British artists' suppliers, 1650-1950

A selective directory, to be revised and expanded regulary, 1st edition June 2006, 2nd edition May 2008 (*entry revised, **new entry)
Contributions are welcome, to Jacob Simon at jsimon@npg.org.uk.
Resources and bibliography

Robert Keating (active 1730, died 1758), The White Hart, Long Acre, London. Artists' colourman.

From 1730 Keating was advertising his paints for the export market (London Evening Post 15 October 1730, see Iain Pears, The Discovery of Painting: the growth of interest in the arts in England, 1680-1768, Yale University Press, 1988, p.251 n.36). The advertisement provides one of the first detailed descriptions of commercially available artists' colours and is worth quoting at length:

'To Limners, Fan-Painters, &c. Whereas it is well known that there has always been a great Deficiency in the World in Relation to several Colours, and more especially the Green, there are now, (after several Years Labour) discover'd the following curious ones, viz
1. A fine Green, not inferior to Ultramarine in its kind, for Body, Beauty and Duration, fit for Painting and Glazing, and therefore nam'd Green Ultramarine; This Green will likewise serve for Water, and for printing Metzo Tinto, or Cairo Oscuro Prints, is a good Dryer, and not dearer in Price than the best lake.
2. A good Purple without Mixture, for Water.
3. A light Sky (for Water), call'd Cyanus.
4. A Colour call'd English Yellow, useful both in Oyl and Water, surpassing the best Brown Pink.
All to be had at Mr. Keating's Colour-Shop at the White Hart in Long-Acre. Where speedily will also be had,
5. Another curious Green for Water only.
6. A Colour to be used instead of Gall-Stone.
7. A fine Purple for Oil and Water both, as rich of its kind as Prussian Blue, lasting, and a good Dryer.
8. A Rich Orange Colour, call'd Aurora, for Water.
9. Another warm Colour for Water, of a Yellowish Hue, call'd Russer.
And as there is a greater Want of these Colours Abroad than at Home, Merchants and others may be supplied with any Quantities for Exportation.'

Keating is mentioned in R. Campbell's The London Tradesman in 1747, 'This Gentleman deals in all Colours for the House Painter, but his chief Business consists in furnishing the Liberal Painters with their fine Colours. A painter may go into his Shop and be furnished with every Article he uses, such as Pencils, Brushes, Cloths ready for drawing on, and all manner of Colours ready prepared, with which he cannot be supplyed either in such Quality or Quantity in any or all the shops in London. He is himself an excellent Judge of Colours, and has no mean Taste in Painting'.

'Mr Keating' was dealing with Catherine Read in the supply of two canvases on straining frames for oil paintings in March 1755 (Robert Tull ledger, see Simon 1996 p.143). He also supplied colours, canvases and straining frames to Alexander Clerk, April 1755 (transcription on file at Scottish National Portrait Gallery; another account is receipted by John Keating). Keating died in 1758, making modest bequests, referring to his 'very extravagant' two eldest sons, Robert and James, and leaving half the residue of his estate to his wife Dorothy and the other half to be divided between his youngest son John and his daughter Katherine (PCC wills). Keating was succeeded in business by Nathan Drake (qv).

Sources: Whitley 1928, vol.1, p.332.

*Edward Kebby, 48 Taylor's Buildings, Islington Road, London 1799, 61 Newgate St 1801-1803. Watercolour preparer.

Edward Kebby advertised that he had been apprenticed to Thomas Reeves, and had been his principal assistant (Morning Post and Gazeteer 25 July 1799; see also Whitley 1928, vol.2, p.362). In the same advertisement, he featured his superfine watercolours, made at his manufactory at 48 Taylor's Buildings, claiming that the principal part of his life had been devoted to manufacturing watercolours. He was listed in Kent's Directory from 1801 until 1803 as a superfine watercolour preparer. In 1803, his partnership with William Hudson junr as watercolour makers and fancy drawers of Newgate St was dissolved, with William Hudson carrying on the business (London Gazette 15 February 1803). Edward Kebby was perhaps related to James George Kebby, umbrella manufacturer, who traded from premises in the Strand from 1789 until his death at the age of 56 in 1818 (The Times 11 February 1818).

In 1800, Edward Kebby's superfine watercolours were advertised as the choicest in England, in boxes at 10s.6d, £1.1s and £5.5s, by Skill, purveyor general and oilman, 15-16 Strand (trade catalogue, Banks coll. 89.36, with added date 1800, information from Jenny Bescoby, 1 August 2007).

*George James Keet, 88 Renshaw St, Liverpool 1848-1859, 90 Renshaw St 1850-1864, 92 Renshaw St 1856-1864, 85 Renshaw St 1858. Also at Bold St Arcade 1848, Roscoe Arcade 1848-1853, 1860. Stationer, engraver and artists' colourman.

George James Keet was christened at St Nicholas, Liverpool, in 1825 (IGI). In 1848 he advertised as a stationer, also stocking Rowney's drawing pencils, canvas, brushes, drawing paper and every requisite for painting, giving his address as 88 Renshaw St and Bold St Arcade (Liverpool Mercury 7 July 1848), later claiming that his business had been established in 1846 (Liverpool Mercury 19 August 1859). His business had an account with Roberson, 1850-64 (Woodcock 1997). He advertised in partnership as Goodwin & Keet, photographic rooms, 1858-1860 (e.g., Liverpool Mercury 13 February 1860). Keet was made bankrupt in 1865, when described as photographic artist, stationer, engraver and artists' colourman, of 184 Vine St, and of 90 Renshaw St, Liverpool (London Gazette 17 January 1865). He was followed at 88 Renshaw St by Henry Jeffreys (qv) (information from Cathy Proudlove). A man by the name of George James Keet died, age 48, in the St Pancras, London registration district in 1868.

Keet's labels have been recorded on works dating to 1850, 1857 and 1861, for example on Robert Tonge's Cheshire Landscape, millboard, 1850 (Sudley, Liverpool, see Bennett 1971). Henry Keet, perhaps related, was listed at 117 Great George St, Liverpool, as a stationer, bookseller, artists' colourman and photographic artist in 1868.

Kemp & Co, 9 Holden Terrace, Pimlico, London SW 1877-1889, 203 Victoria St SW1 1890-1937, 28 Buckingham Palace Road SW1 1937-1940. Kemp & Co (Victoria) Ltd, 28 Buckingham Palace Road 1941-1991 or later, no longer listed 1998. Artists' colourmen, carvers and gilders, fine art dealers, artists' brush manufacturers; by 1991 picture cleaners and restorers.

The business had an account with Roberson, 1873-1908, firstly in the name of John Capes (qv), who occupied the premises from 1873 to 1876, then as Kemp & Co (Woodcock 1997). It advertised its celebrated sable and hog-hair brushes (The Year's Art 1901), describing the business as having supplied leading members of the profession for 45 years (The Year's Art 1914), perhaps alluding to the establishment by 1871 of George Bowden (qv) at 9 Holden Terrace who preceded Kemp & Co and John Capes at this address. Several marks have been recorded from the 1870s to the 1890s.

Edward Sherard Kennedy, Walton House, Walton St, Brompton, London SW. Genre painter.

Edward Sherard Kennedy (c.1837-1900) had accounts with Roberson from various addresses in London, Brighton and Kent, 1861-1900 (Woodcock 1997). He was listed at 24 Westbourne Terrace in the 1881 census as Artist Painter, age 44, born in Camberwell, wife Florence (IGI). His stencilled canvas mark appears in association with a mark of George Rowney on a painting of c.1888.

*Kennedy and Francis, 17 Oxford St, London 1887-1890. Artists' colourmen.

The business had an account with Roberson, 1885-7 (Woodcock 1997). It advertised as 'The Only Complete Art Store' (The Year's Art 1887-8). Previously it had traded as Kennedy and Brown, china dealers and artists' colourmen, by 1881 until 1885, when the partnership between Edward Thomas Kennedy and Arthur Brown was dissolved (London Gazette 16 October 1885).

KFAS, 26 Alfred Place, South Kensington, London, c.1900.

Very little is known of this business, which has been recorded by a marked canvas on Adrian Jones's Merry Gal, 1900 (Walker Art Gallery, see Morris 1996). For other businesses trading from 26 Alfred Place, see the Anglo-American Art Color Co Ltd and Kingham & Co.

Frank William King, 18 Cleveland St, Fitzroy Square, London 1880-1889, 24 Great Titchfield St from 1890. Artists' colourman; picture framemaker from 1892.

Frank William King was successor to Henry Lassalle at 18 Cleveland St; he was listed at this address in the 1881 census as a cabinetmaker, age 28. King's mark has been recorded, 1887.

*H.S. King, 57 High St, Hampstead, London by 1904-1957 and later. Artists' colourman, subsequently a bookseller and a stationer.

Henry Seymour King (b.1868), son of Henry King, may have been successor to William and Henry King, oil and colourmen who, by 1880 and until 1903, were successively at nos 44-45, 56 and 55 High St, Hampstead. Henry S. King was living at 3 Pond St in the 1881 census and at 19 Pond St in the 1891 census and again in 1901 when described as a stationer, age 33, together with his two sisters. He had an account with Roberson, 1901-5 (Woodcock 1997). His canvas stamp can be found on C. Polowetski's Israel Zangwill, 1909 (National Portrait Gallery). By 1928 the business was trading as a bookseller and as late as 1984 as a stationer.

John Kingham & Co, 26 Alfred Place West, South Kensington, London 1892-1893. Artists' colourmen, fine art publishers, picture framemakers.

'Kingham & Co' advertised artists' materials including lay figures and easels on hire, artists' oil and water colours made by Roberson, Winsor & Newton, Newman, Reeves and Rowney, and, as sole proprietors, 'the artists' sketching vest and hold-all... for protection from cold without impeding the free action of the arm' (The Year's Art 1893). In the same year the Anglo-American Art Colour Co Ltd (qv) advertised a depot at this address, which was also the home of the short lived Artists Alliance Ltd, listed as artists' colourman in 1895. John Kingham & Co had an account with Roberson, August 1892 to July 1893, but was marked 'bankrupt' in their ledgers in 1893 (Woodcock 1997). John Hester Kingham, trading as Kingham & Co, was made bankrupt in July 1893 (London Gazette 21 July 1893).

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