{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1467063"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1467063/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2019MH8562/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2019MH8562/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2019MH8562","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1467063","accessionNumber":"E.106-2019","objectType":"Design","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Edward Bawden (1903-1989) was a printmaker, painter, illustrator and designer. He studied and later taught at the Royal College of art, served as a war artist in WW2 and worked extensively as a commercial artist for companies including London Transport, Twinings, Fortnum and Mason, Shell-Mex, the Folio Society and Chatto and Windus. \n\nThis design shows sketches, projections and details for the Bilston Garden Seat, produced in 1956 for Bilston Foundries Ltd, Staffordshire. The idea of the cast-iron garden furniture range - which comprised individual seats, a two-seater bench and a low table – was apparently that of Robert Harling, Bawden’s friend who worked in advertising and who had hired Bawden to illustrate the Fortnum and Mason’s catalogue, as well as Wisden’s Cricketers’ Almanack. \n\nThe design shows Bawden’s typically bold use of pattern, which in this instance was used to create the perforations necessary to create a light but strong cast iron structure. It also demonstrates his inventiveness, often inspired by his sense of humour: the motif on the back of the chair is reminiscent of a spider’s web, such as one might find hanging from a piece of garden furniture. Despite the detailed level of information supplied by the drawing and annotations, which suggest an advanced stage of design development, the chairs as executed do not have the cobweb motif, indicating that further changes were made before the design was finalised for production.","physicalDescription":"Design in watercolour and pencil depicting sketches including elevations, projections and details for a cast iron garden seat and bench.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Bawden, Edward","id":"A3108"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"AAT25190"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paper","id":"AAT14109"},{"text":"watercolour","id":"AAT15045"},{"text":"pencil","id":"x30347"}],"techniques":[{"text":"drawing","id":"AAT54196"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Watercolour and pencil on paper","categories":[{"text":"Designs","id":"THES48968"},{"text":"Drawings","id":"THES48966"},{"text":"Furniture","id":"THES48948"},{"text":"Gardens & Gardening","id":"THES49002"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2019MH8562"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLD","id":"THES49658"},"free":"","case":"DR","shelf":"181","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"design","id":"AAT102051"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"United Kingdom","id":"x29336"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1956","earliest":"1951-01-01","latest":"1960-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"W.8-1986","id":"O372422"},"association":"Design"}],"creditLine":"Purchased with the support of the V&A Members Fund and the Horn Bequest","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"56.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"78.9","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Design for single seat / Edward Bawden","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Inscribed in ink lower left"},{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Annotated extensively in ink by the designer"}],"objectHistory":"In a letter to Halina Graham, Bawden explained: ‘The firm that produced the seat [Bilston Foundries Ltd, Staffordshire] made baths, it was their main line of business & they had no faith in cast iron seats, but I remember going up to Warrington to get information about preparing the design. A technician on the staff of the Furniture School of the Royal College of Art made a model in wood of the design for casting & that in itself must have been very expensive. When the seat was first produced and shows at Harrods I think it that it probably failed expectations & only later when it became unobtainable did the demand for it increase’. Bilston Foundries advertised the seat at the price of 18 guineas, describing it as ‘an ornamental seat unique in its gracefulness, and as distinguished by its careful finish as by its outstanding appearance’. ","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Edward Bawden, design for the Bilston Garden Seat, watercolour and pencil, United Kingdom, about 1956","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[{"text":"","id":""}],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"chair","id":"AAT37772"},{"text":"bench","id":"AAT38494"},{"text":"garden furniture","id":"AAT165810"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["E.106-2019"],"accessionNumberNum":"106","accessionNumberPrefix":"E","accessionYear":2019,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-17","recordCreationDate":"2018-12-07","availableToBook":false}}