{"product_id":"pair-of-arts-and-crafts-chairs-by-john-bettridge-co","title":"PAIR OF ARTS AND CRAFTS CHAIRS BY JOHN BETTRIDGE \u0026 CO.","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eEnglish (Birmingham)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eCirca 1865\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003ePapier-mache on wooden frame with metal inlay, cane seat of one restored.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eHeight: 96cm x 45 x 46.5cm (max depth, outside of legs)\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eNote\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Birmingham Daily Post, \u003c\/i\u003e7 May 1866, reported that Christopher Dresser had recently been lecturing in Birmingham and had agreed to supply designs for papier-mache objects to J. Bettridge and Co.(\u003ci\u003eBritish and Irish Furniture Makers Online, \u003c\/i\u003eaccessed 14 September 2023).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eOne chair bears a metal label for John Bettridge (late Jennens and Bettridge) that date their manufacture to the period 1864-70 (BIFMO) or \u003ci\u003efl.\u003c\/i\u003e 1859-1869 (Yvonne Jones, \u003ci\u003eJapanned Papier Mache and Tinware c.1740-1940, \u003c\/i\u003eWoodbridge, 2012). Whichever the preferred dates, this chair was made at the time of Dresser’s association with the firm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe form of this chair, steam-moulded and embellished with metal ornament, is an adaptation\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eof the familiar Victorian ‘balloon back’ chair, however both its design and technique lift it to a higher level.\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eBut for the coincidence of Dresser’s involvement with Bettridge, the adaptation of classical elements is perhaps more suggestive of Owen Jones, who is not known to have been connected with the firm.\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e   \u003c\/span\u003eDresser and Jones were, of course, closely associated at this date.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe only item we know Dresser designed for Bettridge is an untraced ‘Extra large portfolio’ auctioned in 1870 (Jones,p.164).\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eFrom the same catalogue we can glean that black and maroon were favoured ground colours and that prolific use was made of ‘inlaid aluminium’ (Jones,\u003ci\u003e loc.cit\u003c\/i\u003e).\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eTwo related but more conventional chairs are illustrated by Jones (fig.162).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe chairs have a real ‘South Kensington’ feel, which puts one in mind of Owen Jones, but would not preclude Dresser.\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eThe essential form of the chairs is somewhat conventional, certainly by the standards of what Dresser would soon be designing.\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e   \u003c\/span\u003eHowever, given that Dresser supplied designs to Bettridge, it seems not invalid to ask if he might have been responsible for the design of these chairs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Anthony Outred","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43972044783802,"sku":"18074","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0239\/2991\/3424\/files\/18074.jpg?v=1721313026","url":"https:\/\/www.outred.co.uk\/products\/pair-of-arts-and-crafts-chairs-by-john-bettridge-co","provider":"Anthony Outred ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}