Lot 583
GORDON RUSSELL (1892-1980) FOR RUSSELL & SONS, BROADWAY
ARTS & CRAFTS BREAKFRONT COMPENDIUM WARDROBE, DATED 1928
Auction: Design Since 1860 | 21 October 2021 From 10:00
Description
oak and ebonised oak, maker’s label verso THE RUSSELL WORKSHOPS BROADWAY/ DESIGNER GORDON RUSSELL/ FOREMAN EDGAR TURNER/ CABINET MAKER C TURNER DATE 1/11/28, with keys
Dimensions
175cm wide, 181cm high, 57cm deep
Provenance
Provenance: From The Millinery Works Collection.
Footnote
Note: Unlike his contemporaries, many of whom initially trained as architects, Gordon Russell was primarily self-taught. He and his father were acutely aware of the exciting hub of activity in the Cotswolds, led by pioneers such as C. R. Ashbee and Ernest Gimson; after witnessing unimaginable scenes of complete destruction after the First World War, Russell was determined to create furniture that would stand the test of time and be valued by generations to come. Together he and his father established Russell & Sons in 1922 and were advocates of the Arts & Crafts ideology as they sought to improve working conditions and provide educational opportunities for their workforce, whilst at the same time producing high-quality pieces that celebrated design and the craftsman. Clearly influenced by Gimson and Scandinavian modernism, out of Russell’s Workshops came simple, yet highly functional pieces, using the finest quality woods and showcases traditional craftsmanship. In 1947 Russell was appointed chairman of the Design Council and played a crucial role in the design and manufacture of Utility furniture in the post-war years which helped re-build the country.