A PAIR OF MAHOGANY BEDSTEPS BY GILLOWS OF LANCASTER 

A set of early 19th century mahogany bed steps by Gillows, the three treads lined in tooled deep green leather and having reeded borders, the top tread with lidded compartment and the second formerly containing a sliding commode, the sides with pierced carrying handles, raised on short reeded legs. One bearing stamp 'GILLOW'S' inside second step.

The firm of Gillows has come out from the shadows in the last decade. Thanks to numerous articles and Lindsay Boynton's book of Gillows Designs, we now appreciate the vast scale of their production and their long and distinguished history.

The family firm was established in Lancaster as early as the 1730's. Throughout the eighteenth century, a succession of Robert and Richard Gillows worked for and controlled the firm. Their success really began in 1769, when they opened their first London office. Noble commissions came and in 1800, Richard Gillows took over a patent for an extending dining table which further enhanced the firm's reputation. The history of Gillows is exceptionally complete, as nearly all the order books and salesman's archives still exist. We know that the practice of stamping GILLOWS. LANCASTER started in around 1780 and continued until 1817, which might seem surprisingly early as the design seems to reflect the taste of the early Victorian era, yet it is twenty to thirty years ahead of its time.

Today, it is difficult to comprehend the range of Gillows' business at this time. They traded not only in finished furniture, but also in timber from the West Indies along with sugar and spirits from the same region. They undertook architectural joinery and fitted out entire buildings, providing wall papers, fixtures and fittings. Their salesmen toured the country with books of illustrations lavishly coloured to tempt buyers. Gilllows even pioneered 'flat-packing' in order to offer their clients a reduced price. There was no corner of the furniture trade they did not thoroughly exploit. Between 1780 and 1830, they were the furniture trade, leading in price, fashion and even work practices.

CONDITION REPORT ON REQUEST.