Tag Archives: arts and crafts

William de Morgan

Posted on November 27, 2023 by Fellows
William de Morgan is perhaps one of the most influential potters to emerge out of the Arts & Crafts movement. A close friend of William Morris, many of De Morgan’s artistic principles were influenced by Morris’s philosophy. Born in 1839 to a liberal family, De Morgan’s parents never quelled his early artistic talents. His father, Augustus de Morgan, was a professor of Mathematics and his mother was an early suffragette. Life and Work Before De Morgan began his venture into pottery, he was inspired by his friendship with William Morris to experiment with stained glass. During this period, stained glass was in the midst of a renaissance with many Pre-Raphaelite artists looking to glass as a new medium to express their artistic pursuits. However, by 1872, De Morgan fully immersed himself in ceramics. Some of his designs from his early years were incredibly successful, with one design in particular ‘Bedford Park Daisy’ being produced for over 20 years. In 1888, due to sickness, De Morgan moved his workshop to Fulham, West London. His work from this time, known as the ‘Fulham Period’, is considered to be some of his most ambitious. A portrait of him shows him holding an impressive vase from this time. Our tiles, lot 53, are also from this period. A defining feature of his work is his preoccupation with Middle Eastern and Persian motifs. He looked to Eastern tiles for inspiration in theme, subject matter, colour, and glazing. In 1875 he began to work with what he understood to be a ‘Persian’ colour palette, limiting himself to reds, blues, purples, greens, and yellows. Despite his posthumous success, during his life his pottery never quite gained traction. In fact, it is reported that he once said “All my life I have been trying to make beautiful things, and now that I can make them nobody wants them”. His wife, the incredibly impressive Pre-Raphaelite artist; Evelyn de Morgan, supported William through financial difficulties until 1907 when he decided to leave pottery. As sad as this story sounds, his work is now widely collected, and he is acknowledged as one of the most enduring decorative artists of the late 19th century. After he left pottery, he turned in hand to writing. Surprisingly, despite his ceramics not garnering much success, his written works did. His 4 novels were sensations in both the UK and the US. Both Evelyn and William are remembered for their intense love for each other and their work. William de Morgan at Auction In our upcoming Antiques, Fine Art & Collectable auction we have a William de Morgan panel. What is so special about lot 53 is the fact there are two tiles, forming a continuous pattern. This is typical of De Morgan, however, it is quite rare to find two matching tiles together for sale today. As such, this lot presents an exciting opportunity for any budding collector or lover of the Arts & Crafts movement. These tiles are emblematic of De Morgan’s work: sinuous leaves in vibrant colours reminiscent of his Persian-inspired style, luminous blues, manganese purples, and greens. Lot 53 William de Morgan two tile panel Price Realised: £273.00 Valuations Our valuations are free, with no obligation to sell with us. Our experts will value your item with an estimate, so you can find out what it could achieve at auction. The process is simple. You can fill in a form online or book an appointment to visit either of our offices in Birmingham or London. Virtual valuation appointments are also available. Find what you’re looking for Make sure you don’t miss finding that special something by signing up to our email alerts. You’ll be the first to know when catalogues become available, receive invitations to special events and preview the hottest lots from our auctions, plus much more. Why not use our free personal shopping service? Sign up for lot alerts and tell us exactly what you are looking for. Each time we upload a catalogue, we search for your keywords and email you lots matching your interests. Your personalised email will include images, lot descriptions and auction details. Cordelia Porter | Research Coordinator
Posted in Antiques | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on William de Morgan

The Arts and Crafts Movement and Newlyn Copper

Posted on June 5, 2023 by Fellows
Arts and Crafts The Arts and Crafts Movement began around 1880, it emerged as an attempt to reform British design. Founded on the ideas of philosophers and authors such as John Ruskin, Augustus Pugin, and William Morris, the movement wanted to emphasise the importance of human involvement in decoration over mechanized production. Jewellery was one such industry that was heavily influenced by the movement. You can read about our Arts and Crafts lots from one of our previous Jewellery auctions here. The movement was huge, and was most developed in Britain, however it spread as far as North America and Japan. All areas of decoration were influenced and Arts and Crafts laid the foundations for what we now consider to be the Art Nouveau movement. We have several items from our previous Antiques, Fine Art & Collectables auctions inspired by the Arts and Crafts Movement. Two of these are attractive examples of ornamental copperware. Copper was a material favoured by the followers of the movement and although copper items have been found that date back as far as 9000 BC, in the late 19th century it flourished as an artistic medium. Lot 155 was an example of the movement’s aim to make everything beautiful – including things of practical purpose, while Lot 191 was an illustration of some of the decorative items produced. Newlyn Copper at Auction Lot 155 presents two items of practical use that remain a testament to skilled craftsmanship. The two small dishes are Newlyn Copper, a class of Arts and Crafts that finds its roots in Cornwall. Newlyn Copper came about in the 19th century due to a decline in the fishing industry. Fishermen were facing unreliable work and unemployment and so were trained in copper-smithing as an alternative means of employment. Designs typically relate to the sea such as images of ships, or like our lot – fish. Lot 191 also relates to Newlyn Copper. This large and impressive copper panel depicts a ship in choppy seas. In the background you can see the sun beginning to rise. It is in the style of John Pearson, one of the founders of the Newlyn Industrial Class, and a master craftsman at the Newlyn School. Pearson is most known for the time he spent with ceramist William de Morgan and his tiles and pottery work. However, he is also recognised for his four large copper plaques that decorate the Newlyn Art Gallery. A permanent exhibition, displaying a large portion of the original Newlyn School’s work is on view at the Penlee House Gallery and Museum in Penzance and The Copper Works Newlyn was re-established in 2004. Newlyn is now a popular name among collectors of the Arts and Crafts movement. The items produced represent an interesting time in Cornish history. Auction Details Antiques, Fine Art & Collectables – Wednesday 14th June 2023  Valuations Our valuations are free, with no obligation to sell with us. Our experts will value your item with an estimate, so you can therefore find out what it could achieve at auction. The process is simple. You can fill in a form online or book an appointment to visit either of our offices in Birmingham or London. Virtual valuation appointments are also available Valuations Our valuations are free, with no obligation to sell with us. Our experts will value your item with an estimate, so you can find out what it could achieve at auction. The process is simple. You can fill in a form online or book an appointment to visit either of our offices in Birmingham or London. Virtual valuation appointments are also available. Find what you’re looking for Make sure you don’t miss finding that special something by signing up to our email alerts. You’ll be the first to know when catalogues become available, receive invitations to special events and preview the hottest lots from our auctions, plus much more. Why not use our free personal shopping service? Sign up for lot alerts and tell us exactly what you are looking for. Each time we upload a catalogue, we search for your keywords and email you lots matching your interests. Your personalised email will include images, lot descriptions and auction details. Cordelia Porter | Research Coordinator
Posted in Antiques | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on The Arts and Crafts Movement and Newlyn Copper

Gladys and Charles Mumford

Posted on October 13, 2022 by Fellows
Gladys and Charles Mumford were partners in both life and business. They were jewellers and silversmiths working in the Midlands and Cornwall up to the 1960s. Very little information about this talented couple is available nowadays. Luckily, we like a challenge here at Fellows. We put on our investigating hats and shifted through a lot of birth, death and marriage records to build a picture of their lives and legacy. Gladys and Charles Mumford Gladys was born Gladys Edith Harris on the 4th of May 1911. She grew up in Worcestershire with her family – 3 siblings, her mother, and her father. Charles William Mumford was born on the 7th of January 1910 and grew up in rural Warwickshire. Gladys married Charles in the summer of 1936. They were both in their mid-twenties. They set up their married home in the Earlsdon area of Coventry. Having visited Falmouth, Cornwall, on holiday, Charles and Gladys moved to the area where they remained for the rest of their marriage. They lived in Mawnan Smith for most of their married lives where their jewellery was sold in the local shop. In MArwan Smith, they were heavily involved in the church and community. One local remembers the couple fondly, especially Charles who established a youth club there. Sadly, Gladys predeceased her husband by more than 20 years. She died in July 1974 aged just 63 years old. Charles passed away at the age of 88 in 1998. Jewellery Despite there being little information available about Gladys and Charles Mumford’s jewellery, their work speaks for itself. They worked in silver, creating brooches, rings, necklaces and bracelets in the Arts and Crafts tradition. Their style is distinctive and very much of the Arts and Crafts aesthetic. Their pieces can be identified from their use of leaves and scrolling metalwork. They started their careers at W. King & Co. in Coventry. They sold their jewellery under their own names through their premises in Falmouth until 1963 and on the Queen Elizabeth II ocean liner.  Gladys and Charles Mumford at Auction In our Jewellery & Costume Jewellery auction on Wednesday 19th, we sold an Arts & Crafts silver moss agate foliate ring, by Gladys and Charles Mumford. It was part of a lot with two other Arts and Crafts pieces which sold for £234.00. We see jewellery by Arts and Crafts jewellers such as Gladys and Charles Mumford in our weekly Jewellery auctions. If you are looking for a specific maker it is a good idea to set up lot alerts which tell us exactly what you are looking for. Our personal shopping service will make sure that you are the first to hear about it. A plea for information There is really not that much information available on these talented jewellers. We would love to be able to add more colour to their story and share their achievements with the world. If you have any more information on the lives and work of Gladys and Charles Mumford, please do let us know. You can email us at hello@fellows.co.uk or call on 0121 212 2131. Valuations Our valuations are free, with no obligation to sell with us. Our experts will value your item with an estimate, so you can therefore find out what it could achieve at auction. The process is simple. You can fill in a form online or book an appointment to visit either of our offices in Birmingham or London. Virtual valuation appointments are also available
Posted in Jewellery | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Gladys and Charles Mumford