Asser & Sherwin were high class or luxury retailers, operating from premises in The Strand, London, and later Oxford Street. In the Victorian period, The Strand was known for its cluster of up-market retailers selling 'fancies', works of art and high quality goods to the upper and upper middle classes. In 1860, Charles Sheppard Sherwin (1833-1872) formed a partnership with his cousin, James Asser (1836-1924) and they traded under the name "Asser & Sherwin" until 1882. On the closure of the company, James Asser went on to found the famous shirtmakers, Turnball & Asser. This board (stamped "Asser & Sherwin 80 & 81 Strand') can be dated to between 1860 and 1865.