Bruce James Talbert was one of the most noteworthy furniture designers of the 19th century. The Scottish architect, draftsman and designer created stunning pieces of Gothic furniture and his landmark book, Gothic Forms Applied To Furniture, Metalwork and Decoration For Domestic Purposes, was influential on the Gothic Revival movement both in Europe and North America.
Born in 1838, Talbert started his career as an apprentice to a woodcarver in Dundee, Scotland. When he was 18 years old, he was briefly employed by the architect Charles Edward. He subsequently had several successful partnerships with design firms and manufacturers.
In 1862, Talbert moved to Manchester, England, where he was hired to design furniture for Doveston, Bird & Hull. Later that year, British metalworker Francis Skidmore hired him to his company, Art Manufacturers. During his time with the company, Talbert worked on Sir George Gilbert Scott’s Hereford Screen, a major Gothic Revival iron design, and the Albert Memorial. In 1866, Holland & Sons furniture manufacturer in London hired Talbert. He won the silver medal at the International Exposition of 1867 in Paris and, in 1868, he became the lead designer for Gillows of Lancaster and London. There, Talbert expanded his line of work, exploring different media and producing beautiful tiles, stained glass, textiles and metalwork.
Talbert influenced the Gothic Revival style with his detailed furniture designs, recognizable for their gold and wood mosaic inlays. His many publications on woodworking and cabinetmaking further guided the American industry, including the work of furniture designers Herter Brothers, Kimbel and Cabus, Frank Furness and Daniel Pabst.
On 1stDibs, find Bruce James Talbert case pieces and storage cabinets, seating, tables and more.
Bruce Talbert Gillows, Aesthetic Movement rosewood armchair with pink upholstery
By Gillows of Lancaster & London, Bruce James Talbert
Located in London, GB
Bruce Talbert for Gillows. An Aesthetic Movement Rosewood armchair with a pink button back upholstered back and seat.
Rosewood
Bruce Talbert, for Gillows Set of 6 English Aesthetic Movement Oak Dining Chairs
By Bruce James Talbert, Gillows of Lancaster & London
Located in London, GB
Bruce Talbert. Made by Gillows of Lancaster and London. A good quality set of six oak dining chairs with an upper and lower row of turnings and carved details above. As you can see...
Oak
Bruce Talbert, a Gothic Revival Tall Back Oak Chair with the Original Upholstery
By Bruce James Talbert, Gillows of Lancaster & London
Located in London, GB
Bruce Talbert. Gillows. A rare and important Gothic Revival tall back oak chair with the original distressed leather seat and back rest. The last image is published in Bruce Talbert...
Oak
Bruce Talbert probably for Gillows, Pair of Walnut Dining Chairs, 1880
By Bruce James Talbert
Located in London, GB
Bruce Talbert A pair of English Aesthetic Movement Walnut dining chairs with gilded highlights, the backs with a subtle curvature (making them very comfortable). With feather carved ...
Walnut, Giltwood, Upholstery
Bruce Talbert for Gillow & Co, . Aesthetic Movement Ebonized Nursing Chair
By Bruce James Talbert
Located in London, GB
Bruce Talbert (1838-1881) for Gillow and Co., an Aesthetic Movement ebonized nursing chair, with a lobed top rail, a button upholstered crushed velvet in...
Walnut
Bruce Talbert for Gillows and Co. Aesthetic Movement scissor style side chair
By Bruce James Talbert, Gillows of Lancaster & London
Located in London, GB
Bruce Talbert for Gillows and Co. An Aesthetic Movement scissor style side chair with ebonized dot details and chip carved details to the fra...
Oak
Bruce Talbert, Gillows, Two Rare Gothic Revival Oak Armchair in Blue Upholstery.
By Gillows of Lancaster & London, Bruce James Talbert
Located in London, GB
Bruce Talbert. Gillows of Lancaster. Two rare Gothic Revival armchairs. *The two with dark and light blue upholstery shown here are available, the one with brown upholstery is now s...
Oak
$5,600 / set
H 30 in W 19.5 in D 21.5 in
Set of Six George Nelson for Herman Miller Walnut Dining Chairs
By Herman Miller, George Nelson
Located in Los Angeles, CA
George Nelson for Herman Miller teak and upholstered dining chairs. We also have the matching dining table, please inquire for details. All items ar...
Teak
$48,000 / set
H 39.5 in W 28 in D 19.75 in
Set of Eight English Chippendale Mahogany Upholstered Dining Room Chairs, C 1760
Located in Charleston, SC
Set of Eight English Chippendale mahogany dining room chairs with a serpentine carved acanthus ribbon cresting rail, scrolled foliage ears, molded edge stiles, ornate ribbon medallio...
Upholstery, Mahogany
$14,888 / set
H 29.53 in W 20.48 in D 18.9 in
Afra & Tobia Scarpa English Red Leather Monk Dining Chair for Molteni, Set of 6
By Molteni & C, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Vicenza, IT
Set of six “Monk” dining chairs designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Molteni in 1973. Made of English red leather and walnut. Fully restored in Italy. Interesting is the ‘flat’ sha...
Leather, Walnut
$2,139Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 36.23 in W 32.09 in D 29.14 in
Lovely Pair of Victorian Boudoir Armchairs with Salmon Pink Velour Upholstery
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer for sale this lovely pair of his and hers Boudoir armchairs in pink velour upholstery A good looking decorative pair of period...
Upholstery, Hardwood
Set of Six George Nakashima Dining Chairs for Widdicomb
By George Nakashima, Widdicomb Furniture Co.
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Set of six dining chairs by George Nakashima for Grand Rapids, Michigan-based company Widdicomb, c.1960s. The walnut and hickory set consists of four side chairs and two armchairs. T...
Walnut, Hickory
Empire Style Mahogany and Gilt Bronze Side Chair
Located in London, GB
Empire style mahogany and gilt bronze side chair French, late 19th century Measures: Height 94cm, width 52cm, depth 52cm Crafted from mahogany, this unusual side chair...
Ormolu
Set of Four Edward Wormley Dining Chairs for Dunbar
By Dunbar Furniture, Edward Wormley
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Set of four dark walnut dining armchairs with tapered legs by Edward Wormley for Dunbar, USA, c.1960s. The seat cushions have been reupholstered with blue and green velvet with a lin...
Upholstery, Walnut, Velvet
$9,500 / set
H 38.25 in W 24.5 in D 19.5 in
Set of Eight Waring And Gillow George III Style Mahogany Dining Chairs
Located in Essex, MA
Each very sturdy and wonderful generous scale with serpentine carved crestrail over a pierced splat with carving and drop in upholstered seat raised on cabriole legs with ball and cl...
Other
$3,017Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 34.06 in W 16.15 in D 17.72 in
Six Original Victorian circa 1890 Steeple Back Gothic Arch Oak Dining Chairs 6
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer for sale this lovely suite of six original Gothic revival English oak Victorian dining chairs circa 1890 A very decorative and well made set, each chair ...
Oak
$9,700 / set
H 41.75 in W 21.5 in D 20.5 in
Set of 10 Antique French Carved Walnut Dining Chairs, Circa 1880's.
Located in New Orleans, LA
Set of 10 Antique French Finely Carved Walnut Dining Chairs in Red Silk Upholstery with Grommet Detail, Circa 1880's.
Silk, Walnut
$1,499
H 32 in W 23.25 in D 25 in
Mid-Century Modern Swivel Desk Chair by Andrew Morrison & Bruce Hannah for Knoll
By Bruce Hannah & Andrew Morrison, Knoll
Located in Lafayette, IN
Arguably one of the most elegant desk chair designs from the mid-century era, this Morrison/Hannah design for Knoll Studios is utilitarian sculpture at its best. Chair features a cur...
Aluminum, Chrome
$2,895 / set
H 34.75 in W 17.5 in D 19.5 in
Pair of Gothic Revival Inlaid & Fine Cut Velvet Side Chairs, English, c. 1870
By Bruce James Talbert, Charles Bevan
Located in Atlanta, GA
A richly detailed pair of English Gothic Revival walnut side chairs, dating to around 1870, distinguished by their intricately carved tracery backs, architectural arcade motifs, and ...
Upholstery, Ebony, Walnut
$1,600 / set
H 19.3 in W 23.63 in D 18.9 in
Arne Vodder for Sibast Pair of Dining Chairs in Walnut and Grey Upholstery
By Arne Vodder, Sibast
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Arne Vodder for Sibast Møbler, pair of dining chairs model '418', walnut, fabric, Denmark, 1960s This model has a characteristic, sculptural frame executed in warm walnut. The sligh...
Fabric, Walnut
$3,017Sale Price|20% Off
H 31.5 in W 20.48 in D 17.13 in
Fine circa 1780 Georgian Shell Back Hall Chair Gillows of Lancaster Attributed
By Gillows of Lancaster & London
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer for sale this lovely Georgian circa 1780 Cuban mahogany hall chair attributed to Gillows of Lancaster A very fine Georgian chair, clearly made by Gillows however as its not stamped we have classed it as attributed to. The piece has all the normal master craftsman details, the recessed back handle, the very fine carved back rest, this piece just screams understated English fine...
Hardwood
$19,240 / set
H 29.53 in W 20.48 in D 18.9 in
Afra & Tobia Scarpa English Red Leather Monk Dining Chair for Molteni, Set of 8
By Molteni & C, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Vicenza, IT
Set of eight “Monk” dining chairs designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Molteni in 1973. Made of English red leather and walnut. Fully restored in Italy. Interesting is the ‘flat’ s...
Leather, Walnut
Sold
H 33 in W 17 in D 18 in
Bruce Talbert. Gillows, Four Aesthetic Movement Ebonised & Gilt Dining Chairs
By Bruce James Talbert, Gillows of Lancaster & London
Located in London, GB
Bruce Talbert (1838-1881) for Gillows of Lancaster and London. Four Aesthetic Movement ebonized and parcel-gilt dining chairs with a subtle curved upholstered back panel flanked by ...
Walnut
Sold
H 32.5 in W 18 in D 17.5 in
Bruce Talbert Gillows, Set of Eight English Aesthetic Movement Oak Dining Chairs
By Bruce James Talbert, Gillows of Lancaster & London
Located in London, GB
Bruce Talbert for Gillows of Lancaster and London. A set of eight English Aesthetic Movement oak dining chairs. A good quality set of eight oak dining chairs with an upper and lowe...
Oak
Sold
H 37 in W 18 in D 18 in
Bruce Talbert for Gillows & Co., a Rare Gothic Revival Walnut Side or Desk Chair
By Bruce James Talbert, Gillows of Lancaster & London
Located in London, GB
Bruce Talbert for Gillows and Co. A rare Gothic Revival dining, desk or side chair. The design for this chair can be seen in Talberts book 'Gothic Forms Applied to Furniture, Metal W...
Leather, Walnut
Sold
H 32.5 in W 16.5 in D 17.5 in
Bruce Talbert Gillows, Harlequin Set of Eight Aesthetic Movement Dining Chairs
By Gillows of Lancaster & London, Bruce James Talbert
Located in London, GB
Bruce Talbert Gillows A harlequin set of eight Aesthetic Movement dining chairs. There are a matched set of six one shown on the left with button upholstery and an almost identical...
Walnut
Sold
H 34.5 in W 19 in D 20 in
Bruce Talbert for Gillows A Pair of Aesthetic Movement Walnut Dining Chairs
By Gillows of Lancaster & London, Bruce James Talbert
Located in London, GB
A good pair of Aesthetic movement walnut dining chairs designed by Bruce Talbert and probably made by Gillows of Lancaster. This pair has a nice contrast with ebonized spindles to th...
Walnut
Aesthetic Movement Ebonized Side Chair Designed by Bruce Talbert
By Gillows of Lancaster & London, Bruce James Talbert
Located in London, GB
An Aesthetic movement side or bedroom chair designed by Bruce Talbert and probably made by Gillows. Fully restored and professionally re-upholstered in a quality hide.
Walnut
Sold
H 33 in W 17 in D 17 in
Bruce Talbert, for Gillows. Set of 10 Aesthetic Movement Walnut Dining Chairs
By Bruce James Talbert, Gillows of Lancaster & London
Located in London, GB
Bruce Talbert. A good quality Harlequin set of ten walnut dining chairs consisting of a matched set of six and a matched set of four. M...
Walnut
Sold
H 33 in W 18 in D 18 in
Bruce Talbert. Gillows, Four Aesthetic Movement Ebonised & Leather Dining Chairs
By Bruce James Talbert
Located in London, GB
Bruce Talbert (1838-1881) probably for Gillow and Co. Four Aesthetic Movement ebonised dining chairs with an upholstered back panel and seat on ...
Walnut
Gothic Revival Chair by Bruce Talbert
By Bruce James Talbert
Located in London, GB
A Gothic Revival chair designed by Bruce Talbert. Formed by carved finials and carved floral detail to the head rail flanked by carved diamond rosettes and through pegged constructi...