Further Reading on Ince & Mayhew
There are a number of articles about the furniture and the firm, many originally published in the Journal of the Furniture History Society. I give below some of the articles I read or dipped into for my chapter on Ince & Mayhew and some other articles that may be of interest. I have also found it useful to look at the Lot Notes for Ince & Mayhew furniture when it is listed for auction, as very particular information is often revealed.
The definitive article, which I continue to reread, is the one written by Hugh Roberts and Charles Cator to be found in the Dictionary of English Furniture Makers, Beard, G and Gilbert, C eds. Leeds, London 1986 pp. 589-598
Patricia Kirkham provided much of the background on the firm in her article for the Furniture History Society in 1974 based on her research into the Chancery papers surviving from the court case to settle the ending of the partnership. Kirkham, P.. (1974). The Partnership of William Ince and John Mayhew 1759—1804. Furniture History, 10, 56–60. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/23403407
In 1904 R. S. Clouston wrote an article about the firm which concentrated on the Universal Directory. Clouston, R. S.. (1904). Minor English Furniture Makers of the Eighteenth Century Article III-Ince and Mayhew. The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs, 6(19), 47–52. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/856033
For details of their properties in Crouch End and Hornsey I read Marcham, W.McB. 1933 The Village of Crouch End, Hornsey Transactions of the London & Middlesex Archaeological Society Vol VII http://lamas.org.uk/archives/transactions/volume07.html
An Inventory of Hartlebury Castle, P C Moore Worcester Historical Society Miscellany 1 1960 provided details of William Ince’s inventory there.
English Looking-Glasses: a study of the glass, frames and makers (1670-—1820) by Geoffrey Wills Country Life 1965 . This article gave me a better understanding of the work carried out by William Ince’s father and brother. I also learnt about large plates of glass being imported from France.
Lindsay Boynton edited an article about the letters exchanged between Ince & Mayhew and the Birmingham manufacturers Boulton and Fothergill. William Ince was offered a well-aired Bed, wholesome Bread & Cheese and a hearty wellcome by B & F when visiting Birmingham. Boynton, L. (1966). An Ince and Mayhew Correspondence Furniture History, 2, 23–36. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/23402031
Colin Streeter, June 1971 Marquetry Furniture by a Brilliant London Master The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, 29 (10), 418–429. http://doi.org/10.2307/3258560
Morrisson Heckscher looked at the Universal Directory and books owned by William Ince and John Mayhew. He included illustrations of their signatures in their respective books. Heckscher, M. (1974). Ince and Mayhew: Bibliographical Notes from New York Furniture History, 10, 61–67. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/23403408
Hugh Roberts, ‘The Ince and Mayhew Connection, Furniture at Broadlands, Hampshire’, Country Life, 29 January 1981 pp288-90.
P. W. Ward-Jackson, 1984 English Furniture Designs of the Eighteenth Century Victoria and Albert Museum
The first article I read was Hugh Roberts' The Derby House Commode. It was a delight to see photographs of the amazing commodes produced by the firm and to understand the importance of finding an invoice bearing the firm’s name. I find the details on the invoices a delight – here, a man was supplied at Grosvenor Square to repair the varnish of the commode for 5s 6d. Roberts, H.. (1985). The Derby House Commode. The Burlington Magazine, 127 (986), 275–283. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/882065
Charles Cator, The Earl of Kerry and Mayhew and Ince 'The Idlest Ostentation' (1990) Furniture History Volume XXVI 27–33 1990. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/23407138
Hugh Roberts, Mayhew and Ince and the Westminster Fire Office, Furniture History Volume XXIX 134–139. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/23407791 1993 Great to learn that Ince and Mayhew owned a fire engine which was used by the Fire Office.
Hugh Roberts, 'Nicely fitted up': Furniture for the 4th Duke of Marlborough Furniture History Volume XXX 117–149. 1994 Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/234079231994
Lucy Wood, Catalogue of Commodes 1994 London:HMSO I really enjoyed reading the detailed descriptions of some of the Ince & Mayhew commodes at the Lady Lever Art Gallery and the excellent photographs. The background information with links to other items of furniture elsewhere helped give a better understanding of the breadth of work by the firm.
Hugh Roberts, ‘Unequall’d Elegance’: Mayhew and Ince’s Furniture for James Alexander, 1st Earl of Caledon (2009) Furniture History Volume XLV 101–141. 2009 Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/23410720
Hugh Roberts, 'Precise and Exact in the Minutest Things of Taste and Decoration' : The Earl of Kerry's Patronage of Ince & Mayhew (2013) Furniture History 2013
Hugh Roberts, 'No Grandeur was Wanting': The Funeral of the 3rd Earl of Darnley’. The funeral was arranged by Ince & Mayhew in September 1781. Furniture History Volume LI - 2015
Works by Ince & Mayhew
I visited The British Library to see an original Universal System of Household Furniture 1762 which was on display for their Georgians Revealed: Life, Style and the Making of Modern Britain exhibition held in November 2013. There is a copy at Sherbourne Castle in Dorset.
At the British Library there is a copy of ‘Household furniture in genteel taste for the year 1760, etc. The IId edition of Genteel houshold furniture in the present taste with an addition of several articles never before executed, by a society of upholsterers, cabinetmakers, &c. Containing upwards of 350 designs [by William Ince, John Mayhew, Robert Manwaring, and others, etc.’ London : Robt Sayer, 1761 or 1762
The definitive article, which I continue to reread, is the one written by Hugh Roberts and Charles Cator to be found in the Dictionary of English Furniture Makers, Beard, G and Gilbert, C eds. Leeds, London 1986 pp. 589-598
Patricia Kirkham provided much of the background on the firm in her article for the Furniture History Society in 1974 based on her research into the Chancery papers surviving from the court case to settle the ending of the partnership. Kirkham, P.. (1974). The Partnership of William Ince and John Mayhew 1759—1804. Furniture History, 10, 56–60. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/23403407
In 1904 R. S. Clouston wrote an article about the firm which concentrated on the Universal Directory. Clouston, R. S.. (1904). Minor English Furniture Makers of the Eighteenth Century Article III-Ince and Mayhew. The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs, 6(19), 47–52. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/856033
For details of their properties in Crouch End and Hornsey I read Marcham, W.McB. 1933 The Village of Crouch End, Hornsey Transactions of the London & Middlesex Archaeological Society Vol VII http://lamas.org.uk/archives/transactions/volume07.html
An Inventory of Hartlebury Castle, P C Moore Worcester Historical Society Miscellany 1 1960 provided details of William Ince’s inventory there.
English Looking-Glasses: a study of the glass, frames and makers (1670-—1820) by Geoffrey Wills Country Life 1965 . This article gave me a better understanding of the work carried out by William Ince’s father and brother. I also learnt about large plates of glass being imported from France.
Lindsay Boynton edited an article about the letters exchanged between Ince & Mayhew and the Birmingham manufacturers Boulton and Fothergill. William Ince was offered a well-aired Bed, wholesome Bread & Cheese and a hearty wellcome by B & F when visiting Birmingham. Boynton, L. (1966). An Ince and Mayhew Correspondence Furniture History, 2, 23–36. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/23402031
Colin Streeter, June 1971 Marquetry Furniture by a Brilliant London Master The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, 29 (10), 418–429. http://doi.org/10.2307/3258560
Morrisson Heckscher looked at the Universal Directory and books owned by William Ince and John Mayhew. He included illustrations of their signatures in their respective books. Heckscher, M. (1974). Ince and Mayhew: Bibliographical Notes from New York Furniture History, 10, 61–67. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/23403408
Hugh Roberts, ‘The Ince and Mayhew Connection, Furniture at Broadlands, Hampshire’, Country Life, 29 January 1981 pp288-90.
P. W. Ward-Jackson, 1984 English Furniture Designs of the Eighteenth Century Victoria and Albert Museum
The first article I read was Hugh Roberts' The Derby House Commode. It was a delight to see photographs of the amazing commodes produced by the firm and to understand the importance of finding an invoice bearing the firm’s name. I find the details on the invoices a delight – here, a man was supplied at Grosvenor Square to repair the varnish of the commode for 5s 6d. Roberts, H.. (1985). The Derby House Commode. The Burlington Magazine, 127 (986), 275–283. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/882065
Charles Cator, The Earl of Kerry and Mayhew and Ince 'The Idlest Ostentation' (1990) Furniture History Volume XXVI 27–33 1990. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/23407138
Hugh Roberts, Mayhew and Ince and the Westminster Fire Office, Furniture History Volume XXIX 134–139. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/23407791 1993 Great to learn that Ince and Mayhew owned a fire engine which was used by the Fire Office.
Hugh Roberts, 'Nicely fitted up': Furniture for the 4th Duke of Marlborough Furniture History Volume XXX 117–149. 1994 Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/234079231994
Lucy Wood, Catalogue of Commodes 1994 London:HMSO I really enjoyed reading the detailed descriptions of some of the Ince & Mayhew commodes at the Lady Lever Art Gallery and the excellent photographs. The background information with links to other items of furniture elsewhere helped give a better understanding of the breadth of work by the firm.
Hugh Roberts, ‘Unequall’d Elegance’: Mayhew and Ince’s Furniture for James Alexander, 1st Earl of Caledon (2009) Furniture History Volume XLV 101–141. 2009 Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/23410720
Hugh Roberts, 'Precise and Exact in the Minutest Things of Taste and Decoration' : The Earl of Kerry's Patronage of Ince & Mayhew (2013) Furniture History 2013
Hugh Roberts, 'No Grandeur was Wanting': The Funeral of the 3rd Earl of Darnley’. The funeral was arranged by Ince & Mayhew in September 1781. Furniture History Volume LI - 2015
Works by Ince & Mayhew
I visited The British Library to see an original Universal System of Household Furniture 1762 which was on display for their Georgians Revealed: Life, Style and the Making of Modern Britain exhibition held in November 2013. There is a copy at Sherbourne Castle in Dorset.
At the British Library there is a copy of ‘Household furniture in genteel taste for the year 1760, etc. The IId edition of Genteel houshold furniture in the present taste with an addition of several articles never before executed, by a society of upholsterers, cabinetmakers, &c. Containing upwards of 350 designs [by William Ince, John Mayhew, Robert Manwaring, and others, etc.’ London : Robt Sayer, 1761 or 1762
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