Gillows of Lancaster & London Cabinets
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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19th Century British Victorian Antique Gillows of Lancaster & London Cabinets
Brass
Early 19th Century English George IV Antique Gillows of Lancaster & London Cabinets
Rosewood
19th Century English Renaissance Revival Antique Gillows of Lancaster & London Cabinets
Walnut
19th Century English Antique Gillows of Lancaster & London Cabinets
Ormolu
1820s English Regency Antique Gillows of Lancaster & London Cabinets
Wood
1870s English Arts and Crafts Antique Gillows of Lancaster & London Cabinets
Brass
19th Century French Rustic Antique Gillows of Lancaster & London Cabinets
Wood
Early 1900s French Louis XVI Antique Gillows of Lancaster & London Cabinets
Kingwood
19th Century English Regency Antique Gillows of Lancaster & London Cabinets
Brass
Early 19th Century Irish Regency Antique Gillows of Lancaster & London Cabinets
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Gillows of Lancaster & London Cabinets
Mahogany
19th Century French Renaissance Revival Antique Gillows of Lancaster & London Cabinets
Fir, Pine
Mid-19th Century Italian Renaissance Revival Antique Gillows of Lancaster & London Cabinets
Glass, Oak
1940s French Art Deco Vintage Gillows of Lancaster & London Cabinets
Glass, Oak
Late 19th Century French Belle Époque Antique Gillows of Lancaster & London Cabinets
Bronze
19th Century English Regency Antique Gillows of Lancaster & London Cabinets
Mahogany
1880s French Gothic Revival Antique Gillows of Lancaster & London Cabinets
Oak
1890s French French Provincial Antique Gillows of Lancaster & London Cabinets
Oak
1880s English Victorian Antique Gillows of Lancaster & London Cabinets
Oak
Early 19th Century English Regency Antique Gillows of Lancaster & London Cabinets
Mahogany
Early 1900s English Aesthetic Movement Antique Gillows of Lancaster & London Cabinets
Walnut, Giltwood