Della Robbia

Decorative Art is one my favourite passions and I am going to let you in on a little secret ... I am obsessed with Della Robbia Pottery!

 

The pottery was established as a true Arts & Crafts pottery on the lines advocated by William Morris, using local labour and raw materials such as local red clay from Moreton, Wirral. The pottery had lustrous lead glazes and often used patterns of interweaving plants, typical of Art Nouveau, with heraldic and Islamic motifs.

Dressler was mainly responsible for the decorative architectural panels, many of which can still be seen in the local area of Birkenhead and Liverpool, as well as in the local museums. The brightly coloured panels, inspired by the work of the Florentine sculptor Luca della Robbia and his family, did not prove to be very popular on the dark brick buildings of the period, the pottery turning to large two-handled vases, presentation wares, wall chargers and plates, as well as ceramic clock cases, tiled window boxes, numerous types of vases and similar wares, as a source of income. Dressler left the pottery in 1897 to establish his own pottery, the Medmenham Pottery, in Marlow, Buckinghamshire.

Archibald Knox (1864-1933)

Archibald Knox was a well known Manx designer made famous by his Liberty designs. He was of Scottish descent and many items had influences of Celt. His designs for Liberty's made him a household name, as did his watercolours, graphic designs and fonts. His design talent covered a wide range of objects, ornamental and utilitarian, and included silver and pewter tea sets, jewellery, inkwells, boxes, gravestones and even bank cheques, much for Liberty's Tudric pewter and Cymric (precious metals) ranges. The gravestone of Liberty's founder, Arthur Lasenby Liberty, was designed by Knox.

 

Lyon and Turnbull's Decorative Arts Sale on the 16th April 2014 has a fantastic selection of Knox's Tudric designs. Here below are examples:

 

 

 

Lot 136 * ARCHIBALD KNOX (1864-1933) FOR LIBERTY & CO., LONDON 'TUDRIC' PEWTER AND ABALONE INLAID CLOCK, CIRCA 1902 36.5cm high

Estimate: £6000  - 8000

 

 

 

Lot 145
* ARCHIBALD KNOX (1864-1933) FOR LIBERTY & CO., LONDON
LARGE 'TUDRIC' BULLET SHAPE PEWTER & ENAMEL VASE, CIRCA 1900
cast with stylised entwined foliage on three strut supports, stamped marks ENGLISH PEWTER/ MADE IN ENGLAND/ 0927
29.5cm high
Estimate £500-700

 

Check out the link below for the rest of the online catalogue...

 

http://www.lyonandturnbull.com/asp/searchresults.asp?pg=1&ps=25&st=D&sale_no=405

 

I just really think that Knox was a fascinating designer and he worked across so many mediums. He came from a small island and had vision. His pieces fetch great deals of money nowadays so go and hunt and see what you can find!

 

I shall leave you with a few images of his works. Don't forget to check out the links below for the Knox society!

 

http://archibaldknoxsociety.com/ 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert (Mouseman) Thompson

I have another purchase to add to my Mouseman collection! It arrived today and I am so happy with it. The traditional book trough is dated to the 1930s. 

Now all I need to so is fill it with some decorative leather bindings! 

I am very excited for the next Decorative Arts sale at Lyon and Turnbull in April-they have a refectory table by the Mouseman and I just need to find £3,000-5,000 to buy it!

No matter how big or small the piece of craftsmanship the little mouse stands proud in the design. The arts and crafts style pieces are carved perfectly (usually in oak) and have individual character in each piece. 

My collection is growing and I am excited to see what else I can pick up!

Beaumont and Fletcher

http://www.beaumontandfletcher.com

'Beaumont and Fletcher provides the Interior Design Industry with a rare source of beautifully designed textiles, furniture and accessories, creating a truly individual style in a highly competitive industry'

I first came across Beaumont and Fletcher when my friends mother told me of the new sofa she had ordered. She was expressing such delight at the service she had received and that she was so excited for the sofa to arrive. She handed me the catalogue and I had a look. Straight away I saw elegance and style. For someone who works in the Antiques and Interior Design world - I am quite used to seeing nice pieces of furniture but I was amazed at the quality and detail that went into these pieces for such reasonable prices. (A pair of these sofas will set you back approx. £10,000)

Beaumont Fletcher are the modern Howard and Sons which adorn our country piles all over the UK. They are the Jaguar equivalent to the soft furnishing world. Each piece is hand built and there are unlimited optional extras, e.g., trims, wood stains, button, fringing etc the list goes on and on. They have such a diverse range of fabrics and colours that even though they are semi made to order and not bespoke you can create unique pieces again and again.

A Beaumont and Fletcher sofa will last a lifetime...

Robert (Mouseman) Thompson

I recently purchased these bookends which I am so delighted with. They were something I always admired in my Grandparents home and now I have my own set. 

Robert Thompson (1876-1955) was a British furniture maker living and working in Kilburn, North Yorkshire. He was part of the 1920's craftsmanship revival, inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement. Almost every piece features a carved mouse which is claimed to have stemed from a joke about 'being as poor as a church mouse'... I love this type of craftsmanship and I can't wait to build upon my collection...

Illustration shows my bookends in use! (15x9x9cm)

Inspiring Interiors and Antiques

As I move into a near year I decided it was about time I gave the blogging a go! I've been in the art world for over two years now and I still find it such great fun, interesting, educational and exciting! Every day is different. I meet new people, see new things and learn from my surroundings.

My real passion is Scottish Art, the Glasgow School of Design and the Arts and Crafts movement. As well as working for a prominent auction house (Lyon and Turnbull) I am studying towards a post graduate diploma in Interior Design. Hopefully this blog will educated and inform, but really it is just for fun and to share - with whoever wants to see - what I come across on a daily basis, my interests and experience in the art, antique and design world of Scotland and the rest of the world...

I hope you enjoy...