Makers, Periods & Styles Library

Daybeds – are items of furniture that are used for beds as well as for reclining and lounging in common rooms. With frames made from wood or metal or a combination of both, they are a cross between a chaise longue, couch and a bed. They started to be made in the early 1800s and […]

Demetre H. Chiparus (1886-1947) was a Romanian Art Deco sculptor. He studied his art first in Italy and then attended the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris in 1912, where he studied under two talented sculptors, Anonin Mercier and Jean Boucher. His early work were created in the realistic style and he exhibited at the...

Was established in 1750 and is one of the oldest chains of retail opticians in the UK. Peter Dolland first opened his optical business near Hatton Garden in London in 1750 and was soon joined by his father John Dolland. They Dollands became famous for the quality of their optical wares. In 1768 John Dollond […]

Dresden porcelain also called Meissen porcelain or porcelain de Saxe is hard-paste or true porcelain originally produced at the factory in Meissen near Dresden in Saxony. With the increasing importation of Chinese porcelain from the far east, the race was on to produce something similar in Europe. The secret was...

Druce & Co were a London based cabinet makers and sellers of second-hand furniture in Baker Street. They were established in the 1840s and in the Marylebone Trade Directory of 1853 listed themselves as ‘Furnishers, Upholsterers and Upholders for clients of discernment’.

Alfred Dunhill Ltd. is currently owned by Richemont (who also own Asprey) and is a British luxury goods brand. They specialise in bespoke and ready-to-wear mens-ware, leather goods and accessories. The company is still based in London where it operates a leather workshop. Alfred Dunhill inherited his father’s...

Ebony is very dense hardwood, black in colour. It comes from several species, but may also be used to describe other hard black woods from unrelated species. Its’ fine texture means it can be polished to a very smooth and mirror-like finish making it valuable for ornamental woodwork. It has a long history with...

Eduardo Zamacois y Zabala (ca. 1841 – 1871) was a Spanish academic painter who was born in Bilbao, Spain in 1841 or 1842. In 1859 he moved to Madrid and enrolled in the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando. He studied with Federico de Madrazo and worked as a copyist in the Prado. […]