British artists' suppliers, 1650-1950 - M (Mit-Mu)

British artists' suppliers, 1650-1950  - M (Ma-Mil)

Mitchell, Hoxton, 1743. Maker of Prussian Blue.

John Smibert asked Arthur Pond (qv) to send him several pounds of Prussian Blue in 1743, 'that may be had cheapest of ye maker M Mitchell at Hoxton' (Lippincott 1983 p.92).

*J. & W. Mitchell 1855-1921, J. & W. Mitchell Co Ltd 1922-1963. At Bordesley Paper Works, 84-100 Coventry Road, Birmingham by 1858-1963, also 5 Bridewell Place, London EC 1906. Board and paper makers.

James Mitchell (1819-76) came to Birmingham to work with an uncle by marriage, Thomas Penn, a brass founder who diversified into decorated papers in the 1830s. By 1850 he was listed as a chemist and colour manufacturer in the premises next door to Thomas Penn, marbled papers, pasteboard and cards, at 343 Coventry Road, Birmingham. By 1855 he was in business with his brother, William Mitchell, as J. & W. Mitchell. The business was listed as manufacturers of coloured, marbled and foil papers, card, cardboard etc in 1858. It was carried on in the next generation by James's sons, John Mitchell (1850-1932) and William H. Mitchell (1853-1933). It advertised 'Boardsley Artists' Boards. Specially made for Black and White Wash Drawings' (The Year's Art 1906). An advertisement of 1915 shows the very wide range of papers and boards made by the business including Boardsley Artists' Boards and Excel Drawing Boards. The business went into liquidation in 1963.

Sources: Martin Mitchell Davis, 'Mitchells of Bordesley: A Century of Family Papermaking', Matrix: A Review for Printers & Bibliophiles, vol.26, Whittington Press, 2006, pp.98-106, to which this account is indebted.

*William Henry Monk, 127 and 201 King's Road, Chelsea, London SW 1890-1920. William Henry Monk (Edward Hawkins) from 1921, Monk's Stores 1928, 'Monk of Chelsea' 1956, 201 King's Road 1921-1956 or later. Oil and Italian warehouseman, artists' colourmen 1928, also selling radios 1956.

William Henry Monk (born c.1857) was an agent for Cambridge colours, 1897, made by Madderton & Co Ltd (qv); he advertised 'Colours and Materials for Artists, Decorators, &c' in their literature. He had an account with Roberson, 1905-8 (Woodcock 1997). He supplied sketchbooks to John Singer Sargent who used one of them to record workmen at Carrara in 1911 (Fogg Art Museum, Cambridge, MA, see Stewart 2000 pp.28, 31, and www.jssgallery.org/Paintings/Sketches/Trips/Carrara/SketchbookWorkmenatCarrara.html).

Monk's father, William Matthews Monk (1827/8-1899), was in business as early as 1868. He was recorded at 201 King's Road in the 1881 census as Oilman Master, age 53, employing three men and three boys, with wife Emily, age 57, son William Henry, age 24, listed as Oilmans Shopman, and three younger sisters (IGI, BMD). He continued in business until 1889 when he was succeeded by his son.

Frederick Moody, 16 Duke St, Holborn, London, then at 53 Cowper St, City Road 1836. Artists' materials manufacturer, map and print colourer, mounter and varnisher.

Frederick Moody's trade card, from 16 Duke St, as 'Manufacturer of Materials For Artists', advertised tracing paper, transfer paper, black lead paper, Italian and French chalk, stumping chalk, crayons, charcoal, etc (Johnson Collection). No connection has been established to Charles Moody, artists' colourman, who was listed at 257 High Holborn 1851-68, and who was recorded at this address in the 1851 census as a lithographic printer, age 45.

*Henry Robert Morland, Leicester Fields, London 1760, Frith St 1762, Near the Opera House in the Haymarket 1763, subsequently at Chapel St, Wardour St and other addresses, according to contemporary exhibition catalogues. Artist and crayon maker.

The artist, Henry Robert Morland (1719?-97), father of George Morland, exhibited pastel and oil character subjects and portraits. He was described as 'a maker of most excellent crayons, which went by his name' (John Thomas Smith, Nollekens and his Times, ed. Wilfred Whitten, 1920, vol.2, p.263). He was made bankrupt in 1762, as a painter and dealer in pictures (London Gazette 23 January 1762). He was listed in Thomas Mortimer's Universal Director, 1763, as a portrait painter.

*Henry Morrell, 149 Fleet St, London 1817-1884, subsequently at 86 Hatton Garden. Pencil maker, pen and quill merchant etc.

Henry Morrell (d.1854) was listed from 1817 as a pen and quill warehouse and from 1841 as a black lead pencil maker. As early as 1819 he was advertising his black lead pencils in the provincial press; in Bristol, for example, he listed a dozen stockists (Bristol Mercury 20 September 1819). He continued to advertise his pencils very widely. By 1830, he was describing himself as under the patronage of His Majesty's Stationery Office, the Board of Ordnance and the East India Company (Hampshire Telegraph and Sussex Chronicle 4 October 1830). Morrell advertised in the Art Journal through single-sided inserted sheets, for example in September 1850 and January 1851 (H. Morrell's Pencils, prepared from Cumberland Lead).

Henry Morrell was not living at his Fleet St premises at the time of either the 1841 or the 1851 censuses; however, in 1851 a 30-year-old clerk, G.F. Morrell, and other family members were recorded at this address. Henry Morrell had an account with Roberson, 1839-54 (Woodcock 1997). His will was proved on 10 January 1855 (PCC wills). The business continued under his name after his death but does not seem to have prospered. The death of Robert James Morrell at the age of 60 at 149 Fleet St was reported in 1878 (Illustrated Police News 17 August 1878).

*Thomas J. Morris 1823-1838, Mary Morris 1839, Morris & Gore (partner Thomas Gore) by 1841-1858 or later, Mrs Penelope Gore by 1860-1868. At 13 Ludgate Hill, Birmingham 1823, 28 Colmore Row by 1828-1868; also at 10 Hatton Garden, London 1828-1830. Artists' colourmen and brush manufacturers, later also booksellers and stationers.

This business may be related to that of John Morris, Thorp St, Birmingham, brush and superfine cake colour manufacturer, listed in 1818, or that of T.T. Morris, Lower Church St, manufacturers of superfine watercolours in cakes, and colours for painting on velvet, camel hair pencils, etc, 1821.

T.J. Morris was listed as manufacturer of camel hair pencils and colours in 1823, and in that year he presented a 'very superb box of Watercolours & Drawing Materials' to the Duke of Sussex,who appointed him as his manufacturer of superfine refined watercolours (Whitley papers vol.3, p.296). This royal appointment featured prominently on Morris's trade card, which advertised colours, pencils, drawings, ivory boards, Bristol boards, ivories for minatures, pen holders etc (Johnson Collection).

Thomas John Morris was listed in 1828 and 1835 at the Artists Repository, 28 Colmore Row; the business was also described as camel hair pencil makers (i.e. brushmakers) to Her Majesty and the Princess Victoria, an appointment which seems to have been maintained by the successor company, Morris & Gore, which was listed as manufacturers of superfine watercolours in cakes, and fine hair pencils, in ordinary to Her Majesty and the Queen Dowager. Morris had an account with Roberson, 1828-38, as did Morris and Gore 1851-6 and Mrs Gore 1860-6 (Woodcock 1997). In the 1851 census, Thomas Gore, was recorded at 28 Colmore Row as a printseller and stationer, age 52, with his wife Penelope, age 50. She retired from business when her premises were demolished in 1869 (Birmingham Daily Post 22 May 1869) and died at the age of 87 in 1888 (BMD).

Sources: Birmingham trade directories; information from Cathy Proudlove; British Book Trade Index at www.bbti.bham.ac.uk/ .

William Müller, 1847-1863, William Müller & Co 1864-1877, Müller & Co 1878-1915. At 62 High Holborn, London WC 1847-1909, 315 High Holborn 1910-1915, branches at other addresses by 1883, also in Birmingham and Brighton. Artists' colourmen, initially also oil and Italian warehouseman and later also picture framemakers.

William Müller (born c.1811) may have begun his career trading as an oil and colourman from 4 New Park St, Borough 1836. He was recorded in the 1861 census at 62 High Holborn as Artists' Colourman, age 50, born St Dunstan's, Middlesex, with wife, Susan, age 31 and one daughter. His business had an account with Roberson, 1872-3 (Woodcock 1997). Müller & Co's printed label advertised a royal warrant to H.M. Queen Alexandra and described the business as 'Artists' Materials. Manufacturers & Importers'.

Henry Mutton, 4 All Saints Passage, Cambridge by 1839-1869 or later. Artists' colourman, picture framemaker, printseller etc.

Henry Mutton (c.1813-73) traded as a picture framemaker and printseller and in related trades. Three trade cards are known. In what is probably the earliest, he advertised as carver, gilder and printseller, offering engraving and copperplate printing (Johnson Collection 24(72)); in another, he advertised as agent for T. Brown's patent collapsible metallic tubes (and so probably datable to 1841 or soon after), offering drawing materials at London prices (Christopher Lennox-Boyd coll.) Perhaps the latest in date is his unusual card in Jacobean or Fontainebleau style, advertising as 'Printseller/ Glass & Picture Frame Manufacturer' (Banks coll. 100.73). As well as acting as an agent for Thomas Brown (qv), Mutton had an account with Roberson, 1850-9 (Woodcock 1997).

Henry Mutton was listed as H. Mutton, All Saints Passage, in the 1839 and 1851 directories (Robson's 1839 Commercial Directory of the Norfolk circuit, Gardner's 1851 Directory of Cambridgeshire). He was listed in the 1841 census (www.cfhs.org.uk/1841Index/), in 1851 as a printseller, age 37, employing a carver and a joiner, in 1861 at 4 All Saints Passage as printseller, age 48, with wife Lydia, age 40, and a niece, and in 1871 in Jesus Lane in All Saints parish, as printseller and landowner, age 57. He died in 1873, age 60 (BMD).

Sources: Geoffrey Beard and Christopher Gilbert (eds), Dictionary of English Furniture Makers 1660-1840, Furniture History Society 1986, p.637.