W. J. HARRIS & C0.

W.J. Harris  was a company based in London with many Depots which distributed sewing machines and other goods to retailers (a competitor of Hermann Loog).

They did not produce any sewing machine on their own account,  but badged machines made by other makers with the Harris name.

Harris sold machines from many makers in several countries, including the German Grimme, Natalis & Co., Stoewer, Frister & Rossmann and L.O. Dietrich companies and the American New Home and National/Eldredge companies. They also sold badged British Jones and Japanese machines.

Among the items featured on this advert for Harris & Co. are the Bassinette and Victoria prams.

The first baby carriage was made for the children of the Duke of Devonshire in 1730. This was a beautifully crafted carriage designed to be pulled by a dog or a small horse. It had elaborate exterior carvings and two lamps at the front. By the 1840s the carriages were more affordable and less ostentatious, but they were still pulled rather than pushed, usually by the family nanny. In 1853, Charles Burton invented a collapsible carriage that was pushed from behind making it easier to control.

The company was founded in the 1870's and continued in the sewing machine business until at least 1960. It is said that the current incarnation of the Harris company is "Mothercare", a large British company of chain stores selling goods for babies and young children.

This page lists some of the model designations used by the Harris company and shows the actual makers of the machines where known.

Alan Quinn

needlebar.org

 

HARRIS  SEWING  MACHINES

extract from an advert from  1880
extract from an advert from 1880

 

 

 

 

 

 

HARRIS    ?

extract from an advert from 1880
extract from an advert from 1880

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HARRIS

The Defiance  

 

 

Was Elsa the machine on the advert or

another clone produced by

a German or English manufacturer?

 

 

ELSA  

This machine was produced by Messrs Baach & Klie who started manufacturing sewing machines in the mid 1870's. In 1883 Baach and Klie, of Brunswick, manufacturers of the original Elsa machine, have withdrawn their agency from H. G. Lee and have appointed C. Lohmaun, 43, London Wall, sole wholesale agent for the United Kingdom. The Elsa was first produced around 1876 and was still being made in 1912. The firm was still in existence in 1926.

 

 

extract from an advert for WJ Harris & Co, Bassinettes & sewing machines July 1885
extract from an advert for WJ Harris & Co, Bassinettes & sewing machines July 1885

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HARRIS  ?

 

 

    Defiance

 

 

  made by Lehnmann

   

 

 

 

       Defiance

 

            Variant 1 

 

      made by Lehnmann

     ( formerly Baach & Klie )

 

  

 

picture from Needlebar.org   s/n  259
picture from Needlebar.org s/n 259

 

 

    DEFIANCE

 

                Variant 2

 

         made by Lehnmann

      ( formerly  Baach & Klie )

 

      

  

 

 

     DEFIANCE

           made by New Home

 

            Saxonia  Type   

 

 

 

               DEFIANCE

 

                made by New Home

 

 

 

Defiance N 3

 

 

Made by Lehnmann (formerly Baach & Klie)

 

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Nov. I, 1895

W. J. Harris & Co., Limited, beg to inform the agents and dealers throughout the country that they have just completed arrangements with Messrs. Stoewer to stock their unrivalled and highly-finished sewing machines, so that in future small buyers of two to six machines at a time can be supplied within 24 hours' notice, and at the very lowest prices.

Stoewer's machines are guaranteed the cheapest and best-finished in the market, and will be found to command the quickest sale with servants and for family use. Send for illustrated list and sample machine, which will be cheerfully sent on approval.

— W. J. Harris & Co., Limited, Haymerle Road, London, S.E. ADVT.

********************************************

from Needlebar
from Needlebar

 

 

 

   PRINCESS

 

           Saxonia Type

 

           made by Stoewer

 

 

     PREMIER

 

 

           made by Stoewer

 

                (Stettin)

 

 

 

HARRIS PREMIER

        No. 2

 

 

HARRIS PREMIER

        No. 2D

 

 

 

HARRIS FAMILY 

       No. 2

 

 

         made by Stoewer

 

 

 

 

HARRIS FAMILY 

       No. 2H

 

            Example 1

 

 

HARRIS FAMILY 

       No. 2H

 

               Example 2

 

picture  from  Needlebar.org     Serial # 2.908.243
picture from Needlebar.org Serial # 2.908.243

 

 

HARRIS FAMILY 

       No. 2H

 

                   Example 3

 

 

 

 

  HARRIS 

   No 1 H

 

 

    made by Haid & Neu

 

 

        

 

 

 

HARRIS  No 2 

 

        made by Stoewer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HARRIS No 3

 

 

      made by New Home

      

 

 

                   HARRIS No 3

Variant 1   

                   made by New Home            

 

 

HARRIS No 3

 

       Variant 2

     

   made by New Home

 

 

 

HARRIS No 5

 

 

 HARRIS No 5 

 

           Variant 1

 

 

 

HARRIS No 7 

      (?) 

Picture courtesy of Ruby & Gene Post from the NeedleBar
Picture courtesy of Ruby & Gene Post from the NeedleBar

 

 

 

HARRIS No 9

 

 

 

HARRIS No 9

 

          Variant 1

 

 

 

 

HARRIS Nr 9C  

             Made By

        R. Lehnmann

(formerly Baach & Klie)

 

 

Braunschweig (Brunswick)

 

HARRIS  9H

 

 

 

HARRIS 18 

 

 

 

 

HARRIS 22

 

 

HARRIS 23 H 

 

 

 

HARRIS 24 H

 

 

 

HARRIS 34 H

 

HARRIS - B 

 

 

HARRIS  VS

 

 

 

 

HARRIS  CB

 

*********************************************************

1897
1897

TO BE CONTINUED