British Coat Racks and Stands

Stunning Nouveau coat racks made in bent walnut wood. Two pieces available. This charming coat racks were designed by the mastery of Michael Thonet and produced in the early 1900s in...

A good Arts and Crafts oak Hall stand by Shapland and Petter with a seat to the left and a mirror and glove drawer to the right, the lower section with Shaplands typical square shape...

An English, Aesthetic Period cast iron hall tree by John and Thomas Cox of Birmingham. This design was registered on October 6, 1884. This Victorian hall tree features a mirror, shel...

Art Deco Oak & Ebonised Hall stand/ hat & Coat Stand circa 1930s Arch shaped mirror, mirror glass recently re placed, Bombe shaped pedestal with Art Deco stylised, inlaid oak detai...

Aesthetic Bamboo Hall Stand, England circa 1870 The frame set with 4 turquoise Minton, Hollins & Co tiles decorated with cupids and butterflies Eboni...

Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this stunning original Arts & Crafts Shapland & Petter Hall stand with hand hammered Copper panels over a Walnut frame with inset sheild mirror Please note the delivery fee listed is just a guide, it covers within the M25 only for the UK and local Europe only for international, if you would like an accurate quote please send me your postcode and I’ll provide you with the exact price A very good looking well made and decorative hat glove coat and scarf rack, this one is rare as it has the central mirror and its an earlier than usual example circa 1900 Made by Shapland & Petter, a full blub on their life and works can be found below In terms of the condition it is straight and solid, the piece sits well in any setting and looks decorative and very English country house, we have cleaned waxed and polished the timber, there is one hook slightly bent, otherwise its in fine order Dimensions Height:- 205cm Width:- 113cm Depth:- 40cm Please note all measurements are taken at the widest point, if you would like any additional or specific measurements please ask Shapland and Petter of Barnstaple Introduction This Barnstaple based company manufactured some of the finest pieces of furniture in Arts and Crafts style but very little has been written about the company or the pieces they produced. It a great shame that whilst Shapland and Petter pieces have been illustrated in books and auction catalogues they are invariably attributed to other makers such as Liberty and Co in London or Wylie and Lochhead in Glasgow. With this feature, we intend to inspire a more thorough appreciation of the work of the company; readers are invited to help with the task by sending photographs and information. Collectors and auction houses are now showing significantly more interest in Shapland and Petter pieces. The company, based in Barnstaple, England produced a very wide range of furniture in several different styles including many pieces in period reproduction and municipal style for town halls and commercial premises alongside their superb Arts and Crafts range Distinctive features of their superb Arts and Crafts style are the use of heart shaped piercing, geometric shapes with angled arches and the application of repousse copper panels. Decoration with marquetry, metal inlay, mounting of ceramic and enamel cabochons were techniques which they mastered with a combination of state of the art technology and traditional craftsmanship. Most distinctively, the pieces were extremely well made, with care and very best quality materials The growing interest in Shapland and Petter has raised many questions about the origins of the firm, and the sources of influence on their designs, some of which resemble designs by Ashbee, Ballie Scott, Voysey and Talwin Morris. Links have been assumed with Liberty and Co with the supposition Shapland and Petter worked on commissions for Liberty. There appears to be little evidence to support many of the assumptions which have developed around the company and this article is intended to help to start the discussion and to stimulate research The History of Shapland and Petter The Museum of North Devon in Barnstaple have an archive of Shapland and Petter which includes some company records and a small display of furniture and related items. The following text gives history of the company and is reproduced from the display boards in the museum with kind permission of North Devon Museums For over 100 years the Shapland and Petter factory has stood at the end of Barnstaple Long Bridge. Manufacturers of doors, door sets, and custom wood interiors, NT Shapland and Petter Ltd are still one of the towns largest employers. The company was established by Henry Shapland (b. 1823), a cabinet maker by trade. He embarked on a voyage to America in 1848, where he was inspired by an invention for a wave-moulding machine. He was only allowed to see it if he left the country immediately. Returning home with only rough notes, he reproduced the machine and in 1854 began a cabinet making business in one room at the Raleigh woolen mill in Pilton. Later the firm moved to Bear Street in Barnstaple. Henry Petter was an accountant who entered into partnership with Mr Shapland. The business progressed and in 1864 they bought the Raleigh Factory where Shapland first began his work. Success was rapid, but in 1888 the building burnt down. Immediately work began on a bigger and better factory - their present site by the Long Bridge - which included many modern inventions The two Henrys died within two years of each other - Petter in 1907 and Shapland in 1909. In 1924 Shapland and Petter merged with the Barnstaple Cabinet Company, producing North Devon's biggest industry. During the First World War Shapland and Petter's skilled craftsmen turned their hands to wooden propellers for the aircraft of the Royal Flying Corps. After the war, public tastes changed, and hand carved furniture was too expensive for many. Shapland and Petter's output now included elegant veneered pieces with smooth Art Deco lines. The company fitted out Pullman carriages and ocean liners and made hand-carved church furniture. The famous England Rugby Captain W. W. Wakefield was appointed Company Director in 1927. Throughout the depression of the late 1920's and early 1930's the company still managed to produce high quality work Furniture manufacturing continued until the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. Many workers left to fight, while the factory worked on Air Ministry contracts for ammunition boxes. After the war came radio cabinets and laboratory and contract furniture, until eventually large quantities of doors were being produced for hospitals, hotels, schools, offices and other buildings. Examples of Shapland and Petter's work can be seen all over North Devon. In Barnstaple, the shop front at 109 High Street is a good example, and the interior of the old Lloyd's Bank, now Chamber's Brasserie, was also Shapland's work. Examples of carving by Shapland's men can be seen in two chairs and a reading desk in Barnstaple Parish Church As cabinet makers, Shapland and Petter employed up to 350 people at a time. There were designers, carvers, cabinet makers, machinists, polishers, and labourers. The company was one of the first to install American labour-saving devices and was keen to adopt the most up-to-date machinery The fire of 1888 at the Raleigh Cabinet Works was a huge loss for the company. However, it resulted in a new factory which was altogether more modern and better equipped. The new building by the river was arranged into blocks. The production line began with the saw mills and ended with the finishing rooms. There was modern machinery in every department - one of their saws was the first of its kind in Britain. Water sprinklers and electric lights were a necessity - this factory would not burn down As well as the furniture production, Shapland and Petter imported timber by sea and rail. The new factory 's facilities were exceptional Shapland and Petter were renowned for excellent design and workmanship. The carvers were highly skilled, serving seven year apprenticeships and attending classes at the Barnstaple School of Art. Ornately carved furniture required up to a hundred tools The factory produced made to order woodwork for banks, hotels, and shops; mantelpieces, paneling and staircases. They fitted out Pullman railway carriages, the London Guildhall, and Edgar Wallace 's dining room as well as houses like Tapeley Park in North Devon Much of the work involved intricate leaded glass panels, or inlaid fruitwood designs, like the white bedroom suite shown in the exhibition here. This type of work is typical of Art Nouveau 1895 to 1910, inspired by the fluid shapes of plants and flowers Many pieces were made from standard designs. There were hundreds to choose from, and a selection could be seen in local and London showrooms and in catalogues. Although mass-produced, this furniture was well-made by skilled technicians and modern machinery Arts and Crafts designs of Shapland and Petter The development of the Arts and Crafts Movement in the South West of England has not been written up in any detail though we do know of the Art Potters of Barnstaple from the excellent book of this name by Audrey Edgeler. Less is known of the Barnstaple Guild of Metal Workers. We know of the Bath Cabinet Makers and the Newlyn School of Industrial Art in Cornwall but very little has been written about the furniture makers of Barnstaple in Devon The establishment of a large cabinet making firm in Barnstaple is not remarkable in itself; there were several cabinet makers in the area. What is interesting is that this particular Barnstaple firm should become a leading maker of Arts and Crafts furniture, copying the styles of the leading Architect designers and creating their own unique style Critics may point out that as their work was commercially driven and reliant upon machines it therefore does not really qualify as Arts and Crafts. Whilst the company was highly innovative in machine technology, they also employed many craftsmen who worked with their hands in woodcarving, marquetry work, design and application of decorative copperwork and other artistic embellishment in the true Arts and Crafts tradition. Anyone who has experience of Shapland and Petter workmanship knows the level of craftsmanship invested in each piece Sources of inspiration There appears to be no evidence to link any known architect, artist or designer to the Shapland and Petter company. Their designs appear to have been created solely by their own internal design staff none of whom appear to have published or registered their work in any other context C. R. Ashbee who established the Guild of Handicrafts visited Barnstaple in 1893 and provided a twelve week course on the design and decoration of furniture. It is presumed that this visit was hosted by Shapland and Petter, and that their own staff and those from other local furniture makers attended the course. Ashbee appears to have been unimpressed by the commercial attitudes he encountered and apparently disappointed at the lack of interest in his (high minded) lectures. What is interesting however is the similarity between some of his designs and those used by Shapland and Petter, particularly in respect to inlaid floral design. Perhaps he left a lasting influence which has not yet been verified There has been some speculation on the influence of Scottish designers, particularly because of the use of Glasgow rose designs which are typical of the Glasgow School, and particularly of Talwin Morris. There are also several designs which use similar motifs to those used by Baillie Scott, the use of two doves in flight for example. More research is needed to trace possible links here. One thing that is clear is that there was a great deal of copying and selling designs in the furniture industry at the time and a nineteenth century survey on the furniture trade recorded that '' Barnstaple pays the best prices for designs ..'' Collaboration with other companies There is evidence that Shapland and Petter organised a wide network of companies to retail their products and hence many pieces have the labels of retail furnishers added. Little is known of their marketing in Europe and America but it may be that many Arts and Crafts pieces were sold abroad. Shapland and Petter had excellent access to rail and shipping lines for importing timber and presumably for exporting their finished products The extent of their collaboration with other companies is yet to be ascertained but there is evidence that their suppliers included the Della Robbia Pottery, Pilkingtons Tile...

Early 20th century carved towel rail circa 1910. Good quality towel rail made from mahogany and pine.  Decorative carved shells to the top with further carvings to the supports.  3 ...

19th century oak hall stand from England. The top has a lovely crown molding, over a hand carved central panel, flanked by carved sides, which have three brass hooks on each side fo...

Circa 1900-1910 Warm oak patina hand made barley twist cane stand with simple lines, six sectionals and original metal drip pans. Compact size and e...

A beautiful old English industrial coat hook. This large coat rack is made in solid oak with three large sized double hooks which are made in iron. Eac...

K0310 Elegant set of four Victorian brass and ceramic coat and hat hooks of very decorative design on ebonised solid oak backing with moulded top edge. Cleaned, polished and ready to...

Quality 19th Century Victorian antique carved mahogany hall stand with a superb carved top, shaped mirror to the centre, original brass hooks, one drawer, shaped stick stand, suppo...

Habitat 'Pop' shelf unit, c. 1980s. Red lacquered metal with integrated finger-like towel or coat hooks. Super little wall-mounted shelf units, ideal for entrance areas, kitchens, ...

This is a good quality Victorian brass walking stick or umbrella stand, dating to the late 19th Century. It is a charming piece of a semicircula...

A top quality Arts and Crafts oak Hallstand by Shapland and Petter with bevelled mirror flanked by a circular copper disc with hat and coat hooks, stylised cut-outs and stylised flor...

19thC Cast Iron Hall Stand by the Falkirk Foundry - large and impressive decorative 19thC black painted, stamped to the reverse along with a registration kite mark lozenge, complete ...

Dr C. Dresser style of, An Aesthetic Movement Gothic style oak hall stand with central arched mirror, flanked by open sides and six turned button ended coat hooks to the outer edges, with mitred plank details above a lift up seat with storage...

Rare oversized turned mahogany blanket rail with trestle base. England, early 19th century.

A fine English gentleman's valet or suit and coat stand clothing rack, featuring a curved bar top over a tie bar and resting on a slatted base.

This is an antique boot jack. An English, walnut folding shoe pull, dating to the Victorian period, circa 1880. Fascinating reception hall pull, wi...

Antique English Edwardian Towel Rail C.1910 A handsome example. presented in good condition commensurate with age. Please message for a shipping quote.

A rare pair of simple Arts and Crafts oak plant stands with square tops, and tapering legs united lower down by twin stretchers with a circular plant holder above, (the plant holders...

This 19th Century English cast iron hall stand is a richly detailed example of Victorian design, combining elegance with utility. Crafted in an intricate openwork lattice pattern, it...

English brass and copper figural foliage medallion embossed umbrella / cane stand, 19th century.

Elegant wall hung shoe horn in patinated brass set with the a swan among bulrush at the top. It was made by C&A in Birmingham England circa 1900-20. Measurements: L: 21/10 cm. W: 5 cm.

E W Godwin style of, a fine quality Anglo-Japanese oak hallstand with upper panels depicting songbirds perched in a cherry blossoms, a central bevelled mi...

This is a large antique Victorian hall umbrella, hat and coat stand, circa 1860 in date. The hall stand is made of solid mahogany and features a demi-lune shaped pediment and a sc...

Shapland and Petter. An Arts & Crafts oak hall cupboard in the style of M.H. Baillie Scott, of tapering Architectural form. The flaring cornice with an open upper hat cupboard, flank...

Art Deco Copper and Chrome Adjustable Clothing Display Stand, Raised on a Shaped Octagonal Base by Revered makers Levine & Sons of London E1 LE...

A very fine 1920's original half section well figured bentwood hat and coat stand of exceptional quality. This fabulous piece is beautifully carved, richly patinated with fine grain...

This antique 20th-century bamboo coat stand is a very unique and striking piece, perfect for adding character and charm to any space. Featuring multiple hooks along the upper section...

Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale 1 of 5 Dolce & Gabbana retail shop display rails from Bond Street London Please note the delivery fee liste...

K0306 Very stylish English Victorian cast iron hall stand / coat stand in the manner of Christopher Dresser, having elaborate pierced decoration with flowers, scrolls, leaf motifs an...

K0297 Very stylish long set of five and four, Victorian brass and ceramic coat hooks on grey painted pine with moulded edge. Fitted with two wall fixings, all in home ready conditio...

Handsome dark stained mahogany with carved detailed figures, coat posts, umbrella tins, mirror and hinged glove box; handmade in England by James Phillips & Sons during the 19th cent...

Antique English clothes rail - Late 19th century Clothes rack - Antique - Dressing-room Brass and polished steel wardrobe, clothes rack connected to two uprights resting on two feet ...

K0540 Elegant Victorian umbrella stand in brass with six divisions flanked by decorative finials and cast iron drip tray. This antique umbrella stand retains its original lacquer, pa...

Mahogany “Tree of Life” hall stand, the molded upright with two turned coat hooks headed by a scrolling carved plume, flanked by four conforming C scroll arm...

Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale 1 of 2 Dolce & Gabbana retail shop display rails from Bond Street London Please note the delivery fee liste...

We are delighted to offer for sale this stunning vintage, hand made with heavy solid Chrome frame coat & hat stand finished with hand stitched brown leather A very decorative and ...

Elegant mahogany coat rack from the 19th century. Very nice base and turning. The top part is rotatable Very nice patina and in very good condition.    

Impressive 19th Century Blacksmith Made Wrought Iron Hat, Coat & Umbrella Stand Crafted by a skilled blacksmith, this magnificent wrought iron hat, coat and umbrella stand is a true ...

P0300 Very attractive set of five twisted rope and ceramic coat hooks now on figured mahogany backing with carved foliage motifs to each end. Fitted with wall fixing and ready to pla...

Edwardian Mahogany Hat & Coat Hall Stand of Art Nouveau Design - with original stained glass inset panels and coat hooks all of art nouveau form, replacement drip trays - Matthews of...

Outstanding Quality Large 19th Century Victorian Mahogany Hall Stand An outstanding 19th-century Victorian period hall stand in solid mahogany with a big arched frame and carved detailing. It features the original marble, 14 original turned mahogany hat and coat supports, 4 brass hooks on the sides, and the original centralized arched mirror. Above is a shaped marble top with a glove drawer beneath, flanked by stick stand areas retaining their original metal drip trays with fret-carved arms and supports for umbrellas and sticks. The hall stand stands on a shaped plinth base with small bun feet. Exquisitely carved, this hall stand is solid and sturdy, yet it has a graceful and delicate look. Dating from around 1860. The inclusion of its original shaped coat supports adds to its authenticity. This large hall stand...

Sn5450 Stylish Victorian oak coat stand / hall stand, having centre support with four shaped branches and ten original hanging hooks above shaped umbrella holder and turned uprights ...

With brass carrying handle, boot holder and trestle support.

An original example in excellent order, black enamel coated frame with polished aluminium luggage rack. This example is a nice handy size and will fi...

Victorian Walnut Rotating Hat & Coat Stand - with urn finial tripod leg and cast iron counterweight - 20" diam x 71"h

K529 Unusual Arts and Crafts brass umbrella stand with five divisions flanked by decorative finials, cast iron base and removable drip tray. This...

An exceptional antique Victorian cast-iron hall stand by Coalbrookdale. With black Kilkenny marble top, coat hooks, stick stands, removable umbrella drip trays and original mirror. ...

An imposing 1970 film prop ladder by maker Stephens & Carter, stamped L.F.S (London Film School). In good solid condition with nice wear and paint. Original...

Marvelous Victorian coat rack fully made in walnut. This stunning and unique piece was made in England between the end of the 19th Century and the start of the 20th Century. The uni...

Sn5597 An early XXth century solid oak hall stand with six brass coat and hat hooks, umbrella and walking sticks holder and removable drip tray. This antique coat stand / coat rack i...

This is an absolutely stunning mid to late 19th century bamboo tree nothings missing in immaculate condition. The color is brown from years of age. This came out of the aesthetic mov...

19th century mahogany coat and umbrella stand. The top having two flat arms above two sets of four shaped coat hooks. The centre fitted with u...

0589 Rare Art Deco demi lune umbrella stand of narrow proportions with five divisions, decorative finials and a drip tray. This antique stand was cleane...

This antique 19th-century hall stand, crafted from solid oak, is a truly exceptional piece of furniture, beautifully decorated throughout with intricate and detailed carvings. A fine...

We are delighted to offer for sale this stunning antique circa 1900 solid pine bathroom towel rail with nicely antiqued finish Please note the delivery fee listed is just a guide, it covers within the M25 only for the UK and local Europe only for international, if you would like an accurate quote please send me your postcode and I’ll provide you with the exact price A good looking well made and decorative towel...

This exquisite Victorian hall stand, dating back to the 19th century, exemplifies elegance and functionality with its rich mahogany construction. The hall stand stands on gracefully ...