Stan Shaw: Busts To Honour Sheffield's Last "Little Mester"

[SheffieldForum]

 

A pair of busts have been created to honour Stan Shaw, a legendary Sheffield craftsman and the last of the city's renowned "little mesters." Shaw, who passed away at the age of 94 in 2021, was celebrated for his handcrafted pocket knives, which graced the collections of royalty and rockstars alike.

Celebrating a Master Craftsman

Stan Shaw began his apprenticeship in Sheffield's cutlery industry at just 14 years old. Known for his remarkable skill, he continued to demonstrate his craft up until shortly before his death. Shaw's exceptional work earned him an impressive order book featuring high-profile clients, including Queen Elizabeth II, the Duke of Edinburgh, and members of Elvis Presley’s band.

Crafting the Tribute

Chris Denham, an artist and close friend of the Shaw family designed the busts, one cast in bronze and the other in stainless steel. Local technology firms, Castings Technology International and Performance Engineering Solutions, used advanced 3D laser techniques to create a faithful likeness of Mr Shaw.

A Legacy on Display

One of the sculptures will be displayed at Shaw's former workshop in Kelham Island, which has been transformed into a museum dedicated to his work. The other bust will be exhibited at Cutlers' Hall, alongside a family collection of Shaw's renowned knives.

 

The "little mesters" were self-employed metalworkers whose specialized skills complemented Sheffield's large steel manufacturers, making the city famous during the Victorian era. Shaw’s family claims he was the last of this esteemed network.

 

Inspired by a Legend

Family friend Chris Denham, who designed the busts, was inspired to create the artworks after a conversation at Shaw's memorial service at Sheffield Cathedral. Denham recalls Shaw’s passion and dedication to his craft:

 

"I saw Stan at work many times over the years, and he once said to me jokingly, ‘I’ve never done a day’s work in my life’. Yet he created incredibly complex knives by eye and enjoyed every minute of it, between drinking tea and chatting to people who were interested in his work."

 

Denham, inspired by Shaw, made a significant career change:

 

"This is all so special because Stan inspired me to leave teaching to become a full-time artist when he was made redundant to become a full-time knife-maker in 1985."

Honouring a Sheffield Icon

The busts of Stan Shaw not only commemorate his incredible craftsmanship but also celebrate the enduring legacy of Sheffield's "little mesters." These tributes ensure that Shaw's contributions to the city's rich industrial heritage will be remembered and cherished by future generations.

 

 

Photos: Andy Kershaw Media

[peak4]

On a related note, a film showing, which I don't think I'll be able to make, though I saw Steven's talk recently

Tuesday, July 9

FILM NIGHT - See Hawley Collection Films on 'The Big Screen'   Eventbright for free tickets

Location Kelham Island Museum

Alma Street Sheffield S3 8RY
About this event 1 hour 30 minutes
Join us for an evening of films, your opportunity to see some of the Hawley Collection films about knives and knifemaking on ‘the big screen’.

Get yourself a drink from the pub downstairs and settle in for the main feature.

Some of the featured films will include Stan Shaw and Steven Cocker making a Barlow Knife (from his recent talk).

This is one of the final events for our Lottery Heritage Fund project: ‘Sheffield Treasure: Celebrating 200 Years of Excellence in Cutlery Making’.

Don’t miss this opportunity to see new and original footage from the collection.

 

 

 

[bassett one]

THATS fantastic well done to andy kershaw who worked so hard on this project and to all the others that worked so hard as well. i like to think we all helped including our festival that gifted a free beer stall to andy ect in 2022 to raise funds for this great mans memory and there will be many more like our event who offered free spaces for the fund raising , thats great news.

[SheffieldForum]

20 minutes ago, bassett one said:

THATS fantastic well done to andy kershaw who worked so hard on this project and to all the others that worked so hard as well. i like to think we all helped including our festival that gifted a free beer stall to andy ect in 2022 to raise funds for this great mans memory and there will be many more like our event who offered free spaces for the fund raising , thats great news.

 

Andy Kershaw is a bit of a living legend too right now - always pushing positive stuff for Sheffield and on the right side of whatever is going on.