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Tiffany Turtleback Over the Pond

Turtleback chandelier, Image courtesy of Macklowe Gallery.

A delightful visit to the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian’s Design Museum in New York to mark its acquisition of a Tiffany turtleback chandelier from Macklowe Gallery  Housed in the former New York city mansion home of Scottish financier and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, the museum has formally acquired this fine example of a Tiffany pendant lamp for permanent display in its recently restored Teak Room.

Subtly illuminating the Teak Room

As the home’s former library, the Teak Room is the most intact of the Carnegies’ family rooms. On the first floor (second if you’re American) of the  mansion, it is a burnished cocoon of a room, a sanctuary where the family could relax away from the house’s more public lower floor. Decorated by artist and interior designer Lockwood De Forest in the Arts & Crafts idiom, it is inspired by his infatuation, and that of his contemporaries, with Indian design and craftsmanship. Its ceiling’s filigree pattern depicts a bramble of interwoven branches against a field of lacquered ochre. The gleaming golden light of the chandelier illuminates both the ceiling and the lustrous red-gold sheen of the stylized floral wall coverings to subtle effect. Continue reading “Tiffany Turtleback Over the Pond”

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Friends attend Talbot Conference showcasing major photographic archive

Friends were offered a fascinating glimpse into 20th century Lancashire working life and culture at a February conference highlighting exhibits from a major photographic archive. The inaugural Talbot Conference showcased the extensive works of Blackburn-based photographers Wally Talbot and his son Howard, whose commercial photography was widely commissioned by regional and national news media from the 1930s to the 1990s, creating a vivid documentary of local life and social history of the period.

The archive ranges in subject from industrial life in the early part of the century and bucolic scenes of the Lancashire countryside to major news and events of the times, including visiting music stars and celebrities. It is the subject of a major digitisation project in collaboration with Blackburn`College. Peter Graham, a student in the Photographic Media Degree Programme at Blackburn and a key contributor to this project, is also undertaking a ‘live brief’ photography project at Haworth Art Gallery as part of his curriculum.  Stay posted for more about Peter’s work on the Friends’ blog.

The inaugural Talbot Conference covered a range of subjects including the social, political, historical and technical contexts of the archive and provided an excellent opportunity to view this eclectic mix of images, some of which have never previously been published. To see these images and read more about the Wally & Howard Talbot Collection, visit  www.cottontown.org

A meaningful insight into local history and culture and a very welcome introduction to this amazing archive which more than merits a visit. A big thank you to Peter for the invites to the conference for our group!

Alison

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Photography workshop for The Hollins pupils

A productive afternoon for The Hollins photography project group. We started the session with a discussion about themes for the images to be created.  Members of the group can choose to work alone or with other members in a joint project.  Lots of ideas were bouncing around – shapes, colours, angles, exteriors, nature, people, the list grew as pupils explored the possibilities.
Continue reading “Photography workshop for The Hollins pupils”

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War near the Haworth

The sound of gunfire?

The Haworth was known as Hollins Hill when it was built as a home. The house and also Hollins School take their names from Hollins Hall which stood about 1/4 mile away. This was the home of one branch of the Cunliffe family whose head was Christopher Cunliffe. He was one of 4 Captains of the Parliamentary forces in East Lancashire  in during the Civil War.

 

Ship Room
Similar ‘Ship’ room from Mitton Hall

Attack

The approach to Hollins Hall was known as ‘The Barricades’ but this did not prevent an attack & severe fire damage to the ‘Ship’ room by a visit of Prince Rupert’s cavalry on their way to Marston Moor (a Royalist defeat). The Cunliffe’s then switched their main seat to Wycoller Hall near Colne; gained by marriage. Look for Wycoller Avenue off Hollins Lane, for the site of Hollins Hall.

Roger

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Friends First Public Appearance

 

The Craft Fair last Sunday presented the Friends with an opportunity to “go public”. Families proved extremely generous in providing prizes for a tombola stall which kept busy all afternoon. There was plenty of interest shown in the aims of the Friends and several visitors expressed an interest in joining. In fact one lady actually filled in her form AND paid her first year’s subscription after having her go at the tombola. A win-win situation.

The Friends will be in evidence on Sunday December 17th when Father Christmas visits the gallery. Marilyn was the driving force behind the tombola stall and has already started collecting prizes for December

Harry

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Peter takes a shot in the Billiard Room

Photographer Peter Graham has been working on interior shots of the Haworth to capture the overall layout of the rooms, the stunning plaster-work and intricate details of the wood carvings.  His photographs will be cataloged for the Haworth archives, as there are currently very few images of specific architectural details of the house.  They will also be displayed on our website and on other media.  Peter’s work here forms part of his second year degree syllabus for Photographic Media at Blackburn College.

Alison

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Our first curator

A portrait of our first curator Mr Abraham Naboth Imlah Whiston who was valet to Mr William Haworth and continued in employment at Hollins Hill until the death of Miss Anne Haworth .

Harry

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Tea party at the gallery

We are indebted to Janet Duhan who is the great granddaughter of Abraham Whiston for this photograph  we believe to show the celebration of the opening of the Haworth Art Gallery in 1921.

No doubt there could be other similar photographs tucked away in the backs of drawers in Accrington homes and we hope that their owners will loan them to us to copy and include in future publications and biographies. Eventually  we look to producing a pictorial history  of the gallery.

Harry