British artists' suppliers, 1650-1950 - Y
A selective directory, to be revised and expanded regulary, 1st edition June 2006, 2nd edition May 2008 (*entry revised, **new entry).
Contributions are welcome, to Jacob Simon at jsimon@npg.org.uk.
Resources and bibliography Individual artists
Yallop & Grace, Old St, London by 1781-1787, 122 Old St 1788-1830 or later. Colour manufacturers.
One of the principal colourmen supplying Rudolf Ackermann (Ford 1983 p.46). Listed as Yallop & Grace 1781-90, Yallop, Grace & Johnson 1788-99, Yallop & Grace 1798-9, Yallop, Grace & Yallop 1799-1805, Grace & Yallop 1805-9, Yallop & Grace 1810-28, Grace & Yallop 1829-30; later directories have not been consulted. As a firm of manufacturers supplying the trade, rather than a supplier to artists, this business is not examined in detail here.
Percy Young, 137 Gower St, London WC 1882-1904, 131 Gower St 1905-1920. Publisher, importer and manufacturer of artists' materials.
Percy Young served the Slade School of Art, which had opened in 1871. He was preceded at 137 Gower St by J.D. Hirst-Smyth & Son in 1881 and, like Hirst-Smyth, initially described himself in listings as 'publisher, depot for supplying the Slade School of Art with english and foreign artists' materials'. He advertised as being immediately opposite University College (The Year's Art 1892).
Young was listed in the 1881 census as a wholesale stationer, age 26, born Sydenham, son of a solicitor, Thomas Young (IGI); in the 1901 census he was listed as a dealer in artists' materials, age 46, wife Florence age 46, with two young daughters and a son. Young made claims for his business as having been established in 1826, according to an advertisement in the literature of Madderton & Co Ltd (qv), featuring Roché's pastels among other products; he acted as an agent for Madderton's Cambridge colours, 1897. He also sold Lefranc's panels and canvases (trade catalogue, 1894, see Katlan 1992 p.269). He published J.G. Vibert, The Science of Painting, 1892, and Jacques Blockx, A Compendium of Painting, 1894. He had an account with Roberson, 1881-1908 (Woodcock 1997).
Canvas marks have been recorded from the 1880s and 1890s; a later example is Lucien Pissarro's Wise Lane, East Knoyle, 1917, stamped 'PERCY YOUNG,/ GOWER STREET,/ LONDON,/ W.C.' (Sotheby's 26 November 1997 lot 12). Among his customers was Gwen John in her early years, for example, the canvas for her Self Portrait of 1902 (Tate, see Hackney 1999 pp.105, 205 n.9). Other customers included Gwendolen Raverat (sketchbook, 1913, Fitzwilliam Museum, PD.56-1994) and Dora Carrington, who when in debt in 1916 wrote of 'Black abuses, and threats from Percy Young! Which threw me back again into despair'. The following year Carrington mentioned the death of Young's son and two nephews in the war and his fury against the government (David Garnett (ed.), Carrington: Letters and Extracts from her Diaries, 1970, pp.38, 74). The business closed in 1920 when Young reached the age of 65.
*Young & Marten by 1886-1899, Young & Marten Ltd from 1900, Caledonian Works, Stratford, London 1888-1915 or later, 1/9 Romford Road, Stratford E15 1959. Merchants and manufacturers.
Young & Marten, builders' merchants, are said to have been founded in 1871. In 1893 Harry Holdich Marten (b.1852) was trading as Young & Marten at 100 Broadway, Stratford, as lead and glass merchant (London Gazette 15 August 1893). Young & Marten Ltd's trade catalogue, c.1900, listed oil colours prepared by Barnard (qv), Reeves and Winsor & Newton, tin colour boxes, brushes for oil and watercolour painting, Winsor & Newton easels, canvases, watercolours prepared by Winsor & Newton, Reeves, Rowney and Barnard, drawing papers and drawing boards, mathematical instruments, L. & C. Hardtmuth (qv) drawing pencils etc (Illustrated Catalogue of Artists', Architects' & Draughtsman's Colours, Brushes, Paper, Inks, and Other Requisites, 16pp). Young & Marten Ltd was still selling artists' materials in 1959 (The Artist, vol.56, February 1959, p.xii).
