{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O142747"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O142747/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2009BX6379/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2009BX6379/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2009BX6379","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O142747/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O142747","accessionNumber":"E.420-2006","objectType":"Photograph","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This albumen print from a glass negative, a type of photograph, dating to the 1860s to 1870s, is of a finial and is the work of the firm of Francis Skidmore (1817-1896) Skidmore & Company, Coventry made in between1865-1880.  The photograph is thus a record of the work done and comes from an archive of designs and photographs from the firm. The factory was described as having a photographic studio so this photograph was taken there. \r\n\r\nSkidmore was a leading Victorian metalworker in the Gothic Revival style, which was an architectural movement the nineteenth-century practitioners of which sought to revive medieval forms.  Skidmore also produced church plate, light fittings, and furniture but was best known for his innovative architectural ironwork of which this finial is an example.  There are printed designs for finials in a pattern book lettered 'Skidmore's Art Maunufactures Co. Book of Designs' in Coventry Public Library.","physicalDescription":"Photograph, brownish albumen print, of a finial decorated with fruits like wild strawberries and leaves.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Skidmore, Francis Alexander (the younger)","id":"A8856"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"x40240"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"albumen","id":"AAT11802"},{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"},{"text":"card","id":"x30344"}],"techniques":[{"text":"albumen process","id":"AAT133274"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Albumen print from a glass negative on paper mounted on card","categories":[{"text":"Architectural fittings","id":"THES48994"},{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Photographs","id":"THES48910"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2009BX6379"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLC (VA)","id":"THES49171"},"free":"","case":"M","shelf":"80","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"photograph","id":"AAT46300"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Coventry","id":"x32527"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1865-","earliest":"1865-01-01","latest":"1865-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Purchased with the assistance of the Friends of the National Libraries","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"27.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"19.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"maximum","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"The provenance is the grand-daughter of Francis Skidmore.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Photograph of a finial by Francis Skidmore, 1860s","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Howell, Peter. Francis Skidmore and the Metalwork. <u>In:</u> Chris Brooks, ed.\r\n <u> The Albert Memorial. The Prince Consort National Memorial: its History, Contexts, and Conservation</u>. p.264."}],"production":"There are printed designs for finials in a pattern book lettered 'Skidmore's Art Manufactures Co. Book of Designs' in Coventry Public Library. Peter Howell (see References) has some printed designs for finials in his private collection which are from a later date than the ones in Coventry because they are lettered 'BIRMINGHAM' as below. In the 1872 Skidmore's Art Manufactures and Constructive Ironwork Company went into liquidation and was taken over by Winfields of Birmingham so it appears that Skidmore was still producing similar finials for more than seven years from 1865 because the pattern book in Coventry Library is lettered with the title that Skidmore's firm used from this earlier date. The page of designs in Peter Howell's collection is lettered 'VANES, FINIALS and HINGES'  and 'F.A.SKIDMORE: COVENTRY and 24 HUNTERS Rd BIRMINGHAM'.","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"finials","id":"AAT2280"},{"text":"albumen prints","id":"AAT127121"},{"text":"albumen process","id":"AAT133274"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["E.420-2006"],"accessionNumberNum":"420","accessionNumberPrefix":"E","accessionYear":2006,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-17","recordCreationDate":"2008-01-04","availableToBook":false}}