Warner Archive II: Fancy Stripe

We are talking about another chintz fabric again, after looking at this Robert Allen one a few weeks ago. This time it is a fabric from 1983 from the Archive II Collection by Warner. We have acquired 40 metres of "Fancy Stripe" in Green here in store.

"Fancy Stripe" in Green

Vintage- 1983.

This fabric would have been ideal for both curtaining and lining. Patterned linings like this make your curtains look interesting from the outside as well as in. 

If you haven't read our other blog post describing chintz, the fabric is usually a glazed cotton fabric with printed patterns and designs on a plain background. You can see from the photo of the chintz above the glazed look of the fabric.


If you want to have a look at this fabric and see if it is what you are looking for, pop into 51 Sandycove Road, Sandycove or call us on 01 2843486.




Lucy Kiernan

Ronald Reagan's Blanket

Following on from our last Vintage Wednesday on Sybil Connolly's fabric, we have another piece from the 1980's in our shop. In the past, Martin-Hudson & Gibson produced 3 wool blankets for Ronald Reagan, the 40th president of the United States and radio, film and television actor. They were made for the use of the guest bedrooom at the US Ambassador's residence in the Phoenix Park in Dublin for Regan's visit in 1984. In the end only 2 were used, and the remaining blanket is here at 51 Sandycove Road. 

Ronald Wilson Reagan, 1911-2004

The blanket at Martin-Hudson & Gibson, 51 Sandycove Road, Dublin.

The blanket is a simple cream 100% natural pure new wool with a satin border. It is an alternative to the modern duvet and is a little piece of history.

It was produced by Foxford Woolen Mills situated by the River Moy in County Mayo and is one of the last working mills in Ireland. Founded by Irish Sister of Charity Mother Agnes Morrogh-Bernard, it overcame many challenges over the years but it continues to succeed. Today it is a thriving mill, especially after its modernisation including the addition of a visitor's centre and restaurant. Foxford have four stores in Ireland and many all over the world. They began producing these traditional bed blankets when they were first established and have been doing so ever since. 

Source: http://www.foxfordwoollenmills.com/

Lucy Kiernan.

Sybil Connolly for Robert Allen

We recently received a very interesting fabric in the store, with a great history in particular an Irish one. The steel blue chintz with floral patterns is part of the Sybil Connolly collection for Robert Allen from 1985.

Sybil Connolly (1921-1998) was an Irish designer who was, and is, a pioneer to Irish business women with her huge contribution to the fashion industry. With her innovative use of traditional fabrics she had the international world of fashion falling at her feet. She began her career by studying dress making in London followed by a managerial position under the French designer Gaston Mallet at fashion house Richard Alan. After replacing Mallet as the design director, she changed the ways of the company and started creating traditional fabrics, using tweed, crochet and lace. The interesting silhouettes and the vibrancy of the colours soon attracted the attention of the American market including the editor of Harper's Bazaar, Carmel Snow. 

Sybil Connolly

Snow brought press and buyers to Ireland to see Sybil's collection. Following this gathering, Connolly's full length red cape and white crochet dress was featured on the cover of Life magazine with the caption 'Irish Invade Fashion World'. Throughout her career she designed for many Hollywood stars including Elizabeth Taylor and Julie Andrews. Jackie Kennedy wore her trademark pleated linen dresses in her official White House portrait.

An image of Connolly's classic handkerchief linen dress from the 1950s, and in modern day worn by Gillian Anderson at the BAFTAs.

However as the fast paced fashion industry moved at a rate that Sybil had a reluctance to adapt to, her career was forced to change direction. She tried her hand at interiors, collaborating with Tiffany & Co. in designing tableware items including china patterns such as Mrs. Delany's Flowers and designing fabrics and wall coverings for Brunschwig & Fils. Her book, In An Irish House, is a magnificent collection of ancestral Irish homes. The book shows architectural detail ranging from Gothic to Palladian, oil paintings and watercolour landscapes, and luxurious furniture. She includes her own private home at 71 Merrion Square in the book, which also housed her couture studio. The interior of her house was filled with floral wallpapers and fabrics and antique furniture. 

This sofa in Sybil's house was covered in another fabric from the collection for Robert Allen.

Her legacy was evident after her death in May 1998 when thousands of visitors came to her home in Merrion Square to attend an auction where bids were placed on 600 lots.



Chintz was originally wood blocked printed, painted or stained calico produced in India used for bed covers, quilts and draperies. 

The early chintz fabrics that were brought into Europe were rare and expensive but by 1680 more than a million pieces of chintz were being imported into England per year. With imported chintz becoming more and more popular in the 17th century the English and French mills were worried as they could not make chintz. In 1686, the French declared a ban on all chintz imports. In 1720, the English Parliament approved a law that forbade the use of imported chintz in clothing, upholstery, cushions and any other household furniture. By 1759, the bans were lifted as English and French mills could produce chintz. The European designs began by reproducing the Indian patterns, later adding to them and creating original designs. 

Modern chintz usually consists of bright floral patterns with pale backgrounds.

Have a look at another chintz fabric we featured on Vintage Wednesdays here.


Lucy Kiernan.

Emeralite- The Banker's Lamp

We recently had a client in looking for something quite specific- A Bankers Lamp.

For those of you who may be unfamiliar with the Emeralite Lamp (or Banker's Lamp as it is more commonly referred to) it can be seen below. The Banker's Lamp has a single brass knuckle with a round base, with a unique (and sometimes) square edged emerald green cased glass shade.The Banker's Lamp usually stands approx 14” high. An original Banker's Lamp should have a brass pull chain rather than a switch.

The glass shades are generally flat on the sides and back, with the front gently sloping towards the desk or viewer.

The Bankers Lamp has a psychological effect upon an individual sitting amongst its green glow.

The colour green is one of the “cool” colours.

Green is psychologically soothing and so its use in an office or workspace encourages calm focus and concentration. In fact, at the backstage of a theatre one might find a “Green room” which has the primary purpose of calming actors' nerves before going on-stage.

The Emeralite lamp as we know it today was first produced in 1909 by Harrison D. McFaddin who created the company H.G. McFadden & Co.

According to references, all Emeralite shades were produced in the glass factory of J. Schreiber & Neffen; the plant was located in the city of Rapotin, Moravia, in what is now the Czech Republic (Emeralite.com).

The Emeralite's production may be divided in to four distinct periods. Over these periods the lamp bases went from simple and undecorated (4378 Series) to the more elaborately decorated second and third series.

The 4378 Series: 1909-1916

The shade was designed with a hole at each side so that it could be attached to and swivel upon the base arm and then locked in to the desired position. The bases were generally brass plated over a base metal (square or rectangular base) or solid brass (round base).

The 8734 Series: 1916-1930's

The Emeralite shades from this generation did not have holes on each side. Instead a new base armature was designed and the shade was created with indentations which fitted into the channels on the new base arm. The shade was clamped in to this armature for stability and so could be removed for cleaning if necessary. Bases made during this period were usually solid brass.

No.9 Series: 1930's for approx 5 years

The general design remained the same but the shade increased in size from 8.5 inches to 10 & 12 inches. Again the shade was created with an indentation at the back to fit in to the clamp and could be removed for easy cleaning. However the number 9 series larger shades required two lamps (bulbs) rather than one. Similarly to the second period, the bases were usually made of solid brass.

Inferior Produce: From late 1930's for 20+ years

Most of the “Emeralites” produced after the number 9 series' were not designed to the standards of the originals and so are not of great monetary value. Many of these lamps were fluorescent and were constructed with metal shades.

A Double Emeralite Partner's Lamp

Most of the lamps created had a hidden cast iron weight in the base of the lamp.

McFaddin retired around 1939 and the company was bought by employee Charles Inness Brown who changed the company name to Emeralite Co. Inc. During the 1950's the company unfortunately became unprofitable and was sold again. 

Following this, the company's name was changed to Tilarem but the company was eventually dissolved in 1962 and sadly, Emeralite production died with it. 

If you are looking for a Banker's Lamp, please contact us at 00 353 1 284 3486 or call in to our showroom at 51 Sandycove Road, Sandycove, Co. Dublin. 

Primary source: http://www.emeralite.com/history.html

Ciara Eloise Nolan

"Chandeliers- So Stylish It Hertz"

This week we're switching to a rather enlightening topic- Chandeliers...

Chandeliers are “branched, decorative lighting fixtures which hold a number of bulbs or candles and are hung from a ceiling”.

The word chandelier came from the Latin word for candle, candela.

The Latin candelabrum was later adopted by the French, who adjusted the word slightly, to chandelabre. From this came the new spelling for Chandelier, when borrowed directly from the 12^th century Old Castilian language.

The first record of a chandelier used in interiors is during the Medieval era (5th-15^th century) and only by the wealthy.

An old flame- During medieval times, the chandeliers were simple wooden crosses with vertical spikes which would hold candles. The chandelier was suspended from the ceiling using a rope-pulley system for easy lighting of the candles.

The chandelier later became a symbol of status and wealth during the 15^th century when its design changed from a simple wooden cross to a more costly wrought iron crown-like design. This design featured largely in the homes of nobility and clergymen.

Towards the 18^th century, merchant class homes showed off their more ornate gilt cast metal and carved and gilded wood chandeliers, with long, curved branches and plenty of candles. Some of these showcased Neoclassical motifs.

Modern replica of an 18th century chandelier

The crystal chandelier was introduced after further developments 
in glass-making and cheaper production of lead crystal developed.

So stylish it hertz- During the mid 19^th century, many candle chandeliers were converted to gas lighting and towards the 1900s, many people used a combination of both gas and electricity. It was from then on that electricity became standard for these homes.

The current situation - Due to the availability of electricity in the modern world, the measure of status which the chandelier represents has lowered slightly and has become more available to the masses, with many replica and cheap variations available on the market.

However, there are some very impressive modern chandeliers available today. Check out the 24 light glass chandelier by National Lighting below.

Did you know?

The world's largest crystal chandelier hangs in the Ceremonial Hall of the Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul and weighs a massive 4.5 tonnes and has, count em, 750 lamps!! 

AMP-le amount, wouldn't you say?

Got on your wick yet?

Have I lost my spark? 

Ciara Eloise Nolan.

"The Delftware Explosion"

This week we're looking at Delft pottery, something which was introduced in the 16^th century & which is very popular today.

We'll start by taking a quick glance at the city of Delft- the city is located between Rotterdam & the Hague in the Netherlands.

Delft is famous not only for its pottery but also for its canals & for the famous artist Johannes Vermeer who painted domestic interior scenes seen in middle class living at the time (mid 1600's).

In 1572 William Of Orange took up residence in Delft during the Eighty Years War. Delft, with its city walls for protection served as headquarters during this time & became one of the leading cities in Holland. 

"The Delft Explosion" or "Thunderclap" occurred in 1654 when a gunpowder store exploded & killed over 100 people. Many Delft potted pieces depict the devastation of the Delft Explosion. 

Delftware pottery or ceramics primarily include tiles, crockery & ornaments which have been glazed (the white portion) & decorated with metal oxides.

Delft blue would possibly be the more collectable range although there are many Delft colour schemes hugely sought after today.

Delft pottery was inspired by the Chinese porcelain imports of the 17^th century. 

At the time, only the very wealthy could afford this porcelain. Delft potters began imitating Chinese pieces when there was an interruption of trade imports around the time of the death of the Wanli Emperor of China.

The city of Delft, being a home port of the Dutch East India Company, had adopted these inspirations very early.

Tin glazed pottery came about during the early 16^th century (tin glazed pottery is valued by its ability to be easily coloured). Simpler pieces were manufactured in Rotterdam & Amsterdam (amongst other cities) but the finer, more elaborate pieces were created in Delft.

Delft manufacturers and potters introduced personal Delft markings during the 1640s. It was during the next 100 years which Delft made its finest pieces and the industry saw quite a lot of demand for such fine creations.

From approx 1615, potters started coating tin glaze on their pieces and covered this in a clear glaze. This gave depth to the cobalt blues seen in Delft, which resembles the blues seen in Chinese porcelain pieces.

Delft designs range from plain and uninteresting to elaborate and beautiful. Some plates may have only had a very small motif in their centre. Others had detailed hunting or fishing scenes seen in every day Dutch living.

Some plates were even embellished with music notes and lyrics on them and at a party when the food was eaten and the notes could be seen, the guests would sing this song together.

Many Dutch houses still have tiles on their floors and walls which were fitted during the 17^th century.

Delftware manufactured in the Netherlands after 1750 is widely considered to be inferior to that made during the 17^th century.

By the end of the 18^th century, British porcelain had taken over the market and as a result many Dutch Delft manufacturing businesses closed down.

For a bit of fun- A British Airways Delft inspired tail fin! 

If you are looking for an original piece of Delftware, look for the Delfts Blauw symbol (found underneath the base) to indicate authenticity and rarity. These originals are collectibles and can sell for surprising amounts.

Martin - Hudson & Gibson Interior Designers have an interesting collection of Delftware which may be viewed by appointment. To arrange for a private viewing, call us today on 01 284 3486.

Ciara Eloise Nolan. 

Oldschool Tools

This week we will be taking a glance at some tradesmen's tools which were used back in the Golden Days...

Three of these tools have been in our possession for a long time- the first was dropped in to our showroom just a week ago with suggestions of using it in our “Industrial” themed window display.

The Airlyne Rugmaker is quite a curious looking contraption – proclaiming to have once been “The World's Fastest Home Rugmaker”, it was invented by William Edward Humphreys Jones whilst at Airlyne Products, Abergele in the 1950′s.

The device is clamped to the edge of a table and one uses the foot strap to run the machine so their hands are completely free to manoeuvre the rug on the table.

There is a small screw which you move to determine how far the needle pushes through the base cloth, thus creating a long or short pile.

The thread is pulled up through the eye and shank of the needle with the aid of a wire which is provided with the Airlyne.

Getting your hands on one of these Airlyne Rugmakers won't set you back an awful lot at all. I'm sure it'll cost you more than the 28 and 6 pence that it originally went for, but chances are you could pick up one for less than the price of an Ikea rug and you are guaranteed to have a lot more fun making this!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-AIRLYNE-HOME-RUG-MAKER-MACHINE-KIT-1950s-/370772233327

The next little contraption we'll show you is our Robert's Cookie Cutter, a nifty little carpet repair tool.

This may have been used if say for instance cinders had left a scorch hole in your carpet- the Cookie Cutter is basically a blade fixed in to a circular handheld cutter with a pin fixed to its centre.

You press the pin into the centre of the offending area and twist clock-wise in a full circle.

You then remove the damaged piece and cut another piece for repair using the same method and once adhesive is applied to the exposed floor you line up the rows and insert the newly cut piece, smoothing over with you r fingers.

The Morgan Lee Trimmer is a wallpaper trimmer and it has been stored with its original instruction leaflet.

The leaflet claims that this invention will “make profits for enterprising decorators” and “will last a lifetime”.

I have no doubt about it. The tool came in handy when wallpapers were sold with a salvedge edge , which had to be cut away by the decorator before application.

See the instruction leaflet below for detail on use.

Roberts' Ankorite Tool is a British made headless pin machine for tacking down carpeting into place.

You place a tack into the opening and with the pin entered in to the Ankorite shaft, you hold it gainst the area of carpeting you wish to tack down and hammer the top of the tool. Using headless tacks means you are not left with great tack heads rusting your carpet and it also means you won't feel them so much underfoot. 

Each and every one of these tools could still be used today and would still be as functional and as efficient as they were when they were first introduced. 

Do you know anyone who still uses these tools today? If so please share this post and let us know, we would love to hear about their experiences with them! 

By Ciara Eloise Nolan.

The ReenRoe Hotel (Ostan Rinn Roe)

Sadly, some projects don’t last as long as others.

While on a recent journey to the Ring of Kerry we visited a hotel we furnished in 1971. 

The hotel would have depended heavily on the influx of American tourists and as may have been due to the troubles in the North at the time, tourism suffered and unfortunately the hotel closed down in the late 1980's.

Located on Ballinskelligs Bay, across from Waterville in a glorious but isolated location, the building has not been boarded up or closed off from curious wanderers and remains of some of the carpeting and underlay supplied by Martin – Hudson & Gibson Ltd are still visible.

Carpeting on a passageway which would have once been laid by Martin - Hudson & Gibson Ltd.

Underlay lays rolled and folded in one bedroom

Today the building stands alone on the hill, admiring the views that surround its ruins.

Bathroom tiles which would have been fitted in the new hotel, can still be seen today

One can still see what would have once been handsome red velvet buttoned seating

The beautiful stonework still stands amongst the debris on site at the ReenRoe Hotel

By Ciara Eloise Nolan