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Lot Essay
These brackets were supplied in 1764 by the celebrated upholsterer and paper-stainers Bromwich and Leigh as part of the extensive redecoration at Stoneleigh - mainly on the bedroom floor - carried out for Edward, 5th Lord Leigh, following his coming of age in 1763.
Thomas Bromwich (fl. 1740-87) is first recorded as linen-draper and upholsterer, 'At the Golden Lyon' Ludgate Hill, from 1740-48; then circa 1758-76 as 'Thomas Bromwich & Leonard Leigh, Paper-Stainers'; and finally (1777-84) as 'Bromwich, Isherwod & Bradley, Paper-hangers, 35 Ludgate Hill'. Their recorded commissions include work at Alscot, Corsham and Croome (G. Beard, Craftsmen and Interior Decoration in England, 1660-1820, London, 1981, p. 248).
The Stoneleigh bill (7 pages) of 28 May 1763 - 16 June 1764 totals £356 7s. 0 1/2.d. and was receipted by Bromwich on 10 December 1765.
The relevant entry is as follows:
(June 16 1764)
Miss Leigh's Bedchamber
£ s. d. 78 Yards of fine pea Green paper @ 12d put up with
Cartridge paper under size @ 15½ d 5 - 9 6 Yards of plain pea green paper left @ 6d
252 feet of Papier Mache Borders in party gold
@ 8d put up Brass pins included @ 9d 9 9 - 2 Large Indian Pictures in Party gold frames 4 12 - 6 Smaller D 6 6 - 9 D @ 13/- 5 17 - 20 Papier Mache Knots in Party gold @ 2/- 2 - - 15 feet of D Border in D @ 9d - 11 3 2 Brackets in D @ 7/- - 14 - 2 Days work putting up the Pictures & Knots - 8 - 2 Dozen Brass Hooks @ 1/6 - 3 - 193 feet of Papier Mache Vine Cornice Ornament @ 12d 9 13 - 16 Days whiting and puting up the Cornice @ 4/- 3 4 - 8 Thousand of Beads @ 1/6 - 12 - Whiting & size - 4 -
Part of this room decoration, dismantled after the fire of 1961, is shown in situ in W.A. Thorpe, 'Stoneleigh Abbey and Its Furniture - II', The Connoisseur, March 1947, p. 19
Although now faded to grey, the paint on the brackets would have originally been white.
Thomas Bromwich (fl. 1740-87) is first recorded as linen-draper and upholsterer, 'At the Golden Lyon' Ludgate Hill, from 1740-48; then circa 1758-76 as 'Thomas Bromwich & Leonard Leigh, Paper-Stainers'; and finally (1777-84) as 'Bromwich, Isherwod & Bradley, Paper-hangers, 35 Ludgate Hill'. Their recorded commissions include work at Alscot, Corsham and Croome (G. Beard, Craftsmen and Interior Decoration in England, 1660-1820, London, 1981, p. 248).
The Stoneleigh bill (7 pages) of 28 May 1763 - 16 June 1764 totals £356 7s. 0 1/2.d. and was receipted by Bromwich on 10 December 1765.
The relevant entry is as follows:
(June 16 1764)
Miss Leigh's Bedchamber
£ s. d. 78 Yards of fine pea Green paper @ 12d put up with
Cartridge paper under size @ 15½ d 5 - 9 6 Yards of plain pea green paper left @ 6d
252 feet of Papier Mache Borders in party gold
@ 8d put up Brass pins included @ 9d 9 9 - 2 Large Indian Pictures in Party gold frames 4 12 - 6 Smaller D 6 6 - 9 D @ 13/- 5 17 - 20 Papier Mache Knots in Party gold @ 2/- 2 - - 15 feet of D Border in D @ 9d - 11 3 2 Brackets in D @ 7/- - 14 - 2 Days work putting up the Pictures & Knots - 8 - 2 Dozen Brass Hooks @ 1/6 - 3 - 193 feet of Papier Mache Vine Cornice Ornament @ 12d 9 13 - 16 Days whiting and puting up the Cornice @ 4/- 3 4 - 8 Thousand of Beads @ 1/6 - 12 - Whiting & size - 4 -
Part of this room decoration, dismantled after the fire of 1961, is shown in situ in W.A. Thorpe, 'Stoneleigh Abbey and Its Furniture - II', The Connoisseur, March 1947, p. 19
Although now faded to grey, the paint on the brackets would have originally been white.