Wallpaper Manufacturers Biography:
Wallpaper Manufactured Biography. Founded in 1875 by John Perry, son of a Cambridgeshire vicar, the company – then called John Perry Ltd was originally situated in a wallpaper mill in Islington, North London, an area famous for the 200 hand block printing companies working there in the 18th and 19th centuries. Today Cole’s factory is in Haringey, just a few miles further north of the original site, while the showroom is in the Design Centre Chelsea Harbour.
The company retains the same original spirit in the 21st century with skilled craftsmen, combining traditional processes invented by John Perry on some of the original machinery with the latest modern technology.
The first pattern book in the Cole’s archive dates from 1875 and contains eight hand blocked designs reminiscent of Christopher Dresser’s work. In the 19th century papers were printed for all the large well known companies of the time including Jeffrey & Co, Sanderson and Shand Kydd. In addition to high quality block printing, the company was renowned for supplying stripes and jaspes to the trade. John Perry’s inspiration for jaspe came in France when he saw long lengths of silk thread hung up to dry allowing the dye to run down the length of the fabric to create a streaked effect.
The most historical innovation that John Perry contributed to the wallpaper industry was the creation of a process to imitate silk. Real silk on walls was expensive so he developed an alternative using mica. However, he was not interested in the newest technological developments of the late 19th century to achieve new effects. He built machines in the early 19th century style, especially re-introducing the process of pan coating. He also revived the process of Flocking, invented in Holland in 1680, imitating cut and stamped velvet. This technique is still used in the factory today and has been passed down from master to apprentice. Coles are now the only company in the world producing hand-made flock wallpaper in the traditional way.
Over the years John Perry accumulated a large collection of hand carved wooden printing blocks, acquiring them from old established manufacturers as they closed down. When John Perry died in 1940 his family decided to sell the factory and wooden printing block archive. In 1941 the company was bought by A P Cole, a successful wallpaper merchant who had started his career working for Knowles & Co, a wallpaper and paint company in London’s Kings Road, and then with Albert and Lionel Hill he formed Cole & Hill. After the retirement of Lionel Hill the company became Cole & Son (Wallpapers) Ltd.
A few years earlier a highly respected decorating company Cowtan & Son of Grosvenor Gardens put their collection of printing blocks up for sale and Coles bought these. Blocks included those produced by J C Crace & Son to furnish many stately homes, palaces, castles and theatres throughout Britain and overseas, including the wallpaper designs of A W Pugin for the Palace of Westminster. The amalgamation of the two businesses in 1941 meant that Coles owned the most significant collection of wooden printing blocks in Britain.
In 1949, Cole’s Design Director created one of the first screen-print studios in Europe in response to the revolutionary new Contemporary design movement which gave birth to the wild wallpaper designs of the 1950s and 1960s. It was situated in the heart of London’s West End, at 18 Mortimer Street. The studio printed designs for Lucienne Day for the 1951 Exhibition of Britain, as well as many other contemporary artists including Peggy Argus, John Drummond and Eduardo Paolozzi.
Today, the Cole & Son archive consists of approximately 1,800 block print designs, 350 screen print designs and a huge quantity of original drawings and wallpapers, representing all the styles from the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. Amongst these are some of the most important historic wallpaper designs in the world. Coles is now the prime source for entirely authentic period wallpapers printed by the original method and has provided wallpapers for many historic houses, including Buckingham Palace and the White House.
The magnificent archive is the major source of all Cole’s new collections. Designs are carefully selected, adapted and coloured by the Design Studio and printed by craftsmen to produce wallpapers faithful to the character of the original document yet contemporary in feel. The company has worked on wallpaper collections with top international designers such as, Tom Dixon, Piero Fornasetti and Vivienne Westwood.
Wallpaper Manufactured Biography. Founded in 1875 by John Perry, son of a Cambridgeshire vicar, the company – then called John Perry Ltd was originally situated in a wallpaper mill in Islington, North London, an area famous for the 200 hand block printing companies working there in the 18th and 19th centuries. Today Cole’s factory is in Haringey, just a few miles further north of the original site, while the showroom is in the Design Centre Chelsea Harbour.
The company retains the same original spirit in the 21st century with skilled craftsmen, combining traditional processes invented by John Perry on some of the original machinery with the latest modern technology.
The first pattern book in the Cole’s archive dates from 1875 and contains eight hand blocked designs reminiscent of Christopher Dresser’s work. In the 19th century papers were printed for all the large well known companies of the time including Jeffrey & Co, Sanderson and Shand Kydd. In addition to high quality block printing, the company was renowned for supplying stripes and jaspes to the trade. John Perry’s inspiration for jaspe came in France when he saw long lengths of silk thread hung up to dry allowing the dye to run down the length of the fabric to create a streaked effect.
The most historical innovation that John Perry contributed to the wallpaper industry was the creation of a process to imitate silk. Real silk on walls was expensive so he developed an alternative using mica. However, he was not interested in the newest technological developments of the late 19th century to achieve new effects. He built machines in the early 19th century style, especially re-introducing the process of pan coating. He also revived the process of Flocking, invented in Holland in 1680, imitating cut and stamped velvet. This technique is still used in the factory today and has been passed down from master to apprentice. Coles are now the only company in the world producing hand-made flock wallpaper in the traditional way.
Over the years John Perry accumulated a large collection of hand carved wooden printing blocks, acquiring them from old established manufacturers as they closed down. When John Perry died in 1940 his family decided to sell the factory and wooden printing block archive. In 1941 the company was bought by A P Cole, a successful wallpaper merchant who had started his career working for Knowles & Co, a wallpaper and paint company in London’s Kings Road, and then with Albert and Lionel Hill he formed Cole & Hill. After the retirement of Lionel Hill the company became Cole & Son (Wallpapers) Ltd.
A few years earlier a highly respected decorating company Cowtan & Son of Grosvenor Gardens put their collection of printing blocks up for sale and Coles bought these. Blocks included those produced by J C Crace & Son to furnish many stately homes, palaces, castles and theatres throughout Britain and overseas, including the wallpaper designs of A W Pugin for the Palace of Westminster. The amalgamation of the two businesses in 1941 meant that Coles owned the most significant collection of wooden printing blocks in Britain.
In 1949, Cole’s Design Director created one of the first screen-print studios in Europe in response to the revolutionary new Contemporary design movement which gave birth to the wild wallpaper designs of the 1950s and 1960s. It was situated in the heart of London’s West End, at 18 Mortimer Street. The studio printed designs for Lucienne Day for the 1951 Exhibition of Britain, as well as many other contemporary artists including Peggy Argus, John Drummond and Eduardo Paolozzi.
Today, the Cole & Son archive consists of approximately 1,800 block print designs, 350 screen print designs and a huge quantity of original drawings and wallpapers, representing all the styles from the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. Amongst these are some of the most important historic wallpaper designs in the world. Coles is now the prime source for entirely authentic period wallpapers printed by the original method and has provided wallpapers for many historic houses, including Buckingham Palace and the White House.
The magnificent archive is the major source of all Cole’s new collections. Designs are carefully selected, adapted and coloured by the Design Studio and printed by craftsmen to produce wallpapers faithful to the character of the original document yet contemporary in feel. The company has worked on wallpaper collections with top international designers such as, Tom Dixon, Piero Fornasetti and Vivienne Westwood.
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