Lot Essay
This design was first used in Walton's 1896/7 scheme for John Rowntree's Café in Scarborough, a project in 'Old English' style, the choice of which was inspired by the current work of Baillie Scott and Voysey. At the same time, Walton was also commissioned to design the interior of Miss Cranston's Buchanan Street Tea Rooms in Glasgow, and the present design was used in the billiard room of those premises, (reproduced opposite).
Walton has taken the traditional caquetoire form and developed it into a sympathetic Arts and Crafts design; the parallels with Riemerschmid's chair of 1900 (see following lot) underline the links between the German and British Arts and Crafts Movements at the turn of the century.
Walton has taken the traditional caquetoire form and developed it into a sympathetic Arts and Crafts design; the parallels with Riemerschmid's chair of 1900 (see following lot) underline the links between the German and British Arts and Crafts Movements at the turn of the century.