Raven Silverware Co Ltd: 'We're keeping a Sheffield tradition alive - but we're the city's best kept secret'

Before the boom, the city began producing cutlery as early as the 13th century, and while the output from the works within this ‘Steel City’ may have dwindled over time, there are still a few ‘Little Mesters’ – the moniker given to the self employed metalworkers who produced cutlery and small tools in the industry’s infancy - carrying on this great trade of tradition.

One such operation is Raven Silverware Co Ltd. Nestled in the heart of what is known as Sheffield’s Cultural Industries Quarter, the business has been trading over 60 years.

Hand-made bespoke trophies and hollowware have been the principle production at the Matilda Street workshop and continue to be so, along with cutlery and other lines introduced by Kevin Algar when he took over the business in 2006.

For Kevin the move brought his career full circle for he had served his time plating only a few yards away.

Learning the processes of spinning – manufacturing and putting the pieces together – and polishing from a young age gave Kevin the knowledge to progress within what was then a flourishing industry and, eventually, set up and run his own business.

“I have been in it all my life from 16 years old. I started as an electro-plater 50 yards away from here. It is hard work,” says Kevin.

Perhaps that, and the dusty environment in which he and his team of three and one part-time member work, may have prompted many to swerve a career in silversmithing.

“It’s sad because it cuts down on everything, getting things done with those skills. Our silversmith and Ben are probably the youngest in the trade,” says Kevin.

His son Ben came into the business full-time two years ago.

Before that, Ben was a professional footballer playing for his home team Sheffield United along with Chesterfield and FC New York, among others. He was semi-professional when he retired from the sport.

While a contrast to his playing career, the business was familiar territory.

“When I was playing football professionally I would come in for two days here and there. I was still playing football semi-professionally until I was 35 so I needed a job and I have been here ever since,” he smiles.

Demonstrating the polishing process he has learned on the bench, Ben takes a heavily tarnished small salver and dips it into buffin sand, the composition of which, he explains, is very fine glass.

Taking the salver to one of a pair of machines within one of three rooms bearing all the traditional hallmarks of the silversmiths’ trade and devoid of any type of modern technology, Ben holds the salver against the spinning buffing felt.

This helps to remove any scratches or imperfections on the piece.

Moving to another machine he explains the range of mops used to achieve different finishes. The satin mop he selects is placed on a wheel which spins against the salver in his grasp.

Moving the salver against the mop, Ben polishes the plate initially achieving a dull finish.

“Some people don’t like it shiny,” he explains, brandishing the plate this way and that to showcase the finish under the light.

Replacing the satin mop with a stitched sisal, Ben applies a rougher compound then repeats the process explaining how the sisal removes any scratches and gives a greater shine.

To achieve a mirror finish Ben replaces the stitched sisal with a softer grease mop. Rouge, a finer compound, is applied to the mop and the process is repeated.

The results are a salver now polished to perfection. Watching Ben at work it is evident patience is an integral part of this time-consuming process.

Job satisfaction comes from restorations, and working on some of the more unusual pieces which come their way.

Gently unwrapping a sculpture of silver holly leaves, Ben treats the piece, he explains forms part of a body of work created by a Japanese sculptor, with the delicacy it deserves.

The sheer intricacy of this sculpture demonstrates the precision of the polishing process Ben has painstakingly applied.

Acknowledging the skill involved, Kevin says: “I have polished everything but I wouldn’t fancy tackling that because it is so fragile. That is phenomenal polishing.

"You see a premiership footballer and they make it look easy and good that is what Ben does.”

The family’s love of the beautiful game – Kevin’s other son, Joshua, is a footballer and Kevin played until the age of 57, has a place in the business through the manufacture, restoration and repair of prestigious sports trophies.

Producing souvenir centrepieces of replica barracks for the British Army are among the assignments they have been involved with, along with polishing the decorative roulette wheel turrets for the finest casinos all over the world.

Recalling the early years of the business Kevin set up and christened The Montgomery Collection after his wife’s maiden name and subsequently absorbed into Raven Silverware, he talks about some memorable commissions from the days when he ran a showroom in London.

Among shelves stacked with previously made silverware of great detail and design, Kevin reveals ‘The Urchin’ – the silver trademark of one of his many memorable commissions for Michel Roux.

Kevin reflects on the great friendship forged with the famed chef of the Michelin-starred Mayfair restaurant, Le Gavroche, through their cutlery collaborations.

A golfer standing mid-swing on an ornate silver tray between two silver topped ink bottles was a piece created for his late father-in-law.

The real eye-catcher though is the silver egg topped with the Prince of Wales feathers.

Kevin explains it was part of a collection made for Highgrove, the Gloucestershire residence of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

Elegant dress canes, crafted from beech and featuring intricately decorated silver toppers, are among the bespoke pieces manufactured using traditional hands-on wood working, hand chasing and silversmithing techniques.

Engraving is another element of the business, which recently featured on Yorkshire-based Air TV’s ‘Yorkshire Heritage Hero.’

Featuring the Yorkshire auctioneer, Angus Ashworth, a recent programme profiled Raven Silverware’s restoration of a silver model bi-plane at Whitwell Hall in York.

Gaining a wider audience, and custom base, for their work is imperative for the future of industries such as steel and silversmithing which, according to Kevin, are dwindling due to competition from cheaper overseas production.

“The only worry is the price of silver,” says Kevin, explaining how demand for the precious metal as a conductor in electric cars and solar panels is pushing up the price.

For small businesses such as Raven Silverware the cost could, eventually, be too much to bear on top of rising running costs but focus on diversification is very much in Kevin’s mind to secure Raven Silverware’s future.

Handing me a multi-tool key-ring, he explains the steel fish fork and bottle opener has brought in additional custom on internet selling sites.

Still, cutlery commissions, bespoke pieces, repairs and restorations remain the bread and butter of the business Kevin is ever keen to promote.

He is aware of the exposure demonstrations of hands-on skilled trades can gain on social media.

The problem is, he and Ben are too busy with the job in hand but it is certainly an option they are keen to explore – not only to secure the future of this family business, but, hopefully, attract young people to consider it as a potential career.

For now, though, “We are the best kept secret,” smiles Kevin.

www.ravensilverware.com.