverware. All Carrs Silver products are made in Sheffield and grace the homes of many who appreciate the finer things in life around the world.
Established by Ron Carr in 1977, initially making silverware gifts and accessories, the family-run business has grown to become one of the UK’s premier manufacturers of fine quality silverware. Right through to the present day where Carrs embark on its next journey into the world of e-commerce.
1976
Our founder, Ron Carr, left a job in production engineering to set up in business as a self-employed jeweller hand-making silver jewellery designs.
1977
Ron’s business grew and in the year of the Queen’s Silver Jubilee ‘Carrs of Sheffield Limited ‘ was incorporated. The expanding business moved into its first industrial premises where it continued to produce an increasingly large range of silver jewellery and commemorative products.
1979
This year saw the launch of Carrs’ first collection of silver photograph frames, which was extremely well received by the British trade.
1981
The company took its first tentative steps into overseas markets following a successful exhibition at Spring Fair International in Birmingham.
1982
Silver photograph frames were by now the company’s flagship products and the range was further developed at this point to meet the burgeoning demands of the company’s UK and overseas markets.
1988
The company continued to prosper by concentrating almost wholly on the production of photograph frames. It was now employing over 100 people in some 30,000 sq ft of workshop space spread across various locations in Sheffield.
1990
In order to give Carrs self-sufficiency in satisfying its ever increasing demand for raw materials, the decision was made to set-up an in-house fabrication department. To this end, six acres of land were purchased just outside the city centre and planning began to create the purpose-built production and office facility the company occupies today.
1991
Carrs export business was at its zenith and the company was proud to receive a highly prestigious ‘Queen’s Award For Export Achievement’.
1992
The company’s state-of-the-art 80,000 sq.ft. modern manufacturing facility and office complex was completed. Carrs relocated and immediately began to plan for further product development and expansion.
1994
Carrs launched a comprehensive range of cutlery patterns together with a number of traditional silverware products such as candlesticks, clocks, children’s gifts, dresser sets as well as some contemporary leather and silver accessories. The new products were an immediate success with customers worldwide.
1995
This year saw Carrs opening its highly successful concessions in London’s famous Harrods and Selfridges department stores.
1996
By 1996 Carrs products were available from high quality retailers in over 50 countries around the world.
1999
The 2000 Millennium celebrations provided Carrs with a unique opportunity to launch a hugely successful range of commemorative products featuring the unique Millennium hallmark.
2002
Carrs won ‘The Brand of the Year Award’ in the prestigious UK Jewellery Awards an annual competition sponsored by Retail Jeweller magazine. This was also the year of Queen’s Golden Jubilee and the company created an exquisite, limited -edition set of 18ct gold cutlery marked with the Jubilee Hallmark, in celebration.
2005
The popularity of Carrs cutlery brand continued to grow.
2009
Carrs place at the forefront of British cutlery production was underlined by the acquisition of the Osborne Group of companies, a Sheffield cutlery producer with an archive of patterns spanning the past 300 years. The purchase made Carrs the country’s largest ‘start to finish’ manufacturer of cutlery.
2010
The Osborne brand of silverware was relaunched, with the opening of a dedicated ‘Osborne’ concession within the Silver Room at Harrods.
2012
Never a company to stand on its laurels, Carrs continues to expand its product offering and has developed some exciting new pieces to celebrate the best of British craftsmanship. In the same year, the country celebrates the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and hosts the Olympic Games. Carrs exhibited at the International Jewellery London at Earls Court in September.
2012
The next generation of the Carr family, Andrew, Martin & Richard Carr take over running of the business.
2013
The company made a bold step to relocate the concession to a bigger retail space in the prestigious Harrods department store.
2015
First major collaboration with the renowned artist Stephen Winterburn.
2015
This year saw the company secure a contract to supply strawberry stands for the Queen’s royal visit to the Sultan of Oman’s garden party.
2016
Carrs work on a new project to supply cutlery to prestigious 3 Michelin star chef Clare Smyth for her first standalone restaurant Core in London.
2017
Carrs were delighted to welcome a visit from a member of the Royal family, HRH The Duke of Gloucester to the manufacturing premises in Sheffield.
2018
The launch of our new e-commerce site!
2021
Carrs now marks all of it’s silver items with the convention mark.
The Convention on the Control and Marking of Articles of Precious Metals is an international treaty between States on the cross border trade in precious metal articles. It was signed in Vienna in November 1972 and entered into force in 1975.
It is also known as the “Hallmarking Convention”, the “Vienna Convention” or the “Precious Metals Convention”.
The Convention aims at facilitating the cross-border trade of precious metal articles between Contracting States (i.e. States which are party to the Convention) while maintaining consumer protection. The scope of the Convention is strictly limited to the control of the precious metal content – not to health, security or other aspects of precious metals articles.
The Convention provides a common set of technical requirements for the independent third party verification of precious metals articles. Each Contracting State recognises that articles, which have been marked with the Convention “Common Control Mark” (CCM) and which are of a legal fineness, can enter their territory without additional control or marking.
The CCM is the first international hallmark and accepted in all the Convention’s Contracting States. It is also recognised as a “quality” symbol in other countries. As a result, the CCM makes it easier for quality precious metals articles, for which there is a high demand, to travel and cross borders. The number of articles, marked with the CCM every year, reaches approximately 5 million.
The Convention, which is based on the principle of independent, third-party control, has greatly contributed to the harmonisation of standards related to the control and marking of precious metals articles and still continues to be the leading organisation in the field.
