Harvey Harris, who had come to America from Denmark, gained employment as a melter and refiner at the New Orleans Mint, later moving to San Francisco, where he worked at the Mint as well as Kellogg & Co. (Kellogg & Humbert) and Justh & Hunter. On October 3, 1855, he formed Harris, Marchand & Co., assayers, in partnership with Desiré Marchand and Charles L. Farrington. Offices were secured at 107 J Street, Sacramento. Harris, Marchand & Co. soon expanded, opening an office in Marysville on January 9, 1856.

Desiré Marchand, born in Belgium, had studied at the Paris Mint while a teenager, earning the right to use his own registered assayer’s stamp (featuring an all-seeing eye with rays emanating from it). Farrington, born in Maine, had been a treasurer for Wells, Fargo & Co. in California.

During its existence Harris & Marchand, as the partnership was generally known, produced very attractive gold bars highly esteemed in their time. While C.L. Farrington left the partnership in June 1857, the firm would remain in business until 1859, including adding a branch in San Francisco in September 1858.