British canvas, stretcher and panel suppliers’ marks: Part 2, A to D

This resource surveys suppliers’ marks on the reverse of picture supports. This part is devoted to London suppliers, A to D, active between the 1830s and the 1930s, excluding Thomas Brown and Robert and Charles Davy, for whom see parts 3 and 4. Arranged alphabetically by supplier: Ackermann & Co, Rudolph Ackermann junr, John Adams, The Art Colour Co, William Badger, C. Barbe, Jabez Barnard/& Son, H.J. Barrett, William Benham, Boots, James Brand, Brodie & Middleton, John Capes, Charles Chenil & Co Ltd, C.E. Clifford, Collector’s Picture Restoring Co Ltd, Arthur Colley & Co, L. Cornelissen & Son, Cowen & Waring, Arthur Crossland, Robert Davis, Dimes & Elam and Robert Dyas. For information on individual suppliers, see British artists' suppliers, 1650-1950 on this website. 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. Dates for businesses, partnerships and addresses are usually accurate to within a year. Square brackets are used to indicate indistinct or missing lettering in transcripts, with readings sometimes based on other examples. Compiled by Jacob Simon, May 2017, and 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 at the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. Please provide feedback on canvas and panel markings in your collection to jsimon@npg.org.uk , either missing examples, or clear instances on dated paintings by known artists.

Supplier, work details

Supplier dates, mark transcripts Product marks (not to uniform scale)

Ackermann & Co

Supplier so named from 1829 See British artists' suppliers, 1650-1950 - A

In business until c.1855

Illustrated: Eduard Magnus, Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, c.1845 (The Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford, JL 747)

Stamp on canvas:

[royal coat of arms]

ACKERMANN & C LONDON

Illustrated: Edward Pritchett, The Piazzetta or The Prison, Venice (Christie’s, 25 April 1975, lot 24) The pair has the label of Roberson & Miller with a secondary W. Mason label.

Label, 9.8 cm wide, decorative border, on board:

ACKERMANN & Co.’s. PREPARED MILLBOARDS, PANELS AND CANVASS,

---- N.B. EVERY REQUISITE FOR OIL PAINTING.

Repository of Arts, 96, Strand, London.

[secondary label in centre:]

W. H. MASON. From Ackermann's Repository of Arts Ship St., Brighton.

[Mason in Ship St by 1832-1838]

Supplier, work details

Supplier dates, mark transcripts Product marks (not to uniform scale)

Illustrated: Source: Cobbe coll., see note 2. Also found on: Nicholas Condy, The Kestrel, 1846 (source: Cathy Proudlove, see note 2), and on other works by Condy. Label sometimes printed in green.

Label, 10.2 cm wide, decorative border:

ACKERMANN & Co. s.

PREPARED MILLBOARDS, PANELS, CANVASS,

AND BLADDER COLOURS. ----

N.B. EVERY REQUISITE FOR OIL PAINTING. Repository of Arts, 96, Strand, London.

[bladder colours were superceded by tube colours during the 1840s]

Rudolph Ackermann junr

At 191 Regent St from 1825 See British artists' suppliers, 1650-1950 - A

Ackermann junr, nephew of Rudolph Ackermann senr, set up independently

Illustrated: Capt. Edward Otway, Martha Otway, Sister of the Artist (Ancient House, Museum of Thetford Life)

Label on yellow paper, 13.1 cm wide, two winged cherubs set in a landscape, on board:

R. Ackermann, Book & Printseller

AND MANUFACTURER OF SUPERFINE WATER COLOURS

TO Her Majesty

191, Regent Street, London.

A large assortment of coloured & white Rice Paper

[royal appointment dates label to 1830 or later]

John Adams

At this address by 1892-1903 or later See British artists' suppliers, 1650-1950 - A

Illustrated: Source: Cobbe coll., see note 2.

Stamp, 12.3 cm wide, on canvas:

J ADAMS, Artists’ Material & Fine Art D[epot?]

135, WOODGRANGE ROAD FOREST GATE, E

The Art Colour Co

In business 1895-1901 See British artists' suppliers, 1650-1950 - A

Previously trading as Anglo-American Art Color Co Ltd

Illustrated: Harry Thomas Foxen, Bridge in Cassiobury Park, 1905 (Watford Museum)

Stamp, double oval, name and place in outer ring, works address in centre, on canvas:

ART COLOR Co. LONDON, W

Anchor Works JOHNSON ST.

Supplier, work details

Supplier dates, mark transcripts Product marks (not to uniform scale)

William Badger

In business 1871-88 See British artists' suppliers, 1650-1950 - B

Successor to William Eatwell, see part 5 of this guide

Illustrated: R. Harwood, unspecified work, source: Cobbe coll., see note 2.

Stencil, 9 cm wide, oval format, on canvas:

W.BADGER MANUFACTURER

97 BOUNDARY ROAD N.W.

LONDON.

[at 97 Boundary Road from 1871]

Illustrated: Henry Weigall, Sir William Quiller Orchardson, c.1878-81 (National Portrait Gallery) Also found on: John Everett Millais, Diana Vernon, 1880 (National Gallery of Victoria) Click for an image of stencil.

Stencil, 13.5 cm wide, on canvas:

W. BADGER LATE EATWELL

97, BOUNDARY ROAD S

T. JOHN'S WOOD

& 49, DORSET STREET PORTMAN SQUARE

[at both addresses 1877-87] [found on pictures dating to 1877-83, note 4]

Camille Barbe, Charles Barbe

In business as C. Barbe 1827-48 See British artists' suppliers, 1650-1950 - L under Lechertier Barbe

Trading as Lechertier Barbe from 1848, see Part 5 of this guide

Illustrated: T.H. Wilson, Biblical Scene, 1845 (Royal Society of Arts, note 5)

Stencil, 6.3 cm wide, oval format, on millboard:

C. BARBE ~ 60 ~

Regent's Quadrant LONDON

[Dimes & Elam’s stencil can still be made out below that of Barbe, despite being painted out, see note 5. An example of Dimes & Elam’s stencil is repr. near the end of this guide.]

Illustrated: William Rimer, Ivanhoe, 1846 (Royal Society of Arts, note 5)

Stencil, 9.6 cm wide, on millboard:

C. BARBE 60 Regent's Quadrant

LONDON

[this stencil applied over that of Dimes & Elam in similar manner to the previous example]

Supplier, work details

Supplier dates, mark transcripts Product marks (not to uniform scale)

Jabez Barnard

In business as Jabez Barnard 1837-60 See British artists' suppliers, 1650-1950 - B

Trading as Jabez Barnard & Son from 1860, see below

Illustrated: Unknown monogrammed work, artist unidentified, 1859, source: see note 2.

Label, 8 cm wide, decorative border, on panel (this example with circular Rotterdam? customs’ stamp top left):

JABEZ BARNARD, MANUFACTURER OF

Superfine Oil & Water Colours, BLACK LEAD & FINE HAIR PENCILS,

AND Preparer of Canvas Panels, Mill Boards,

And every other article for Painting and Drawing,

339, OXFORD STREET, Opposite John Street, London.

Illustrated: Anonymous, Girl holding Basket of Flowers (Private coll., Canada, 2017, image, Cyndie Lack)

Label, 8.5 cm wide, decorative border, on millboard:

JABEZ BARNARD, MANUFACTURER OF

[Su]perfine Oil & Water Co[lours,] BLACK LEAD & FINE HAIR PENC[ILS,]

Preparer of Canvas Panels, Mill Bo[ards,] And every other article for Paintin[g and Drawing,]

339, OXFORD STR[EET,] (Opposite John Street,) Lond[on]

[brackets used in final address line]

Illustrated: C.W. Cope, A Problem (Sotheby's Belgravia, 6 May 1975, lot 161) Also found on: Count d'Orsay, with Edwin Landseer, Baron Lyndhurst, c.1862 (Hughenden Manor, Buckinghamshire, National Trust), without first line of stamp.

Stamp, 9.0 cm wide, oval format for name and address, on canvas:

Prepared by

[J BA]RNARD ---

[3]39 Oxford St

--- LONDON

Jabez Barnard & Son

In business as Barnard & Son from 1860 See British artists' suppliers, 1650-1950 - B

Illustrated: W(illiam?) Monkhouse, A Mountain Stream in Yorkshire (Southampton City Art Gallery)

Stencil, 16.0 cm wide, on canvas:

ARTISTS CANVAS PREPARED BY

J BARNARD & SON LONDON.

[letter ‘D’ of BARNARD below ‘R’ of PREPARED]

Supplier, work details

Supplier dates, mark transcripts Product marks (not to uniform scale)

Illustrated: Source: Cobbe coll., see note 2.

Stencil, 16.5 cm wide, on canvas:

ARTISTS CANVAS PREPARED BY

BARNARD & SON LONDON

[letter ‘D’ of BARNARD below ‘ED’ of PREPARED; ‘J’ omitted before BARNARD]

Illustrated: George Lock, unspecified work, 1885, source: Cobbe coll., see note 2.

Stencil, 15 cm wide, on canvas:

BARNARD & SON

LONDON

Illustrated: Unspecified work, 1889, source: Cobbe coll., see note 2.

Stencil, 9 cm wide, on canvas:

BARNARD & SON

LONDON

[small format stencil]

Illustrated: W. Bromley, unspecified work, source: Cobbe coll., see note 2. Also found on: Colin Graeme, The Day’s Bag, 1894 (Sotheby’s Belgravia, 11 March 1975, lot 112?) and on pictures dated 1884 and 1901 (see note 2)

Stencil, 10.5 cm wide, in form of a serpentine scroll, on canvas:

BARNARD

& SON

LONDON

[found on pictures dating to 1884-1901]

Illustrated: Unknown artist, Seascape (Private coll., 2005)

Stamp, indistinct, linear border with inset corners, on canvas:

J BARNARD & CO----?

ARTISTS? C[OLOURMAN?] LONDON --?

Illustrated: William Orpen, Anita, 1905 (Tate, T07136)

Stamp on canvas:

STUD[ENT?] CANVAS. J. B[ARNARD &] SON,

LONDON, W.

Supplier, work details

Supplier dates, mark transcripts Product marks (not to uniform scale)

H.J. Barrett

In business 1848-64 See British artists' suppliers, 1650-1950 - B

Illustrated: Anonymous, Still-life (image, dott.ssa Daniela Magnetti, Nov. 2015)

Stencil on canvas:

HJ BARRETT ARTISTS COLORMAN

6, Worship Street Shoreditch. LONDON.

William Benham

At 9 Devonshire Terrace 1863-88 See British artists' suppliers, 1650-1950 - B

Illustrated: Source: Cobbe coll., see note 2.

Stamp, linear border with inset corners, on canvas:

W. BENHAM ARTISTS COLOU[RMAN]

AND PICTURE FRAME M[AKER]

[9,] DEVONS[HIRE] T[ERRACE] NOTTING HILL [GATE]

Boots Ltd

Trading in artists’ materials by 1894 See British artists' suppliers, 1650-1950 - B

Illustrated: Source: Cobbe coll., see note 2.

Stamp, 6.0 cm wide, on canvas:

Boots Picture Framing

AND ARTIST'S DISPENESERS?

James Brand

In business 1804-45 See British artists' suppliers, 1650-1950 - B

Illustrated: Artist unknown, Portrait of a Gentleman (image, Timothy Potter, Jan. 2013)

Stencil on canvas:

PRE[PA]RED B[Y] I BRAND

ARTISTS [COLO]URMA[N] Opposite S[t Thos] Hospl

BORO

Supplier, work details

Supplier dates, mark transcripts Product marks (not to uniform scale)

Brodie & Middleton

At 79 Long Acre 1851-1945 See British artists' suppliers, 1650-1950 - B

Illustrated: A. Glendenning, 1873, source: Cobbe coll., see note 2.

Stencil, 9.5 cm wide, on canvas:

PREPARED BY BRODIE & MIDDLETON

79, LONG ACRE, LONDON

[letter ‘I’ below ‘P’ of PREPARED]

Illustrated: Unknown artist, George Dawson, c.1874? (Birmingham Museums Trust, 1935P147) Also found on a painting dated 1877.

Stamp, 10 cm wide, on canvas:

PREPARED BY BRODIE & MIDDLETON

79, LONG ACRE, LONDON

[letter ‘D’ below ‘P’ of PREPARED]

Illustrated: Maria Brooks, Out in the Rain, 1878 (Southampton City Art Gallery)

Stencil, 10 cm wide, on canvas:

PREPARED BY BRODIE & MIDDLETON

79, LONG ACRE, LONDON

[letter ‘O’ below ‘P’ of PREPARED]

Illustrated: George William Mote, A Hilly Landscape, 1881 (Christie’s, 16 July 1976, lot 59) Also found on: Lily Holiday, A Basket of Flowers, 1880 (Sotheby's

Belgravia, 7 September 1976, lot 175)

Stamp, 11.5 cm wide, on canvas:

PREPARED BY BRODIE & MIDDLETON

79, LONG ACRE, LONDON

[similar to preceding but lines set more closely together]

[found on pictures dating to 1880-83, note 6]

Thomas Brown

In business 1805/6-54 See British artists' suppliers, 1650-1950 - B

See Part 3, Thomas Brown of this guide

John Capes

At this address 1873-76 See British artists' suppliers, 1650-1950 - C

Followed by Kemp & Co, see part 5 of this guide

Illustrated: James Edgell Collins, Thomas Phillips, Mayor of Birmingham, 1876 (Birmingham Museums Trust)

Stamp, 12 cm wide, oval format, on canvas:

J. CAPES ARTISTS COLORMAN [9] HOLDEN TERRACE

PIMLICO SW

Supplier, work details

Supplier dates, mark transcripts Product marks (not to uniform scale)

Charles Chenil & Co Ltd

In business 1905-27 See British artists' suppliers, 1650-1950 - C

Illustrated: George Bell, Lulworth Cove, 1911 (National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne) Click on link for a larger image of stencil. Also found on:

William Orpen, The Chinese Shawl, 1912 (National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne) Click for an image of stencil.

Stencil, palette-shaped, on canvas:

CHENIL

BY THE TOWN HALL

CHELSEA

[used in this form around 1911-12]

Illustrated: William Orpen, 1st Baron Hankey, 1919 (National Portrait Gallery) Chenil stencil also found on: Augustus John, Lady Ottoline Morrell, 1919

(National Portrait Gallery) George W. Lambert, A Sergeant of the Light Horse, 1920 (National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne) Click for an image of stencil.

Stencil, palette-shaped, on canvas, with additional marks, CANVAS, 54, repr. Appendix:

CHENIL

BY THE TOWN HALL

CHELSEA

[more space between ‘TOWN’ and ‘CHELSEA’]

[used in this form around 1919-20]

C.E. Clifford

In business 1849-87 See British artists' suppliers, 1650-1950 - C

From 1877 Clifford worked as a picture restorer. His label as such is beyond the scope of this guide (see note 7).

Illustrated: William Salter, Sir Frederick Adam (National Portrait Gallery) Also found on: J. Sydney Hodges, Henry Cooper, Mayor of Canterbury, 1856 (Canterbury City Council Museums and Galleries)

Stencil, 11 cm wide, on canvas:

C.E. CLIFFORD, ARTISTS COLOURMAN

No. 30 PICCADILLY

OPPOSITE ST JAMES CHURCH

LONDON

Illustrated: George Reid, George MacDonald, 1868 (National Portrait Gallery)

Stencil on canvas:

C.E. [CLIF]FORD, ARTISTS COLOURMAN

30 PICCADILLY [OP]POSITE ST JAME[S'S] CHURC[H]

LONDON.

[lettering laid out differently]

Supplier, work details

Supplier dates, mark transcripts Product marks (not to uniform scale)

Illustrated: Arthur Hughes, Study for 'The Young Poet', 1848-49 (Birmingham Museums Trust)

Label, 10.0 cm wide, on millboard:

PREPARED MILLBOARD. [Royal coat of arms]

ESTABLISHED UPWARDS OF A CENTURY C. E. CLIFFORD,

ARTISTS COLOURMAN, 30, PICCADILLY.

OPPOSITE ST. JAMES'S CHURCH.

Collector’s Picture Restoring Co Ltd

In business 1933-39 See British artists' suppliers, 1650-1950 - C

See Arthur Crossland below

Arthur Colley & Co

In business 1936-66 See British artists' suppliers, 1650-1950 - C

Illustrated: Rodrigo Moynihan, Objective Abstraction, c.1935-6 (Tate)

Stamp, 7.0 cm wide, on canvas:

ARTHUR COLLEY & CO., 88, HAVERSTOCK HILL, N.W.3.

ARTISTS’ MATERIALS & PICTURE FRAMER. PHONE GULLIVER 4224.

L. Cornelissen & Son

Supplier so named 1884-1977 See British artists' suppliers, 1650-1950 - C

Illustrated: Leon Little, Sir Rider Haggard, 1886 (National Portrait Gallery)

Stencil on canvas:

L. CORNELISSEN & SON ARTISTS COLOURMEN

--22, GREAT QUEEN ST.-- LONDON

W.C

Illustrated: John McLure Hamilton, Matthew Ridley Corbet, 1893 (National Portrait Gallery) Also found on: Walter Richard Sickert, Aubrey Beardsley, 1894 Tate, N04655), address stencil on unprimed reverse of loose lining.

Stencil on canvas:

72 Stencil, 12 cm wide, on canvas:

L. CORNELISSEN & SON 22, GT. QUEEN S

T.

LONDON W.C

[see appendix for numerals at top] [found on pictures dating to 1893-95, note 8]

Supplier, work details

Supplier dates, mark transcripts Product marks (not to uniform scale)

Illustrated: Walter Richard Sickert, Ennui, c.1914 (Tate, N03846) Illustrated (bottom):

Unidentified, source: Cobbe coll., see note 2.

Stencil, 11 cm wide, on canvas:

012 [?] Stencil, 10.6 cm wide, on canvas:

L. [CO]RNELISSEN & S[ON] 22, G

T. QUEEN S

T.

LON[DO]N WC

[see appendix for numerals at top]

^ Sickert

^ Unidentified

Cowen & Waring

Supplier so named by 1836-1837 See British artists' suppliers, 1650-1950 - C

For successor businesses, see Waring & Dimes (part 6 of this guide) and Dimes & Elam (below)

Illustrated: John Linnell, J.M.W. Turner, 1838 (National Portrait Gallery)

Stamps on canvas:

[royal coat of arm, a separate stamp]

COWEN & WARINGS Newly Invented CAOUTCHOUC

INDIA RUBBER CANVAS 91 Gt Russell St BLOOMSBURY

[part of name stamp appears a second time, repr. Appendix]

Not illustrated: John Sell Cotman, Landscape in Normandy (National Museum, Cardiff)

Label, 2.8 cm wide, on canvas:

COWEN & WARING ARTISTS’ COLOUR

Manufacturers Great Russell-Street

Near the [British] Museum

Label reportedly too dark to photograph

Supplier, work details

Supplier dates, mark transcripts Product marks (not to uniform scale)

Arthur Crossland

In business 1932-39 See British artists' suppliers, 1650-1950 - C

Trading as Collector’s Picture Restoring Co Ltd until 1936

Iillustrated: Gerard Brockhurst, Jeunesse Dorée, exh. 1934 (Lady Lever Art Gallery, Port Sunlight, National Museums Liverpool)

Stamps on board:

CROSSLAND FLEXIBLE GESSO PATENT N

o. 383755.

THE COLLECTORS’

PICTURE RESTORING CO., LTD.

STUDIO 3 59, SOUTH EDWARDES SQUARE,

KENSINGTON, LONDON, W.8. [at 59 South Edwardes Square 1933-36]

Illustrated: Gerard Brockhurst, Wallis, Duchess of Windsor, 1939 (National Portrait Gallery) Also found on: James Bateman, Cattle Market, 1937 (Tate), without patent no.

Stamps on blind stretcher:

CROSSLAND FLEXIBLE GESSO PATENT No 383755.

19, LEXHAM MEWS,

EARLS COURT ROAD, LONDON, W.8.

“REFLEXIC” GESSO

[at 19 Lexham Mews 1935-39]

Illustrated: James Bateman, Haytime in the Cotswolds, purchased 1939 (Southampton City Art Gallery)

Stamps on canvas (original dry lining):

"REFLEXIC" GESSO.

CROSSLAND FLEXIBLE GESSO

19, LEXHAM MEWS, EARLS COURT ROAD,

LONDON, W.8

John Culbert

In business 1799-1815 See British artists' suppliers, 1650-1950 - C

See Part 1, 1785-1831 of this guide

Supplier, work details

Supplier dates, mark transcripts Product marks (not to uniform scale)

Robert Davis

In business as artists’ colourman 1857-70 See British artists' suppliers, 1650-1950 - D

Illustrated: James Collinson, The Empty Purse, c.1857? Tate) Illustrated (bottom): Unidentified, source: Cobbe coll., see note 2.

Stencil, 10.5 cm wide, oval format, on canvas:

R. DAVIS. ---

[35 Che]nies Mews -- AND --

10 HUNTLEY ST

--- TOTTENHAM C

T. ROAD

[‘10’ sits above ‘O’ of TOTTENHAM] [at 10 Huntley St 1858-70; stencil found on pictures dating to c.1857-1860, note 9]

^ Collinson

^ Unidentified

Illustrated: Thomas Whittle, View of the Wyndcliffe from the Chepstow Road, 1861 (Sotheby’s Belgravia, 29 July 1975, lot 131) Also found on a work dated 1863.

Stencil, 11 cm wide, oval format, on canvas:

R. DAVIS. 35 Chenies Mews

-- AND -- 10 HUNTLEY S

T.

TOTTENHAM C T

. ROAD.

[‘10’ sits above ‘T’ of TOTTENHAM] [at 10 Huntley St 1858-70]

Illustrated: Joseph Thors, A Surrey Landscape (Sotheby’s Belgravia, 8 April 1975, lot 150) Also found on: Henry Dawson, On the Ribble, 1860 (Sotheby’s Belgravia, 10 June 1975, lot 60)

Stencil, 11 cm wide, oval format, on canvas:

R. DAVIS. 35 & 36

Chenies Mews -- AND --

10 HUNTLEY ST ---

TOTTENHAM CT

ROAD

[at both 35 & 36 Chenies Mew 1860-70; stencil found on pictures dating to 1860-66, note 9]

Illustrated: J. Morgan, unspecified work, source: Cobbe coll., see note 2.

Stencil, 12 cm wide, oval format, on canvas:

R DAVIS. ---

10 Huntley St AND

35 Chenies Mews ---

TOTTENHAM CT ROAD

MANUFACTURER.

Supplier, work details

Supplier dates, mark transcripts Product marks (not to uniform scale)

LONDON

[at 10 Huntley St 1858-70]

Robert and Charles Davy

In business by 1811-1863 See British artists' suppliers, 1650-1950 - D

See Part 4, Robert and Charles Davy of this guide

Dimes & Elam

Supplier so named 1843-45 See British artists' suppliers, 1650-1950 - C under Cowen & Waring

Successor to Dimes & Co, and Waring & Dimes (see part 6 of this guide)

Illustrated:

W.P. Frith, The Village Pastor, 1845 (Sudley House, National Museums, Liverpool) Also found on: Frederick Goodall, The Bagpiper, 1847 (Victoria and Albert Museum)

Stencil, 7 cm wide, oval format, on panel:

DIMES & ELAM,

MANUFACTURERS, 91 G

T. RUSSELL ST.

BLOOMSBURY, LONDON.

[found on pictures dating to 1845-56, note 10]

Robert Dyas

In business as Robert Dyas 1873-1905

Subsequently trading as Robert Dyas Ltd

Illustrated:

Source: Cobbe coll., see note 2.

Stamp, 8.4 cm wide, on canvas:

ROBERT DYAS,

LONDON, E.C.

Appendix: Additional illustrations

Charles Chenil & Co Ltd William Orpen, 1st Baron Hankey, 1919 (National Portrait Gallery) The numerals, 54, probably indicate the canvas type. However, few examples are known, and the digits may refer to sizes or batch or production codes. James Quinn, John Tweed, sculptor (National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne) has a similar stamp but with the letter ‘C’ in place of ‘54’; Click on link for an image.

Charles Chenil & Co Ltd James Pryde, The Pillar (Christie’s South Kensington, 12 March 2014, lot 91, with the instructions: “WHEN RE ORDERING THIS CANVAS QUOTE A” In this case, the context allows one to conclude that ‘A’ was a particular type of canvas.

Cowen & Waring John Linnell, J.M.W. Turner, 1838 (National Portrait Gallery) Cowen & Waring’s stamp appears a second time, without the coat of arms, partly under the stretcher, suggesting that the canvas was taken from a stamped roll.

L. Cornelissen & Son The numerals found above Cornelissen & Son’s name on several canvases may relate to stock numbers. This supposition is based on the inclusion in a post-1917 Cornelissen catalogue of a range of canvas types each of which is assigned an individual number: 5, 6, 9b, 15, 19, 20, 23, 29, 52, 207, 218 and 700. In addition the number 68 can be found for stretched rather than rolled canvas. However, none of the numbers coincide with those found on earlier canvases, c.1893-1914, illustrated in the sequence above, bearing the numerals, 12, 22 and 72. These perhaps relate to an earlier catalogue.

collection: compiler

Notes 1. Acknowledgments: With thanks to Dr Joyce Townsend for providing information on paintings in Tate,

collected by members of the Tate Conservation Department since the 1970s, Dr Tim Moreton, who for many years recorded canvas markings on the reverse of portraits at the National Portrait Gallery, Nicola Costaras for access to conservation files at the Victoria and Albert Museum and Eve Watson for access to paintings at the Royal Society of Arts. Thanks also for images to David Crombie (Crossland’s Brockhurst stamp), Dana Josephson (Ackermann canvas stamp) and Cyndie Lack (Barnard label).

2. Earlier research: In the early 1970s, Cathy Proudlove (née Leach) distributed copies of her unpublished list of artists’ colourmen. In the course of her professional career at the former Area Museums Service for South East England and with Norfolk Museums Service, Cathy has seen and recorded, or been sent by professional colleagues, details of many suppliers’ marks and labels, some from private collections. She has published on the subject: ‘19th Century Prepared Artists’ Canvases’, Antique Collecting, July 1973, pp.2-4, and ‘London Artists’ Colourmen. Part I: A to D’, The Picture Restorer, no.10, autumn 1996.

For a period, 1974-77, Alec Cobbe arranged for marks on paintings in sales at Sotheby’s Belgravia and Christie’s to be photographed (see his article on Winsor & Newton, Studies in Conservation, vol.21, no.2, May 1976, p.94). The photographs were later acquired by the late Richard Kissack, who planned to publish a book. Eventually he gave them to Cathy Proudlove, and images deriving from this collection have been reproduced when an image from a public collection has not been found. This applies especially to some of the smaller suppliers. It has not always proved possible to identify the particular painting photographed in the sale room. The use of a question mark following a lot number indicates slight uncertainty in an identification.

3. Courtauld Institute database: A searchable database, Courtauld - Colourmen Online, was launched in 2011 and was frequently consulted in the preparation of the current compilation.

4. William Badger: Examples of Badger’s canvas stamp as ‘Late Eatwell’ include John Everett Millais, 'Yes', 1877 (Private coll.), Henry Weigall, Sir Moses Haim Montefiore, 1881, Edwin Long, 1st Earl of Iddesleigh, 1882, and Lowes Cato Dickinson, Sir Charles Lyell, 1883 (all National Portrait Gallery).

5. C. Barbe: These works are RSA/PR/AR/103/14/958 and 988. See Clare Richardson, ‘The RSA collection of ‘trial’ paintings on millboard and canvas 1820-46’, in Clare Richardson and Peter Bower, Early 19th century Materials for Drawing and Painting, William Shipley Group for RSA History, Occasional Paper 18, 2010, p.19.

6. Brodie & Middleton: Examples of Brodie & Middleton’s canvas stamp illustrated under George William Mote, dating to 1880-83, include Lily Holiday, A Basket of Flowers, 1880 (Sotheby's Belgravia, 7 September 1976, lot 175), George William Mote, A Hilly Landscape, 1881 (Christie’s, 16 July 1976, lot 59) and Arthur J. Meadows, Bingen near Magence and Dinant on the Meuse, both 1883 (Christie's, 25 April 1975, lots 123, 124).

7. C.E. Clifford: For his label as a restorer, see A.W. Katlan, American Artists’ Materials. Volume II, A Guide to Stretchers, Panels, Millboards, and Stencil Marks, 1992, p.458.

8. Cornelissen & Son: Examples of the stamp illustrated under John McLure Hamilton, dating to 1893-95, include John McLure Hamilton, Matthew Ridley Corbet, 1893 (National Portrait Gallery), Walter Richard Sickert, Aubrey Beardsley, 1894 (Tate, N04655) and E. Crofts, unspecified work, 1895 (source: Cobbe coll., see note 2).

9. Robert Davis: Information on the date ranges for examples of Davis’s stamps comes from Cathy Proudlove. The mark with both addresses, 35 & 36 Chenies Mews, is found on pictures from 1860 and 1866: Henry Dawson, On the Ribble, 1860 (Sotheby’s Belgravia, 10 June 1975, lot 60) and John Rolfe, “If any Man Have Ears to Hear, Let him Hear", 1866 (Sotheby's Belgravia, 6 January 1976, lot 185).

10. Dimes & Elam: Examples of the Dimes & Elam stencil include W.P. Frith, The Village Pastor, 1845 (Sudley House, National Museums, Liverpool), Henry Bright, Grove Scene, 1847 (Norwich Castle Museum), Frederick Goodall, The Bagpiper, 1847 (Victoria and Albert Museum), George Bernard O'Neill, Market Day, 1856 (Sudley House) and Edwin Landseer, Lady Cecilia Lennox at Gordon Castle (Goodwood House, Sussex).

Copyright in this compilation, © National Portrait Gallery, London, May 2017; copyright in individual images lies with owner, photographer or commissioner as may apply.

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