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Bruce Talbert, for Gillows an Aesthetic Movement Ebonized & Parcel-Gilt Settee

About the Item

Bruce Talbert, for Gillows of Lancaster and London. A very good quality English Aesthetic Movement ebonized and parcel-gilt upholstered settee with a rollover back and arms with incised scroll and ebonized and parcel-gilt decoration to the front, with ebonized and parcel-gilt turnings below the arms with gilt dot details above, all stood on ebonized and parcel-gilt turned legs retaining the original brass and white ceramic castors. Professionally reupholstered in an Aesthetic Royal blue floral fabric with a subtle beige background.

Creator:

Bruce James Talbert (Designer),Gillows of Lancaster & London (Cabinetmaker)

Dimensions:

Height: 35 in (88.9 cm)Width: 58 in (147.32 cm)Depth: 28 in (71.12 cm)

Style:

Aesthetic Movement (Of the Period)

Materials and Techniques:

Gold,Walnut,Ebonized,Gilt

Place of Origin:

England

Period:

1880-1889

Date of Manufacture:

1880

Condition:

Wear consistent with age and use.

Seller Location:

London, GB

Reference Number:

1stDibs: LU2243325931742

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Gillows of Lancaster & London

It would be difficult to find an antique furniture enthusiast or collector unfamiliar with the name Gillows of Lancaster and London. The British furniture company — which has earned references in the writings of Jane Austen and elsewhere in literature — is renowned for its exceptional quality craftsmanship, and attracted designers such as Thomas Chippendale, Thomas Sheraton and George Hepplewhite in its heyday.

The firm was founded circa 1730 by Robert Gillow (1704–72), who worked as a joiner, housebuilder and overseas merchant before making furniture for homes and export. Gillow established his business in his home city of Lancaster. However, the company later expanded into London in the 1750s after Robert entered into a partnership with his son, Richard, who apprenticed with a London architect and learned the merchant trade in Barbados. Richard had entrepreneurial aptitude — he managed apprenticeships at the firm, ensured that quality materials were a priority, navigated economic hardships, and designed furniture, too. He created seating based on sketches drawn by his cousin, James Gillow, in London.

London’s wealthy upper class took notice of the Gillows’ high-quality furniture, which came to include bedroom furniture, cabinets, a range of seating and other pieces made of rosewood or rich mahogany imported from the West Indies and Jamaica. By the end of the 18th century, the manufacturer was one of the leading furniture makers in Britain. Gillows designed its own furnishings and worked with significant designers; they had in-house upholsterers and cabinetmakers and employed decorative techniques such as “japanning” in their designs.

Gillows of Lancaster and London became Gillow & Co. in 1813 after selling to Redmayne, Whiteside and Ferguson. The company continued to thrive throughout the Georgian era and into the Victorian period, a time that yielded well-known collaborations with Scottish architect and designer Bruce Talbert on a regular basis. High-brow clients of the manufacturer clamored for their inventive and functional designs for tables and writing desks, many of which incorporated whimsical elements such as secret and pop-up drawers. There was also demand for earlier Gillow designs such as Baroque and Gothic Revival pieces as well as adaptations of Chippendale works.

Despite their success, Gillow & Co. entered into financial hardship during the late 1800s with the advent of mass-produced furniture. By 1903, they merged with Waring of Liverpool to become Waring and Gillows and, in 1980, were taken over by Maple & Co. to become Maple, Waring and Gillow. Today, many Gillows of Lancaster and London pieces are in museums throughout the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia.

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