Masters of Arts & Crafts: Millinery Works celebrates design excellence

'21st Century Furniture V: The Arts & Crafts Legacy'
The De Beauvoir-based institution Millinery Works has established itself as the destination for the British 20th century movement and celebrates that with its latest exhibition, '21st Century Furniture V: The Arts & Crafts Legacy'
(Image credit: TBC)

London gallery Millinery Works is celebrating its rich collection of Arts & Crafts furniture with a temporary exhibition of its most recent acquisitions.

The gallery was originally founded in 1970 by Brian Thompson and Derek Rothera as a selling outpost in Camden Passage under the name The Antique Trader. Since 1996 it has been operating from the former hat-making factory focusing on British Arts & Crafts - with parts of the collection dedicated to painting, ceramics and contemporary craftsmen's work. The Haggerston-based institution has established itself as the destination for the British 20th century movement and has even collaborated with Loewe on the Spanish brand's furniture collection (creative director Jonathan Anderson has been a customer for years).

The current exhibition, Masters of Arts & Crafts, is the gallery's 19th annual specialist display of the theme, and forms part of a programme that presents a temporary showcase a few times each year. It is a diverse showcase of furniture by the likes of Gordon Russell, Baillie Scott and George Henry Walton, and exposes the movement’s dynamic diversity. Luscious wooden furniture features alongside more decorative elements, such as George Walton’s 1900 coloured glass works or his heart-shaped cut-out on an oak chair from a few years earlier. The clean display allows visitors to both appreciate the pieces' rich craftsmanship and their elegant shapes.

walnut Cotswold table, mahogany barrel chair

A bespoke Australian walnut Cotswold table (left), by Peter Waals, c. 1930 and a mahogany barrel chair with slatted sides (right in foreground), by Liberty & Co, c. 1900

(Image credit: TBC)

small chest of drawers, green painted ash 'Sussex' armchair

Left: A chestnut Cotswold small chest of drawers with carved bog oak handles, by Sir Gordon Russell, c. 1925. Right: a rare, green painted ash 'Sussex' armchair, designed by Philip Webb for Morris & Co, c. 1865

(Image credit: TBC)

oak fall-front bureau

Sir Gordon Russell's oak fall-front bureau, over one drawer on a stand of six chamfered octagonal legs joined by chamfered stretchers. Photography: Jessica Klingelfuss

(Image credit: Jessica Klingelfuss)

dark oak Cotswold desk

A dark oak Cotswold desk, by Arthur Romney Green

(Image credit: TBC)

pair of oak armchairs

A rare pair of oak armchairs with sloped tall backs, originally designed for 'The Homestead' in Frinton-on-Sea, a house designed and furnished by CFA Voysey in 1902

(Image credit: TBC)

oak Cotswold circular coffee table

An oak Cotswold circular coffee table (left), attributed to Romney Green, c. 1920, and a pair of unusually large oak Arts & Crafts reclining armchairs, made by Furniture Industries Ercol, c. 1930.

(Image credit: TBC)

ADDRESS

The Millinery Works Gallery
87 Southgate Road
London, N1 3JS UK

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Rosa Bertoli was born in Udine, Italy, and now lives in London. Since 2014, she has been the Design Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees design content for the print and online editions, as well as special editorial projects. Through her role at Wallpaper*, she has written extensively about all areas of design. Rosa has been speaker and moderator for various design talks and conferences including London Craft Week, Maison & Objet, The Italian Cultural Institute (London), Clippings, Zaha Hadid Design, Kartell and Frieze Art Fair. Rosa has been on judging panels for the Chart Architecture Award, the Dutch Design Awards and the DesignGuild Marks. She has written for numerous English and Italian language publications, and worked as a content and communication consultant for fashion and design brands.