Rare Liberty & Co. Circa 1900s Long-Form Thebes Stool.

Name: Rare Liberty & Co. Circa 1900s Long-Form Thebes Stool.
Brand: Liberty & Co.
Price: 7500 USD
Availability: InStock

About the Item

Extremely rare long form Thebes bench marketed by Liberty and Company, England Circa 1910. Constructed of beech wood and finely woven cane. There are many of these “types” of benches available in the short form, very very few of the long form. This bench has the vertical supports, as well as the long horizontal supports that were characteristic of the Liberty & Co. bench. This piece does show some minor wear that you would expect from a bench that is over 100 years old. It’s been sparingly used but not abused.

Creator:

Liberty & Co. (Retailer)

Dimensions:

Height: 15 in (38.1 cm)Width: 31.25 in (79.38 cm)Depth: 14.5 in (36.83 cm)Seat Height: 15 in (38.1 cm)

Style:

Egyptian Revival (In the Style Of)

Materials and Techniques:

Beech,Cane

Place of Origin:

United Kingdom

Period:

Early 20th Century

Date of Manufacture:

Circa 1900s

Condition:

Wear consistent with age and use. Some small nicks to the corners and a slight water stain on the seat. That’s it.

Seller Location:

Chicago, IL

Reference Number:

1stDibs: LU841938811712

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Shop All Liberty & Co.

Liberty & Co.

Long before Liberty became one of London’s most iconic luxury department stores, shoppers of the late 19th century knew it as Liberty & Co. — purveyors of fine silverware designed in the Art Nouveau style, Arts and Crafts-style furniture and an eclectic assortment of ornaments, fabrics, fashion and other goods from around the world.

British merchant Arthur Lasenby Liberty founded Liberty & Co. in 1875. Liberty dreamed of selling an assortment of fine wares he obtained in the Far East from a ship docked in the middle of one of London’s busiest shopping thoroughfares. However, he could only manage to borrow £2,000 from his father-in-law, so he settled for a small shop on Regent Street.

What began as a modest business grew exponentially over the next few years, and, by 1890, Liberty & Co. occupied most of Regent Street. Meanwhile, Liberty forged relationships with many British Art Nouveau artists and designers who were keen to work with one of the most prestigious retailers in London.

In 1899, Liberty & Co. hosted an exhibition showcasing a collection of silver pieces designed by notable silversmiths like Oliver Barker, Albert Edward Jones and Bernard Cuzner. A line of silverware called Cymric also debuted and was produced in partnership with silversmith W. H. Haseler of Birmingham and Liberty & Co.’s chief designer, Manx artist Archibald Knox. The innovative Cymric collection featured a blend of Art Nouveau with traditional Celtic style, including such pieces as candlesticks, spoons, bowls, tableware and jewelry.

Liberty & Co. also had a furniture workshop in Archway, London, run by Lawrence Turner and which employed carpenters to produce handcrafted, Arts and Crafts-style armchairs, stools, bookcases, cabinets, side tables and other furniture. Most of these high-quality and durable pieces were made of solid wood such as oak, mahogany and walnut. In addition to their own in-house creations, Liberty & Co. also sold furniture by other designers, including chairs by German architect Richard Riemerschmid.

Liberty died in 1917, and Liberty & Co. became Liberty of London after relocating to their iconic location on Great Marlborough Street in 1924. Ironically, the imposing Tudor Revival building is constructed from the timbers of two decommissioned British Navy ships — realizing Liberty’s original “ship-store” dream.

On 1stDibs, discover a range of antique and vintage Liberty & Co. serveware, seating and decorative objects.