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NIF 1B - A fine quality Mahogany side table with shaped top & Moorish undertier with 6 square legs with turned details to the upper parts united by 6 stretchers & united again by a circular plant holder. Circa 1900. Height 30", Width of top 27". £POA.
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NIF 2B - A set of 4 Arts & Crafts oak dining chairs attributed to E Punnet with inlaid decoration to the back rests in the shape of a 'T' with wonderful high front stretchers & low side stretchers. Circa 1900. Height 30 1/2", Length 24 1/2", Depth 8 1/2". £POA.
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NIF 3B - A superb quality little Arts & Crafts oak bookcase with upper angular gulley perfect for CD's & DVD' or books with a shelf below & a cupboard to the base with pull down door perfect for CD's & DVD's or books. In the manner of Arthur Simpson. Circa 1900. Height 30 1/2", Length 24 1/2", Depth 8 1/2". £POA.
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NIF 4B & IPS 12 - An important armchair designed by Frank Brangwyn. Brangwyn's last interior designs were for the Canadian Pacific Liner; 'The SS Empress of Britain', which was launched in 1931 by the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII who renounced his throne to marry Wallis Simpson in 1930. These armchairs were designed for the 1st class dining room; 'The Salle Jacque Cartier' & they were made by H.H. Martyn & Co. Cheltenham. Tragically the liner was sunk in 1940 by a 'U'boat. Brangwyn also designed marquetry panels for the private dining rooms & they were executed by the Rowley Gallery, & he also designed a frieze carved in wood for their gallery façade in 1936. £POA.
In October 1940 the most famous of the Canadian Pacific Railway liners & flagship of the company's Atlantic Fleet, the Empress of Britain, was attacked & sunk. She was travelling to Glasgow from Suez via South Africa, where she was bombed near the northwest coast of Ireland by a German Focke Wulf Condor plane. When the Condor attacked the Empress of Britain the ship's crew couldn't shoot the plane down & soon the Empress was burning out of control & the Captain C.H. Sapsworth gave the order to abandon ship. 45 people died & the remaining survivors including women & children, were later rescued that day by the British destroyer HMS Echo & the Polish destroyer Burza & 3 British naval trawlers Paynter, Cape Agona & Drangey. The Empress still burning managed to stay afloat & the day after 2 Royal Navy tugs, Marauder & Thames tried to tow her into port with many escort ships around her but in spite of the protection she was given from the escort ships on October 28th, a German U-boat, U-32, managed to get by the escorts un-noticed & torpedoed the crippled Empress. She sank within ten minutes. The Empress of Britain was the largest Allied passenger liner to be sunk & weighing 42,348-tons she was the biggest merchant ship loss of the war. King George VI & Queen Elizabeth had travelled aboard Empress of Britian after their 1939 Royal Tour of Canada & they were so moved by her sad loss, that they sent their personal condolances to the CPR. The photo of the Empress below was taken in San Francisco during one of her memorable cruises & was sourced from the Canadian Pascific Railways commemorative booklet Empress of Britain: Lost in Action in the Service of her Country, October 28th, 1940. |
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NIF 5B - A wonderful set of 8 Glasgow style dining chairs with beautiful Pewter & Ebony stylised floral inlays to the backs. Circa 1900. £POA.
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NIF 6B - Earnest Gimson. A beautifully made Cotswold School oak chair with original rushed seat in wonderful original condition. 1900. £POA.
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NIF 7B - A superb quality chunky Arts & Crafts Oak 8 seater 'Tretower' refectory dining table designed by Paul Matt who was the key figure in the design & manufacture of Brynmawr Furniture, son of a German cabinet maker (who had made furniture to the designs of Charles Rennie Mackintosh), Matt served his apprenticeship with his father. He arrived in Brynmawr in 1929, keen to help in the Quaker project however he could. He set up the furniture workshop early in 1930. What is revealed by his designs for Brynmawr furniture is a knowledge of the Arts and Crafts movement, & continental Modernism, combined with a very practical approach to the materials, facilities & labour available. It is made from excellent 1/4 sawn oak & solid as a rock. This is a pure hand craftsman built table. The table design was made as a standard 6' model like this one. Length 6', Width 32 1/4". Circa 1931/32. £POA.
There are images of an 8' version that I have now sold which had it's original label in my 'Some Better Items I Have Sold Pages :- Heals/Cotswold/Arthur Simpson & The Lake District/Mouseman PAGE' near the bottom of the index page. I would like to thank Neil and Debra for providing me with much of the information above on Paul Matt & The Brynmawr Furniture Co. Here is some information I have managed to unearth about Brynmawr Furniture Makers particularly a wonderful testimony about a truly beautiful gentleman who spent much of his life at Brynmawr. Any more information would be gratefully recieved. Thankyou & enjoy as I did when I first read it. 23.58 Testimony concerning Arthur Basil Reynolds (1903-1960): Arthur Basil Reynolds ... had that strong sense of the indwelling spirit of God which perforce claimed kinship with everything good and of enduring value in other men and in the world at large. He worked for the continuity of the good life; and to preserve what was good from the past, to hold fast and perpetuate what was good in the present and to work for the hope of good in the future. He was a man of creative imagination, a craftsman with vision and courage who delighted in the work of his hands and was able to inspire others with the same spirit. He had the seeing eye and the unerring hand to translate the vision into actuality. As he walked the countryside a twig in the hedge would suggest a shape of grace and gaiety and his penknife would speedily produce a dancing figure of elfish beauty. All that he touched witnessed to this creative power. His training as a cabinet-maker was put to use in the workshops at Brynmawr during the unemployment and distress of the depression, when he worked with Friends & others to provide employment & thus to bring renewed hope & self-respect to the mining community. He became manager of the Brynmawr Furniture Makers, an undertaking that successfully produced worthy & beautiful furniture. Hereford & Radnor Monthly Meeting, 1961 WOW written by Garth Reynolds :- Sir/ Madam, I have today seen the Testimony to Arthur Reynolds on your web site, and I note that you would like to hear anything further about him. I am his eldest son, and was born in Brynmawr whilst he was working for the Brynmawr Furniture company. Initially he went there as designer, but after Paul Matt moved on to another similar project my father became manager. In, I believe 1938/9 we all moved back to his home town of Bridport in Dorset. When war broke out he joined up in the R.A.O.C. and rose through the ranks to Majour, and was awarded the M.B.E. After the war he set up his own company Reynolds Woodware Ltd. in Ludlow, where he continued to make Arts and Crafts style furniture mainly following Earnest Gimson and latterly other solid wood furniture of his own distinctive designs. In 1948 I joined the company as an apprentice for five years, and then after serving for two years with the Friends Ambulance Unit International Service, as an alternative to the then compulsory military service, I worked for two years as a journyman with Gordon Russell of Broadway, before returning to Reynolds Woodware. When my father died suddenly in 1960 at only 57 I took over the running of the company, with my younger brother, and although design styles changed over the years, much of what we produced was made of solid wood, and had at least echos of the Arts and Crafts movement. In 1976 I designed a suite of dining furniture in the style of Charles Rene Macintosh of which we were only going to make 30 sets, to mark the 30th anniversary of the company. However in early January 1977 the factory was destroyed by fire, and only some five or six sets were actually made and sold. Although we restarted in other premesis in Ludlow, for various reasons we were not successful, and in 1979/80 the company folded and I went on to work elsewhere. I am now retired but still retain a small workshop, making a few pieces mainly in the style of C.R.M. If there is anything further I can tell you about the remarkable man who was my father I would be very pleased to help. Regards Garth Reynolds |
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NIF 8B - 3 x Arts & Crafts light Oak 6 seater (or at a tight squeeze) 8 seater refectory dining table attributed to Heals & Son with pegged construction, superb quality. Length 54", Width 30". Circa 1920's. £POA. 3 in stock.
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NIF 9B - A good Glasgow School bureau bookcase attributed to EATaylor with pierced detail to the sweeping slatted top, a small fold down writing area with further cut-out to the bottom & opening to reveal a fitted interior with 2 longer bookshelves below & a bank of 4 booksheves to the right giving very generous storage areas. Height 55", Width 31", Depth 9 1/2". Circa 1900. £POA.
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NIF 10B - A sweet little Glasgow School open bookcase attributed to EATaylor with pierced detail to the sweeping top & 3 open shelves with raised backs to prevent the books from falling out, perfect shelf distances for storing CD's & DVD's & matches the above bureau bookcase. Height 35", Width 21 3/4", Depth 8". Circa 1900. £POA.
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NIF 11B - A very stylish Arts & Crafts armchair made by J.S.Henry with wonderful stylised floral inlays to the back & arms, a semi-circular top with a subtle curve to the entire back & neat narrowing back legs with turned supports below the arms & square tapering legs. Now professionaly re-upholstered in a quality Burgandy hide. Circa 1900.
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NIF 12B - A superb quality Arts & Crafts 1/4 sawn oak 10 to 12 seater extending dining table with 2 extra leaves, the wild grain to the top is just beautiful with subtle details to the upper square tapering legs on original brass & ceramic castors. Circa 1890. £POA.
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NIF 13B - E.A.Taylor for Wylie & Lochhead. A pure Glasgow School oak desk with open writing area (just perfect for a computer) inset with green leather with tool worked edges with a bank of 4 drawers to each side & a central upper drawer with sweeping curve pierced with Taylors typical twin hearts to each corner, all the drawers with fabulous stylised silver plated handles, further sweeping skirts all round the base & pierced with conforming twin hearts. Approx measurements Height 30", Length 42", Depth 30". 1900. £POA.
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NIF 14B - A set of 4 pure Glasgow School oak dining chairs in Green stain with re-rushed seats consisting of 2 armchairs (only 1 shown) & 2 single chairs. 1900. £POA.
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NIF 15B - A stunning Egyptian Revival garden bench with Sphinx heads to the top & Sphinx wings & legs to the front & a pair of dragon like eagles face to face seperated by a Lotus Flower with a scroll style lower stretcher joining the legs. Height ", Width ", Depth ". Circa 1880. £POA.
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NIF 16B - An Arts & Crafts Oak double wardrobe & dressing table made by Harry Lebus in the Glasgow Style with flaring cornice & a wonderful copper panel to top depicting a Galleon at sea, with 2 doors below one with a full length bevelled mirror both opening to reveal good hanging space with further storage to the pair of drawers to the base with square fretted Glasgow style copper handles. The dressing table with a central swivel mirror flanked by stylised floral fretted details to the uprights & candle shelves just below & another central shelve flanked by jewelry drawers with 2 over 2 large drawers to the base. The images do not do this justice & the true colour of the pair can be seen in the very last 2 images. Circa 1900. Wardrobe height 85", width to cornice 58", depth 19", dressing table width 42", depth 21". £POA.
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NIF 17B - Arthur Simpson. An oak Arts & Crafts stool with inset studded woven leather seat. 1900. £POA.
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NIF 18B - G. Walton attributed. A fantastic quality Arts & Crafts oak bedroom suite made by Maple & Co consisting of a large 2 door single wardrobe, dressing table & washstand all with amazing hand formed copper strap hinges which actually curl at the ends, a very striking detail with conforming circular handles & stylised wardrobe handle all skilfully hand hammered & with original chocolate coloured patina. The wardrobe with a flaring cornice & carved floral details to the right hand door & a full length bevelled mirror to the left with a bottom deep drawer & sweeping skirt below. The dressing table with squashed heart details to the mirror uprights & a central jewellrey drawer with 2 over 2 drawers & conforming sweeping skirt the washstand black marble back & top with conforming squashed heart details & a cupboard below on square tapering legs on brass & ceramic castors. Wardrobe Height 78 1/2", Depth of cornice 22 3/4", Width of cornice 41 1/2", Dressing table Height 55", Depth 20 1/4", Width 36", Washstand Height 41", Depth 20 1/2", Width 36", Bed Width 3', Headboard Height 49". Circa 1900. £POA.
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NIF 19B - Phillip Webb Attributed. A bobbin turned ebonised rocking chair in the same style as the famous reclining armchair designed by Phillip Webb for Morris & Co in 1866. Circa 1880. £POA. (The Phillip Webb armchair shown with the rocker is now sold)
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NIF 20B - A rare pair of rush seat ladder back armchairs designed by Sir Edward Lutyens. £SOLD.
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NIF 21B - An early Mouseman dining chair. Circa 1930. £POA.
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NIF 23B - An Arts & Crafts rocking chair designed by Ernest Gimson & probably made by Edward Gardner. £POA. Ernest Gimson revived this ancient village craft, making ash & oak chairs with rush seats to the true traditions of The Arts and Crafts Movement.
Philip Clissett was a very skilled chair maker working at Bosbury in Herefordshire since 1838 and Gimson took lessons from him in 1890. Gimson's workshops were at Daneway in Gloucestershire & he inspired & taught Edward Gardiner this old art of chair making. Edward Gardiner later moved to Warwickshire where he worked until he died in 1958.
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NIF 24B - A superb quality sculptured Arts & Crafts oak rocking chair attributed to W.R.Lethaby, with curved head rail, elongated back & turned front legs all uniting to the back legs with 4 turned stretchers & the rockers terminating in scrolled ends. Circa 1900. £POA.
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NIF 25B - A wonderful Cotswold School oak rocking chair in the style of Gimson with new re-rush seat. Circa 1910. £995.
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NIF 26B - A fine quality ladder back rush seat Arts & Crafts oak chair design atttributed to C.F.A.Voysey with sculptured discs to the tops on octagonal uprights which change to square at the back legs & 4 perfectly shaped ladders. Circa 1895. £POA.
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NIF 27B - A set of 5 good quality oak Glasgow School benches with shaped back rests 2 pairs & 1 with different back details, 2 as above, 2 with cross backs & 1 plain attributed to Wylie & Lochhead. Circa 1900. £POA. These are all for sale seperately.
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NIF 28B - A superb quality Walnut corner cupboard with Ebony & boxwood inlays designed by Ernest Gimson & Sidney Barnsley. Although this is superb quality I feel it is not quite up to the quality that Gimson & Barnsley were producing at the turn of the century & therefore I feel it is probably later somewhere before the 1920's. There is a photograph of an oak version on page 99, fig 64 of 'Gimson & the Barnsleys' by Mary Greensted (behind the white ladder back chair images attached). That oak version is now displayed at Lotherton Hall Yorkshire. Height 78 1/2", Depth from back along each side 22". £POA.
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NIF 29B - A wonderful quality tall Arts & Crafts Oak corner with central bevelled mirror. Circa 1900. £POA.
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NIF 30B - A stunning white painted conservatory/garden chair in the style of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, a wonderful armchair which follows a number of Mackintosh's chair designs & superior quality with through tennon exposed joints. The chair is a little taller than most armchairs & it has a signiture on the lower back rail one I haven't come across before. £POA.
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NIF - Arthur Simpson. An exceptional Arts & Crafts firescreen made by The Handicrafts with inscription 'THE LYF SO SHORT THE CRAFT SO LONG TO LERNE'. Not For Sale.
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NIF 32B - A rare stunning Arts & Crafts hatstand with a wonderful hand made copper lantern to the top attributed to Arthur Simpson of Kendall. The quality is exceptional with copper coat hooks just below the lantern & umbrella/walking stick hooks lower down & hand formed copper drip trays to the base. This was purchased in the Lake district. Height 89", Width at the base which is the widest point 19". Circa 1900. £POA.
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NIF 33B - A superb quality Arts & Crafts cabinet/linen press by Arthur Simpson of Kendall with cupboard to the top & 2 drawers below with sculptured Cuban Mahogany handles & original disc label to the back. £POA.
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NIF 34B - A superb quality Arts & Crafts oak bureau by Arthur Simpson of Kendal, with leather writing area with a fitted interior above & wonderful sculptured Bog Oak handles numbered 9408 to the back. Height 30", Depth 17", Width 42". C1910. £POA.
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NIF - Under research.
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NIF 47B - A sidetable in the manner of M.H.Ballie Scott sidetable. ON HOLD.
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