Eileen Gray, Architect, Furniture and Interior Designer: Papers, 1913-1974
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V&A Archive of Art and Design Eileen Gray, architect, furniture and interior designer: papers, 1913-1974 1 Table of contents Introduction and summary description ............................................................. Page 3 Context ....................................................................................................... Page 3 Scope and content .................................................................................... Page 3 Provenance ................................................................................................ Page 3 Access ....................................................................................................... Page 3 Detailed catalogue ............................................................................................... Page 5 Galerie Jean Désert, 1925 – ca. 1930 ....................................................... Page 5 Working papers and notebooks, ca.1914 – ca.1923 ............................... Page 5 Correspondence, 1919-1936..................................................................... Page 6 Presscuttings, ca. 1917- ca.1925 ............................................................. Page 6 Miscellaneous, ca.1922- ca.1933 .............................................................. Page 6 Glass negatives, 1920s-1940s .................................................................. Page 7 Boxes, originally containing glass negatives, undated ....................... Page 12 Stencils, ca.1931 ..................................................................................... Page 13 Correspondence from Jan Wils and J. J. P. Oud, 1922-1925 .............. Page 13 Stationary for Eileen Gray, Jean Désert, Désert et Gray, 1920s .......... Page 13 Bills, 1971-1974 ....................................................................................... Page 13 Drawings and designs for architecture, furniture, rugs and carpets, 1910- 1975 .......................................................................... Page 14 2 Eileen Gray, architect, furniture and interior designer: papers, 1913-1974 Introduction and summary description Eileen Gray Reference: AAD/1980/9 Extent: ca. 500 files Context Kathleen Eileen Moray Gray (1878 - 1976) was born in County Wexford, Ireland. She studied at the Slade School of Fine Art from 1898 to 1902 and developed an interest in lacquerwork, which she also studied from 1900 to 1902 at the workshops of D. Charles in Soho, London. She moved to Paris to study drawing at the Académies Colarossi and Julian from 1902 to 1905. From 1907 to 1914 she studied furniture making and lacquerwork with Sugawara, becoming a proprietor of a lacquerwork and furniture workshop with Sugawara in London from 1915 to 1917 and in Paris from 1917 to 1922. After the First World War she became interested in interior decoration and from 1919 to 1922 designed an apartment for Suzanne Talbot. In 1922 she opened the Galerie Jean Désert in which she sold her lacquerwork and carpet designs. From 1926 to 1929 she designed a house at Roquebrune (known as E-1027) in collaboration with the Romanian architect Jean Badovici. By 1929 she had lost interest in the Galerie Jean Désert and closed it, considering herself first and foremost an architect. In the 1920s and continuing into the 1930s she was responsible for many architectural projects and furniture designs using materials such as aluminium, chromed metal and mirror glass. She became an Honorary Royal Designer for Industry in 1972 and a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Irish Architects in 1973. She died in Paris on 30 October 1976. Scope and content Architectural drawings (ca.1910 – 1959); drawings for rugs, carpets and collages (1910 - 1940); correspondence (1913 - 1936); working notes (1914 - 1923); press cuttings (1917 - 1924); glass negatives of completed buildings, interiors, carpets and furniture (1919 - 1937); furniture drawings (1920 – 1975); Galerie Jean Désert client register (ca.1922 - 1930); exhibition notices, trade cards and trade catalogues (1922 - 1933); Galerie Jean Désert cash book (1925); bills from Pierre Bobot, lacquerist, Paris (1971 - 1974). Provenance Given by Prunella Clough (via Prints, Drawings and Paintings Department, V&A, 1979), 1980 Access This archive is available for consultation in the V&A Archive and Library Study Room, which is located at Blythe House, 23 Blythe Road, Olympia, London, W14 0QX. The Study Room is open Tuesday to Friday between 10.00 am and 4.30 pm, by appointment only. To request an 3 appointment please email [email protected] or telephone 020 7603 7493. Access to some files may be restricted; these are identified individually with the catalogue. Catalogues and indexes Full list available at AAD and NAL. 4 Detailed catalogue Galerie Jean Desert, 1925 - ca.1930 Reference: AAD/1980/9/1-2 Extent: 2 files Reference Description Dates AAD/1980/9/1 'Journal'. Cash book containing detailed accounts for the 1925 Galerie Jean Desert 1 volume Includes sales, tips to tradesmen, taxis to transport rugs, etc. 200pp. AAD/1980/9/2 'Galerie Jean Desert'. Clients' register containign names 1922- ca.1930 and addresses of clients 1 folder Some entries include details of the items purchased and prices. 48pp Working papers and notebooks, Reference: AAD/1980/9/3-9 Extent: 7 files Reference Description Dates AAD/1980/9/3 Notebook containing notes on wood finishes, varnish, 1914 - 1923 lacquer, mould- making, polish, etc 1 volume Written in English. 6 inserts (written mostly in French). AAD/1980/9/4 'Tapis. Eileen Gray' undated 1 item Small notebook containing notes on weaving. Written in French. 23pp. AAD/1980/9/5 Typescript transcription of 'Tapis. Eileen Gray' undated 1 item 2pp. AAD/1980/9/6 Group of papers marked 'Badovici lifeboats': 'The Sea undated Tank' 1 item Typescript, 3pp. AAD/1980/9/7 'Disasters at Sea' undated 1 item Typescript, 24pp. AAD/1980/9/8 'Life-saving at Sea' undated 1 item Typescript, 12pp. 5 AAD/1980/9/9 'Le sauvetage maritime' undated 1 item Typescript, 1p. Correspondence, 1919 - 1936 Reference: AAD/1980/9/10-11 Extent: 2 files Reference Description Dates AAD/1980/9/10 'Inagaki. Travailleur en lacque' 1919 - 1922 25 items Correspondence with the craftsman Inagaki, includes invoices and folder. AAD/1980/9/11 Business correspondence, invoices, notes. 1913 - 1936 14 items Press cuttings, undated, 1917 - 1925 Reference: AAD/1980/9/12-13 Extent: 2 files Reference Description Dates AAD/1980/9/12 Press cuttings, typescript and manuscript transcriptions undated, 1917 - of articles and folder 1925 37 items AAD/1980/9/13 Press cuttings, manuscript transcriptions of articles, undated, 1921 - notes, proof and folder 1924 15 items Miscellaneous, undated Reference: AAD/1980/9/14-21 Extent: 8 files Reference Description Dates AAD/1980/9/14 Exhibition notices undated 2 items AAD/1980/9/15 'Bellavoine papiers' undated 1 item Trade catalogue, 50pp. AAD/1980/9/16 Trade cards undated 5 items AAD/1980/9/17 'Adresses des Clients' undated 1 item Handwritten, 10pp. 6 AAD/1980/9/18 'Plan d'un metier (sommaire)' undated 1 item Pencil design. 4pp. AAD/1980/9/19 'Ventes Jean Desert' 1923 - 1927 1 item List of sales. 28pp. AAD/1980/9/20 Bills and receipts, some with added notes 1922 - 1933 58 items Includes bills for clients of Galerie Jean Desert. AAD/1980/9/21 Material relating to models and exhibition labels undated 19 items Glass negatives, 1920s - 1940s Reference: AAD/1980/9/22-152 Extent: 88 files Reference Description Dates AAD/1980/9/22 Rue de Lota [1919 - 1920] 1 glass negative Apartment of Madame Mathieu Levy. Gallery leading to Mme Levy's bedroom. AAD/1980/9/23-24 Rue de Lota undated 2 glass negatives Apartment of Madame Mathieu Levy. Parchment Lamp. AAD/1980/9/25-28 Sycamore chest designed for the architect Henri Pacon ca.1926 4 glass negatives AAD/1980/9/29 Small ivory lamp undated 1 glass negative AAD/1980/9/30 'Bibendium' chair and tea table undated 1 glass negative AAD/1980/9/31-39 Carpets designed for Jean Desert undated 9 glass negatives AAD/1980/9/40-43 Carpets designed for Jean Desert undated 4 glass negatives AAD/1980/9/44 Facade of Jean Desert undated 1 glass negative AAD/1980/9/45 Tempe a Pailla, Castellar undated 1 glass negative, 3 b/w prints Plans. AAD/1980/9/46 Tempe a Pailla, Castellar undated 1 glass negative, 5 b/w prints Exterior view. AAD/1980/9/47 Tempe a Pailla, Castellar undated 1 glass negative, 5 b/w prints Exterior: entrance from road. AAD/1980/9/48 Tempe a Pailla, Castellar undated 1 glass negative, 4 b/w prints Reversible table and chair. 7 AAD/1980/9/49 E-1027 Roquebrune undated 1 glass negative, 7 b/w prints Sitting room. AAD/1980/9/50 E-1027 Roquebrune undated 1 glass negative, 4 b/w prints Sitting room. AAD/1980/9/51 Roquebrune undated 1 b/w print Sitting room. AAD/1980/9/52 Tempe a Pailla, Castellar undated 1 glass negative Studio/Living Room. AAD/1980/9/53 Tempe a Pailla, Castellar undated 1 glass negative Interior. AAD/1980/9/54 Tempe a Pailla, Castellar undated 1 glass negative Interior. AAD/1980/9/55-56 Bedroom at Eileen Gray's home, 21 rue de Bonaparte, undated Paris 1 glass negative, 1 b/w print AAD/1980/9/57-58 Exhibition room with banquette, divan, rug, table undated 2 glass negatives AAD/1980/9/59 [Tempe a Pailla, Castellar] ca.1932 1 glass negative, 4 b/w prints Chest with hinged/pivot drawers (shut). AAD/1980/9/60 [Tempe a Pailla, Castellar] ca.1932 1 glass negative, 4 b/w print Chest with hinged/pivot drawers (open). AAD/1980/9/61 Bedroom at Eileen Gray's home, 21 rue de Bonaparte, undated Paris AAD/1980/9/62