William Soutter and Sons

(c) Antique Metalware Society

Small extracts can be used with acknowledgements to 'Oldcopper.org' website.

Helpful comments are very welcome.

soutter

 

soutterWilliam Soutter & Sons Co.,– (Soutterware) - (as Soutter & Hicks, Factors) 10, 11 and 12, New Market St, Birmingham,  then near 359-380, Farm St., Hockley (1907).   The Farm Street Site included a timber merchants, adult school and pawnbrokers.  After closure in 1927 the factory was occupied by The Electric Furnace Co (EFCO).   Originally brass founders and plumbers brassware (1870s) , then quality copper and brass artmetal holloware.  This 'Soutterware' mark is commonly found under their jardinières. 

The Soutter Trade Mark with an earlier format 'B' on the base of a well-used four pint copper kettle.  The '&' (ampersand) is in line with the initials rather than dropped as in the example above.  The kettle base had a cramped ('dovetailed') joint to the body.

 

 

soutter kettle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This version of the same mark is not so clear but does include a design registration mark for 25th September 1868 which helps to date the mark and the copper kettle that bears it.

 

 

 

 

 This earlier mark under an 8-pint kettle has the initials well decorated with serifs.  The letter under the monogram is apparently an 'H' (for Hockley?) instead of the usual 'B' for Birmingham. 

 

 

 

........and this another of the rarities showing that the 'H' is not just a mis-struck 'B'.  Found under a kettle recovered from the USA.

 

 

 

Another version, probably also early, with split ends to the 'W' matched by decoration to the 'B'  .  It is under a spirit kettle.  As with some other makers marks, the 'B' is for Birmingham.

 

 

 

This mark on the rim of a burner for a spirit kettle.

 

 

 

For the Canadian market this mark under a spirit kettle also has the stamp of their agent, H Morgan & Co. of Montreal. 

 

 

 

 In the early 1920s, Soutterware was distributed by The Telephone Manufacturing Company (TMC) of London who advertised widely in The Illustrated London News.  Their product range included electroliers, candlesticks, gongs, jardinières together with electric irons, kettles and cookers. 

Under an electric kettle, this type of mark can be dated to circa 1910.

 

soutter spirit kettles

A very wide range of spirit kettles have been made bearing the Soutter mark on the base of the kettle or on the burner.

They made some excellent jugs in arts and crafts style probably based on traditional Normandy copperware design.