Gillows of Lancaster & London Sports Equipment and Memorabilia
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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1820s English Regency Antique Gillows of Lancaster & London Sports Equipment and Memorabilia
Slate
2010s French Gillows of Lancaster & London Sports Equipment and Memorabilia
Onyx, Travertine, Marble
21st Century and Contemporary American Gillows of Lancaster & London Sports Equipment and Memorabilia
Birdseye Maple, Oak, Walnut
20th Century British Gillows of Lancaster & London Sports Equipment and Memorabilia
Oak
Late 19th Century English Antique Gillows of Lancaster & London Sports Equipment and Memorabilia
Walnut
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Gillows of Lancaster & London Sports Equipment and Memorabilia
Metal
1980s American Modern Vintage Gillows of Lancaster & London Sports Equipment and Memorabilia
Felt, Oak
1980s American Vintage Gillows of Lancaster & London Sports Equipment and Memorabilia
Slate, Aluminum, Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Gillows of Lancaster & London Sports Equipment and Memorabilia
Crystal, Aluminum, Stainless Steel
1930s British Vintage Gillows of Lancaster & London Sports Equipment and Memorabilia
Brass
19th Century English Georgian Antique Gillows of Lancaster & London Sports Equipment and Memorabilia
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Gillows of Lancaster & London Sports Equipment and Memorabilia
Crystal
19th Century English Victorian Antique Gillows of Lancaster & London Sports Equipment and Memorabilia
Walnut
