{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O123764"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O123764/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AA6513/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AA6513/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AA6513","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KY5764","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O123764/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O123764","accessionNumber":"W.2-1960","objectType":"Frame","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Although this frame looks as though it is made of carved wood, it is actually made of leather.  In the 1850s and 1860s, cutting and modelling leather to make small domestic objects was a popular hobby. Tools and materials and even prepared kits, were all available in shops such as that of James Revell, 272 Oxford Street, London. He also published  book of instructions, <i>A Complete Guide to the ornamental leather work</i>, in about 1855. \r\n\r\nWilliams Coombs Sanders, an artist, designed and made very similar frames  which were shown at the International Exhibition held in London in 1862. He may have made this frame, and its pair (Museum no. W.1-1960),  which is decorated with birds and flowers.  The frame has a wooden base which is completely covered with sheepskin. The decorative motifs were made separately, some on a wooden core, and then glued down to the base.","physicalDescription":"A rectangular frame with outset corners enclosing a central oval with a recessed panel set with brown cotton or linen (possibly originally green) against which hangs the trophy of lobster crab and two fishes. The outer moulding of the frame is rounded and wrapped with bladderwrack, the background of the panel of the frame, outside the oval is set with a finer seaweed covering the entire ground. The raised moulding of the central oval is set alternately with seashells and fronds of bladderwrack, giving the appearance of twisted ornament. The corners of the frame are set with starfish, from the lower two hangs a swag of bladderwrack and other seaweeds, set with sea shells including whelks and sea anemones. A. Similar swags rise from each of the upper star fish, appearing to hang from the fan-shaped shell cresting, which sits on a central raised section of the upper edge of the frame, flanked by dolphins whose tails are caught on the main cresting shell and whose heads reach to the outer corners of the frame. Pendants of seaweed and shells hang to either side between the outset corners of the frame.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Sanders, William Coombs","id":"A18302"},"association":{"text":"designer and maker","id":"x34662"},"note":"probably"}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"sheepskin","id":"AAT193374"}],"techniques":[{"text":"moulding","id":"AAT53134"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Sheepskin, cut and moulded, on a carcase of deal","categories":[{"text":"Furniture","id":"THES48948"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"FWK","id":"THES48597"},"images":["2006AA6513","2018KY5764"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES302424"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Frame","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"designed and made","id":"x39722"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1862","earliest":"1857-01-01","latest":"1866-12-31"},"association":{"text":"designed and made","id":"x39722"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Bequest of Hilda Milne","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"35","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"approx.","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"24","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"W.2-1960, and the pair, W.1-1960, have been attributed to the artist, William Coombs Sanders, who exhibited very similar leather frames at the International Exhibition held in London in 1862. The <i> Art Journal Catalogue of the Exhibition</i> illustrated the frames on page 116 and praised them. 'We engrave two Frames, of very graceful design and refined, character, the production of Mr. W.E. Sanders, of Queen Anne Street, Cavendish Square. They are specimens of leather carving; the leather - tanned sheepskin- is cut and raised by a penknife and a few small tools. It is difficult by engraving to convey an idea of the elegance of these objects; the designs, as well as the execution, are by Mr Sanders.'\r\n\r\nTools and materials for cutting, modelling and moulding leather were available from shops such as that of James Revell, 272 Oxford Street, London, who also supplied complete kits for leather work. He published a book of instruction, <i>A completed guide to the ornamental leather work</i> in about 1855. He recommended the technique for furniture, including pole screens and music stands, as well as for smaller pieces such as hand screens, card plates and racks, watch stands, vases and brackets, as well as for frames.","briefDescription":"Frame of leather, cut and moulded on a carcase of deal, enclosing an oval panel set with a lobster, a crab and two fishes. This is an exhibition piece of extremely fine workmanship.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"garlands","id":"AAT167386"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["W.2-1960"],"accessionNumberNum":"2","accessionNumberPrefix":"W","accessionYear":1960,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-08","recordCreationDate":"2006-05-08","availableToBook":true}}