Sheffield & Co. was established in Alexandria, Egypt by Edward Sheffield in 1935 at 10 Rue Chérif Pacha, the most fashionable street in the city.  

Edward was assisted in his new venture by Jospeh Youssoufian who had been the appointed jeweller to the Royal Court of Egypt since the 1920s.

By the early 1940s a branch of Sheffield had opened in Cairo and Edward is listed as living in Cairo in a 1943 census.  His son Gordon entered into an apprenticeship with the London jewellery manufacturers H.A. Byworth who at the time were making much of the jewellery Sheffield & Co. was selling.  Pieces ranged from statement style jewels set with gemstones and diamonds to elegant accessories such as gold cigarette cases. The company enjoyed the patronage of many members of Egyptian high society and early on had caught the attention of H.R.H. King Farouk who became a longstanding client, from his coronation in 1937 until his exile.

After completing his apprenticeship, Gordon enlisted to serve in World War II, only returning to Cairo after the war ended.  He joined his father in the business and they continued to run the firm successfully until 1952 when a military coup overturned the rule of King Farouk.