Copperwares has grown from its humble beginnings on Faraway Farm in Ruwa 20km outside the capital city of Zimbabwe, Harare. It was the brainchild of Mr Henderson who provided the finance and Morgan Essen a skilled sheet metal worker. F1 for Faraway Farm was the code for the first Copperwares bangle that is still made today. Toy trains, aeroplanes, cars, insects and animals made from scrap copper and brass were the first products.

In the 1970's the factory moved to its present site in Msasa. At this time Copperwares reacted to changing fashions and lead the race in Zimbabwe to develop giftware focusing on silver plated products under the Windsor Silverware brand. The company grew through the 1980's. In 1991 Morgan recognized the need for more investment to secure the future of the company and the workforce. In 1991 he sold the company to Radar Holdings, a much larger Zimbabwean Company.

Morgan stayed on in an advisory capacity. By 2000 the Company was no longer a good fit in Radar's portfolio. Husband and wife team Bruce and Nicola Johnson purchased the company and with Bruce's artistic flair and Nicola's administrative skills the company has gone from strength to strength. In the early years, Morgan, until he moved to Australia, to be nearer to family, gave freely of his technical, manufacturing and sales expertise to the new owners. Under the leadership of the Johnsons, Copperwares is stronger today than ever. Since their start the couple have launched the Royal African Collection and more recently the 2930 BRASS & COPPERWARE range. The Gastone brand and Hannons Repair restoration and replating services were purchased in 2005 and 2009 respectively.

When we bought the business in 2000 virtually all our sales were within Zimbabwe. Our local market is still just as important to us and in the last 2 years we have opened 4 shops in Zimbabwe but to grow the business we recognized the need to develop an export market in the region and beyond. As well as these regional sales, we manufacture bespoke ranges for giftware companies in the UK and supply medal boxes to the United States Marine Corps. Copperwares are also suppliers to many exclusive hotels and lodges in Southern Africa such as the Victoria Falls Hotel, Great Plains Conservation, African Bush Camps, Wilderness Safaris, Singita and Pamashana to name but a few. The launch of this website sees an exciting new development towards internet sales.