The Legacy of Sarreid: What’s in a Brand Name?

In the vast and competitive world of business, a brand’s success often hinges on more than just the quality of its products or services. One often overlooked yet immensely powerful aspect is the brand name. A brand name is not merely a label; it is a powerful tool that can evoke emotions, build trust, and establish a unique identity in the minds of consumers. One can only assume that while you may be familiar with our brand, many (or most of you) have no idea where the name Sarreid or the bull logo originated. So here is a little history for you:

In 1967 Alex Sarratt and Walter Reid traveled to Spain with a dream of seeking out and purchasing antiquities to bring back to the US.  What they found was a whole world of rare treasures created by artisans using methods and techniques that had been passed down for hundreds of years. The products they found were not antiques but made in antique ways. A new idea was born and with it, a new company.

Sarratt and Reid selected the bull to be used as the logo before the company even had a name. It was inspired by the Horizon magazine cover in 1963 seen below. Since they were working exclusively in Spain and the bull was an incredibly powerful symbol in the Spanish culture, it was the perfect connection.  The bull represents pride and strength while the wings represent aspiration and freedom.  As for the name, they simply combined their last names:  ‘SAR’ from Sarratt and of course ‘REID’ from Reid, and from there Sarreid Ltd was born!

Unique accessories and accent furniture were imported from all over the world. Products such as hand-blown glass and hand-pained carvings from Italy, fine leather boxes from Korea, and sand-cast brass from Spain, were brought in, each with a romantic story of how it was created. Sarreid just kept growing from there, adding more and more products and broadening its reach and popularity. Today, all you have to do is search “vintage sarreid ltd” and you will see hundreds of thousands of items whose value still stands and continues to grow. There are even a few TikTok videos on how to look out for Sarreid when thrifting!

A Vintage Brass Chest by Sarreid. -New York TImes

Vintage Brass Trunk, Rue Magazine

During the company’s expansion into Italy in the 1970s, Sarreid Ltd. produced its best-known furniture: the Brass Clad collection. This range of cabinets, trunks, and nightstands are still highly coveted by collectors for their complete, solid brass coating, right down to the latches and nail heads.

Sarreid Ltd. later relocated to its current center of operations in Wilson, North Carolina, where it became one of the first furniture companies to source materials from China. Today the company continues to expand its reach globally and continues to produce high-quality, handcrafted furniture sourced from all over the world.

Do you have a vintage Sarreid piece you would like to share? Please email a picture to sll@sarreid.com