British Canvas, Stretcher and Panel Suppliers' Marks
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
British canvas, stretcher and panel suppliers’ marks: Part 3, Thomas Brown, 1805-54 This resource surveys suppliers’ marks on the reverse of picture supports. Thomas Brown (c.1778-1840) was in business from 1805/6. He was followed by his son, also Thomas Brown. For fuller details, see British artists' suppliers, 1650-1950 - B. In their day, the Browns were the business of choice among many professional artists. In 1842 the younger Brown claimed that he, his father, and his father's predecessor, had between them supplied all the Royal Academy’s Presidents up to that time, and that they had been the favoured servants of the Academy since its foundation (The Art-Union, January 1842). Thomas Brown’s marks can be conveniently divided, more or less chronologically, according to addresses: High Holborn, then 163 High Holborn and finally and briefly 260 Oxford St. Such was the volume of Brown’s business that it is likely that several similar stamps were in use at any one time. Canvas stamps and stencils are treated first (sections 1 to 8). They have been subject to studies by Martin Butlin and Norman Muller (note 4). For panels and some stretchers Brown used a small label (section 9) or an impressed mark (section 10). Most of Brown's rivals preferred to use conspicuous printed labels, especially on millboards, a type of support Brown did not favour. Measurements of marks, given where known, are approximate and may vary according to the stretching or later conservation treatment of a canvas or the trimming of a label. Links are given to institutional websites where the dimensions of works can be found. Information on frame marks is given at note 5 and on date stamps and stencils at note 6. Compiled by Jacob Simon, March 2017, updated November 2018, February 2020, based on the pioneering work of Cathy Proudlove and the suppliers’ database created by Jacob Simon. With thanks to Dr Joyce Townsend for providing information on paintings in Tate, to Nicola Costaras at the Victoria and Albert Museum and to John Payne, National Gallery of Victoria. Work details Mark transcripts Product marks (not to uniform scale) 1. Canvas marked ‘High-Holborn’ and Three types normally found in association ‘LINEN’, often with frame mark with a frame mark and so not later than 1831 Illustrated: Stamp on canvas: Henry Fuseli, The Poet Observing Nerea with Her T. BROWN. New Lover in Her Grotto, High-Holborn c.1810-13 (Victoria and LINEN. Albert Museum) [‘T’ of T. BROWN to left of ‘H’ of High; marks Also found on: left and right of ‘LINEN’ probably result from Henry Fuseli, Salome with the way the stamp was applied] the Head of John the Baptist (Egremont coll., Petworth), frame mark, 1810? Illustrated: Stamp on canvas: Source: Courtauld - Colourmen Online T. BROWN. database (note 3) High-Holborn LINEN. Also found on: Charles Robert Leslie, Self- [‘T’ of T. BROWN above ‘H’ of High] portrait, 1814 (National Portrait Gallery), frame mark See note 7 for examples dating from c.1807-1826. Work details Mark transcripts Product marks (not to uniform scale) Illustrated: Stamp on canvas: Richard Rothwell, Novitiate Mendicants, T. BROWN c.1837 (Victoria and High Holborn Albert Museum), frame LINEN. mark (the canvas thus 1831 or before) [‘LINEN’ with a large ‘L’] Also found on: Unknown artist, Samuel Watson, 1829 (Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery), frame mark 2. Canvas marked ‘High Holborn’, often with Recorded date stamps associated with this two compartment date stamp type date to 1831-35 (note 8) Illustrated: Stamp, 7.2 cm wide, on canvas (and detail): Thomas Phillips, John Dalton, 1835 (National T BROWN. Portrait Gallery) High Holborn Also found on: Associated date stamp, within frame: Richard Rothwell, William ^ Huskisson, c.1831 (National 2- 34 Portrait Gallery), associated date stamp: 9- 31 [‘T’ of T. BROWN to right of ‘H’ of High] John Constable, Hampstead Heath with a Rainbow, 1836 (Tate), associated date stamp: 10 32 detail 3. Canvas marked ‘163 High Holborn’, often Recorded date stamps associated with the with two compartment date stamp following type date to 1835-40 (note 9) Illustrated (top): Stamp, 9.2 cm wide, on canvas (and detail): Henry Johnson, John Ferneley, 1838 (National T BROWN. Portrait Gallery) 163 High Holborn LONDON Also found on: James Ward, Study of Associated date stamp, within frame: Sheeps’ Heads, 1836 (Tate), associated date stamp: 9- 4- 37 ^ 35 David Wilkie, King William IV, 1837 (National Portrait Gallery), associated date stamp: 11-36 J.M.W. Turner, Seascape with Distant Coast, c.1840 Johnson, detail (Tate) Stamp, 8.3 cm wide, on canvas: Illustrated (bottom): Unknown artist, Martha T BROWN. Blackburn (Private coll., 163 High Holborn Canada, 2004, source: LONDON Cyndie Lack) [smaller in size though identical in appearance] ^unknown artist Work details Mark transcripts Product marks (not to uniform scale) 4. Canvas marked ‘163, HIGH HOLBORN’ Three examples are given, the third smaller in scale. Other slight variations in lettering style and layout are found. It is likely that several stamps were in use at any one time. Illustrated: Stamp, 7.8 cm wide, on reverse of loose lining J.M.W. Turner, The canvas: Dogano, San Giorgio, Citella, from the Steps of BROWN, the Europa, exh. 1842 163, (Tate), associated date HIGH HOLBORN, stamp on separate painting LONDON. canvas: TB 11? 40 (repr. below) [the ‘3’ rounded at top; the final ‘N’ of LONDON below the ‘B’ of HOLBORN] Also found on: Edwin Landseer, There is no place like home, 1842 (Victoria and Albert Museum) George Lance, Fruit, 1842 (Victoria and Albert Museum), with impressed stretcher stamp Illustrated: Stamp, 8.6 cm wide, on reverse of loose lining J.M.W. Turner, Lake canvas: Lucerne: the Bay of Uri from above Brunnen, BROWN, c.1844 (Tate) 163, HIGH HOLBORN, Also found on: LONDON. J.M.W. Turner, Scene in Venice, c.1840-45 (Tate, [the ‘3’ flat at top; the final ‘N’ of LONDON N05488) below the ‘O’ of HOLBORN] Illustrated: Stamp, 4.9 cm wide, on canvas: George Lance, unknown work, 1855, ? Still Life of BROWN, Grapes and Morning 163, Glory, Sotheby’s HIGH HOLBORN, Belgravia, 8 April 1975, LONDON. lot 104, paper laid on canvas [smaller in size, used on a small canvas; the ‘3’ flat at top and below the ‘W’ of BROWN; without punctuation] 5. Other canvas marks Illustrated: Date stamp within frame, 8 cm wide, on J.M.W. Turner, The canvas, with TB stencil at right angles, 2.8 cm Dogano, San Giorgio, wide: Citella, from the Steps of the Europa, exh. 1842, TB 11? 40 24¼ x 36½ ins (Tate), associated address stamp [TB for Thomas Brown. Turner had canvases on separate loose lining made up to non-stock sizes, which were canvas (repr. above) sometimes differently stamped.] Work details Mark transcripts Product marks (not to uniform scale) 6. Canvas marked ‘163, HIGH HOLBORN’ Recorded examples associated with this with three compartment date stamp three compartment type date to 1841-51 (note 10) Illustrated: Date stamp on canvas, within frame: Margaret Carpenter, Patrick Fraser Tytler, exh. TB 11 41 1845 (National Portrait Gallery) [TB for Thomas Brown] Second stencil, 9 cm wide, on canvas: BROWN, 163, HIGH HOLBORN, LONDON Illustrated: Date stencil on unprimed side of loose lining John Everett Millais, canvas, within frame: Christ in the House of His Parents, 1849–50 (Tate) TB 10 49 Second stencil on canvas: BROWN, 163, HIGH HOLBORN, LONDON [the ‘D’ of LONDON now more below the ‘L’ of HOLBORN] 7. Canvas marked ‘163, HIGH HOLBORN’, Recorded examples associated with this with four compartment size and date stamp four compartment type date to 1843-51 (note 6) Illustrated: Date stencil on canvas, within frame: Margaret Carpenter, William Smith, 1856, 30 x TB 2 51 ¾ 25 ins (National Portrait Gallery) [TB for Thomas Brown; 2 51 for the date; ¾ the canvas size, a ‘three-quarters’ at 30 x 25 ins, see note 11] Stencil on canvas: BROWN, 163, HIGH HOLBORN, LONDON Work details Mark transcripts Product marks (not to uniform scale) Illustrated: Date stencil on canvas, within frame: Edwin Landseer, John Landseer, exh. 1848, 36 TB 4 46 KK x 27¾ ins (National Portrait Gallery) [TB for Thomas Brown; 4 46 for the date; KK the canvas size, a ‘Kit-Kat ‘(36 x 28 ins), see note 11] Second stencil on canvas: BROWN, 163, HIGH HOLBORN, LONDON Illustrated: Date stencil on canvas, within frame: Edwin Landseer, Alexander and Diogenes, TB 10 43 BH exh. 1848, 44¼ x 56¼ ins (Tate) [TB for Thomas Brown; 10 43 for the date; BH the canvas size, a ‘Bishops half length’ (56 x 44 ins), see note 11] Second stencil on canvas: BROWN, 163, HIGH HOLBORN, LONDON To locate The compiler is seeking examples with other marks of this type, probably with initials HL for half length or WL for whole length Illustrated: Stencil on canvas, within frame: George Hayter, Latimer Preaching at Paul's TB 7 43 LW Cross, 1853, 66¼ x 87½ ins (Princeton University [TB for Thomas Brown; 7 43 for the date; LW Art Museum, see Muller, probably the canvas size, a large whole length cited in note 4, and note which was then cut to size by the artist, see 11) note 11] Second stencil on canvas: BROWN, 163, HIGH HOLBORN, LONDON Third stencil on canvas, within frame: ABSORBENT [Absorbent indicates a ground or priming mainly made up of chalk] Work details Mark transcripts Product marks (not to uniform scale) 8. Canvas marked ‘260 OXFORD STREET’ At this address 1853-54 Illustrated: Stencil on canvas: E.W. Cooke, Evening on the Lagoon, Venice, 1853 BROWN (Bonhams, 2 March 2016, 260 OXFORD STREET lot 12) HYDE PARK END Also found on: John Ferneley, A Herd of Horses in an extensive landscape, 1854 (Christie's South Kensington, 1 December 2016, lot 187) Illustrated: Stencil on canvas: Stephen Pearce, Robert McCormick, c.1856 BROWN (National Portrait Gallery) 260 OXFORD STREET HYDE PARK END [‘HYDE’ set slightly to right] 9.