Four Original Photogaphs of Liberty’s Department Store.
Dating from the 1920’s.
Sepia toned and black and white.
Size: 28.5 x 24 cms or 11 1/4 x 9 3/8 inches.
The photographs show the exterior of the building dusted with snow; a doorway decorated with heraldic emblems, the word ‘Liberias’ and dates 1875 and 1923; an image of one of the great light wells for which Liberty’s is known and a picture of the shop floor showing toys, parasols and objects made from the textiles for which Liberty is famous. There is a suggestion that this is Christmas display.
Liberty, commonly known as Liberty’s is a luxury department store in London. Arthur Lasenby Liberty opened his first shop by that name at 218a Regent Street in 1875. There he sold ornaments, object d’art and fabrics from Japan. The shop was a great success. By 1884, together with Edward William Godwin, a distinguished architect and founding member of The Costume Society, he had introduced in-house apparel which rivalled that of Paris.
The building shown here in the photographs was built in 1924. It was constructed from the beams of two ships HMS Impregnable and HMS Hindustan. The emporium was designed by Edwin Thomas Hall at the height of the fashion for Tudor revival. The shop was engineered around three light wells that formed the main focus of the building. Smaller rooms with fireplaces surrounded these wells creating a homely feel.
Condition: Very Good. The photographs vary in tone from sepia to black and white. All have a small amount of loss to corners and edges. All are damaged by a crease about 10 cms in length about midway down the right hand side. Two have some light creasing to the bottom right hand corner. The surface of each is otherwise unmarked.
The photographs have been fixed to card but can easily be removed.
