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Danny Lane
Danny Lane
MALLETT
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An exhibition at Bourdon House 2 Davies Street London W1
SPLIT W A L L
2 8 t h April - 2 2 n d May 1 9 9 9
141 New Bond Street London W1
Bourdon House 2 Davies Street London W1
0 1 7 1 4 9 9 7411
0171629 2444
Post t e n s i o n e d glass sculpture. Layered 12mm f l o a t glass sculpture w i t h a greenish hue. C o n s t r u c t e d w i t h carved edges t o b u i l d t h e p r o f i l e of a h i g h l y s c u l p t e d o p e n i n g t h r o u g h an o t h e r w i s e solid glass wall. Danny Lane 1 9 9 8 Height: 78in (198cm), width: 55m (139cm), depth: 8in (20cm)
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In O c t o b e r 1 9 9 8 , a new s h o w r o o m in M a l l e t t a t B o u r d o n H o u s e w a s nearing c o m p l e t i o n . T h e room, now known as the Great R o o m on a c c o u n t of its massive h e i g h t a n d d o u b l e c u b e d proportions, needed a very special event to celebrate its a d d i t i o n to this well known G e o r g i a n b u i l d i n g . BREAKING TRADITION was c o n c e i v e d as a truly ' s p a r k l i n g ' e x h i b i t i o n , c o m b i n i n g remarkable g l a s s furniture both of the past a n d of today. Mallett w a s f o u n d e d in 1 8 6 5 , before any of the items in this c a t a l o g u e were made. So w h y is one of the most f a m o u s a n t i q u e s h o p s in the world c o n c e r n i n g itself with s u c h a show? We here at Mallett are privileged to g o into m a n y fine private houses, as well as the m u s e u m s of the world, a n d often we have seen s u c h j u x t a positions as a C h i p p e n d a l e chair in front of a J a c k s o n Pollock p a i n t i n g or a G e o r g e III g i l t w o o d t a b l e b e n e a t h a Picasso, a n d very well they work too. A c o m b i n a t i o n of periods a n d styles has a l w a y s been the s t r e n g t h and g l o r y of the E n g l i s h stately home. Of course the g l a s s objects by the firms of Osier a n d B a c c a r a t are now a n t i q u e in their own right but they are hardly t r a d i t i o n a l a n t i q u e s h o p material. We feel t h a t it is t h e q u a l i t y t h a t is i m p o r t a n t , not the age. E i g h t e e n t h c e n t u r y c r a f t s m e n usually p r o d u c e d better furniture t h a n the furniture of today, this is why it is so h i g h l y treasured. Not only w a s w o r k m a n s h i p a n d attention to detail meticulous, but the d e s i g n s , by people b r o u g h t up in the c l a s s i c a l tradition, have a timeless quality. T h e s e q u a l i t i e s are not u n i q u e to the e i g h t e e n t h century, but they are rarer at other periods. We have to work much harder to f i n d items m a d e d u r i n g the seventeenth, n i n e t e e n t h a n d t w e n t i e t h centuries t h a t meet our criteria, but we do succeed, as this e x h i b i t i o n proves. In 1991 Mallett held the first ever e x h i b i t i o n of Osier g l a s s furniture, a n d from the show pieces travelled world wide. It w a s d e c i d e d to repeat this in 1 9 9 9 , but with a difference. D a n n y Lane was invited to j o i n us in a celebration of glass, breaking tradition at Mallett by m i x i n g the old a n d the new. G l a s s furniture of the
A n oil p a i n t i n g of B o u r d o n H o u s e seen from the s o u t h west, across D a v i e s Steet Algernon
Newton
(1880-1968)
A g r o u p of new commissions f r o m Danny Lane's n o r t h London studio, e x h i b i t e d for t h e f i r s t t i m e , shown here in M a l l e t t ' s new s h o w r o o m at Bourdon House, t o g e t h e r w i t h a pair of cut glass t h r o n e chairs, u p h o l s t e r e d in a red velvet, by Osier of B i r m i n g h a m and a late 19th c e n t u r y V e n e t i a n mirrored settee.
1880s by Osier of B i r m i n g h a m a n d other a n t i q u e pieces contrast w i t h work by this c e l e b r a t e d c o n t e m p o r a r y
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glass artist, suggesting to us t h e title of this exhibition, Breaking Tradition. B e c a u s e of t h e inherent difficulty in making glass furniture, and its ensuing expense, every piece is fully t h o u g h t t h r o u g h a n d t h e results work brilliantly, be they t h e designs of V o r o n i k h i n for t h e Imperial Class Factory in St Petersburg around 1800, t h e work of Osier a n d B a c c a r a t in t h e n i n e t e e n t h century, Lalique in t h e early t w e n t i e t h century, or D a n n y Lane today. D a n n y Lane is u n d o u b t e d l y t h e leading artist in his field. He, a n d t h e c r a f t s m e n in his w o r k s h o p , p r o d u c e p o w e r f u l stuff. His f u r n i t u r e is u n e x p e c t e d l y robust, t h e transparency of glass h i d i n g its s t r e n g t h a n d its s h a r p e d g e s c u n n i n g l y s m o o t h e d by skilled w o r k m e n . His s c u l p t u r e is u n i q u e l y recognisable both on a d o m e s t i c scale a n d in his a r c h i t e c t u r a l commissions. T h e j u x t a p o s i t i o n of D a n n y ' s work w i t h t h a t of t h e m o n u m e n t a l glass-makers of t h e n i n e t e e n t h century is a new experience for e v e r y o n e involved. D a n n y has been inspired to produce new ideas for this exhibition, based on our d e m a n d s and on t h e o p p o r t u n i t i e s of t h e rather formal exhibition space, a n d w e are excited to be part of an o n g o i n g tradition of artistic progress. J O H N P SMITH
i M a l l e t t are proud to have s t i m u l a t e d such creative energy from D a n n y Lane a n d m a n y of his works are illustrated I
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here for t h e first time, h a v i n g been produced especially for this exhibition a n d c a t a l o g u e . H e is c o n t i n u i n g to work w i t h new materials a n d to express himself in new forms a n d new technology. S o m e of these pieces are only partially formed as this c a t a l o g u e goes to print but will be displayed for sale in t h e exhibition w h i c h opens on t h e 2 8 t h April.
A G R E E N CRYSTAL C L A S S STAR
A deeply cut glass Star w h i c h w a s made in E n g l a n d towards the end of the 18th century for the exterior f a c a d e of the M a h a r a j a ' s P a l a c e in Bhopal. C h a n d e l i e r s were supplied to India by Messrs Blades of Ludgate Hill at this period using the same colour of glass.
England, circa 1790 fhe marble stand is modern H e i g h t : 18in ( 4 6 c m )
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a THRONE CHAIR
O n e o f a p a i r o f Osler t h r o n e c h a i r s m a d e f o r a m a h a r a j a a n d his c o n s o r t - t h i s o n e w o u l d h a v e b e e n f o r t h e m a h a r a j a . T h e r i c h c r i m s o n silk v e l v e t and g o l d d e c o r a t i o n c o n t r a s t i n g w i t h the w a t e r clear c o l o u r of the e x g u i s i t e l y c u t c r y s t a l glass.
B i r m i n g h a m , E n g l a n d circa 1 8 9 5 H e i g h t : 4 8 i n ( 1 2 2 c m ) , w i d t h : 2 5 A i n ( 6 7 c m ) , d e p t h : 26/,
in ( 6 7 c m )
STACKING CHAIR
One of a pair. Stacking Chair was t h e f i r s t piece by D a n n y Lane in post t e n s i o n e d stacked glass. These are t h e first t o be made w i t h a d o u b l e seat and e n t i r e l y w i t h 2 5 m m (1 in) f l o a t glass. Danny Lane 1 9 8 6 / 1 9 9 9 Height:
in (111cm), w i d t h : 2 5 i n ( 6 3 c m )
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D a n n y L a n e is unique. No other c o n t e m p o r a r y maker w o r k s in glass in q u i t e t h e s a m e grand, i n v e n t i v e a n d riskt a k i n g manner, b a l a n c i n g b e t w e e n f u n c t i o n , s c u l p t u r e and d e c o r a t i o n . H e makes objects, g i v e n t h e n a m e of 'table', 'chair', e v e n 'bed' - but this is o f t e n a peg on w h i c h to h a n g a c a s c a d e of ideas, an excuse to m a n i p u l a t e glass into s t r a n g e a n d w o n d e r f u l forms, an o p p o r t u n i t y to d e m o n s t r a t e a t e c h n i c a l skill. F u n c t i o n a l i t y is a s e c o n d a r y priority. C l a s s furniture has a s p l e n d i d past, g a t h e r i n g m o m e n t u m e s p e c i a l l y in t h e 19th century. E s t a b l i s h e d at first w i t h t h e o p e n i n g of L'ESCALIER DE CRISTAL in Paris in 1802, for thirty years it r e m a i n e d a French speciality. Class furniture w a s sold t h r o u g h its premises in t h e P a l a i s Royal w h e r e t h e s i g n a t u r e of t h e shop w a s i n d e e d a s p e c t a c u l a r glass staircase, a precursor to o n e of D a n n y Lane's best k n o w n c o m m i s s i o n s t h e b a l u s t r a d e at t h e VICTORIA & A L B E R T M U S E U M . Clocks, t a b l e s and t o i l e t t e s m a d e of w o o d clad w i t h p a n e l s of c u t glass or mirrored glass a n d gilt m e t a l m o u n t s w e r e structurally bulky a n d f o r m a l l y Empire in style a n d very little of this a m b i t i o u s
production
survives. It is a far cry from t h e next e p i s o d e in t h e story. W i t h i n a f e w years t h e field e x p a n d e d s p e c t a c u l a r l y w i t h t h e entry of t h e h u g e B a c c a r a t c o m p a n y and, in 1847, t h e B i r m i n g h a m c o m p a n y of Osier, u n d e r t h e e n e r g e t i c d i r e c t i o n of A b r a h a m Follett Osier. In t h a t y e a r Osier's c o m p a n y c o m p l e t e d t h e m a n u f a c t u r e of a pair of c a n d e l a b r a sixteen feet ( 4 . 8 0 m ) in h e i g h t for I b r a h i m Pacha t h e ruler of Egypt, to flank t h e t o m b of t h e P r o p h e t M a h o m e t at M e c c a . This surely a w e s o m e commission w a s met in s p e c t a c u l a r style by Osier. N o t only w e r e t h e c a n d e l a b r a m a g n i f i c e n t l y tall but they w e r e e l a b o r a t e l y cut and brilliant on a scale not t h e n a t t e m p t e d by any other company. Osier t h e m s e l v e s w e r e o f t e n c o n f i d e n t e n o u g h to use t h e glass as structure as w e l l as o r n a m e n t and, in a l l o w i n g t h e material's natural clarity u n i n t e r r u p t e d performance, they had a l r e a d y passed b e y o n d
10 ETRUSCAN CHAIR
Seminal piece. Pieces from this edition have been acquired by the National Museum, Stockholm, 1988, and by the Corning Museum, 1989. An icon of the eighties. 25 mm float glass, forged, sandblasted and polished stainless steel studding legs with stiletto heel tip feet. Danny Lane 1986 Height: 36in (91cm), width: 18in (46cm), depth: 2Sin (63cm)
the mere glitter of cut glass cladding, and hinted at future potential. One hundred and forty years after Osier's first commission, Danny Lane re-invented glass furniture - and fountains - and since then has explored and extended the material's capabilities to meet this very challenging genre. Lane shapes and decorates glass and he is best known for his use of sheet or float glass. It may have irregular edges. It may be acid-etched or sand-blasted, cut, or split w i t h extraordinary control. It may be assembled in a three dimensional construction and it may be associated w i t h wood or metal. But essentially it is flat. In the last thirty years the decorative and sculptural possibilities of so apparently limited a material as flat or sheet glass have been much expanded by artists from Europe and Czechoslovakia particularly. In the 1960s in Prague, Bohumil Elia was experimenting on assemblages of sand-blasted and engraved glass sheets. Some of these works, for example the huge Fountain exhibited at the U N I V E R S A L EXPOSITION in Montreal in 1967, were architectural in their inspiration and ambition. In 1970 he was making sculptural works of stacked and articulated glass and by the 1980s he was painting on sheet and hollow glass. In the early 1970s in Britain, Harry Seagar exhibited uncompromising machine-age geometric sculptures of assembled and bolted plate glass, interspaced w i t h perspex and aluminium, which relied on the interaction of audience and landscape for their full, kinetic effect. In the late 1970s the Dutch glass artist Piet Hein Stulemeijer exhibited carefully orchestrated columns of stacked and twisted sheet glass. Indeed, many artists have used combinations of stacked sheet glass w i t h other materials over the last twenty years. Danny Lane began using this type of glass some fifteen years ago, completely unaware of precursors but bringing to it an invention which is completely his own and which has been internationally influential. This is the technigue, known descripively as 'shish-kebabbing' but more technically as 'post-tensioning'. Class threaded onto stainless steel is held in place under such compression that, tested under structural engineering conditions it has withstood more than 2 5 0 , 0 0 0 kilograms. This phenomenal strength takes the implications of the method well into major structural ambitions, while Lane finds the spinal metaphor one of the most pleasing artistic aspects. He was born in 1955 in Urbana, Illinois. His father, a Professor at the University of Virginia, was awarded a sabbatical period when Lane was seven and the family toured round Europe spending most time in Cermany where he learned to speak the language. The Lanes were regular visitors to museums and at this period and during subsequent European trips the young boy eagerly absorbed the sights and, in particular, the arts of the various countries which they visited. These experiences are still quoted by Lane as important. When he was twelve the family moved to New York. Lane loved the city. Its vibrant culture was enormously
12 SOLOMON'S COLUMN
Post t e n s i o n e d s t a c k e d glass s c u l p t u r e . This is a f a v o u r i t e f o r m t h a t D a n n y Lane has used f o r s c u l p t u r e s and f o u n t a i n s w o r l d w i d e . M a l l e t t ' s piece is i r r i g a t e d i n t e r n a l l y so t h a t w a t e r f l o w s m y s t e r i o u s l y o u t f r o m b e t w e e n t h e t o p layers of glass, w h i c h is a n i m a t e d by l i g h t as t h e w a t e r cascades d o w n its sides. D a n n y Lane 1 9 9 7 Height: 8 8 i n (224cm), diameter: 15in ( 3 8 c m )
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i n f l u e n t i a l a n d w h e n t h e f a m i l y t h e n moved to a n d settled in B a l t i m o r e , specifically to e s c a p e from N e w York Lane, at f o u r t e e n , regularly ran back t o N e w York e a c h w e e k e n d . A t t h e s a m e t i m e his s c h o o l i n g w a s not a success a n d at a g e e i g h t e e n he set off to travel a r o u n d t h e U S A a n d C a n a d a . His early experiences had formed a n intelligent, inquiring a n d artistic c h a r a c t e r a n d it w a s b e c o m i n g clear to him t h a t his future lay, s o m e h o w , in t h e arts. In 1 9 7 5 Lane c o n t a c t e d t h e British s t a i n e d glass c r a f t s m a n a n d artist, Patrick Reyntiens, w h o regularly took s t u d e n t assistants. Lane moved to Britain a n d j o i n e d R e y n t i e n s a t his B u r l e i g h f i e l d w o r k s h o p for a year, w h i l e he a s s e m b l e d a portfolio of work in t h e h o p e of entering a school of art. A p a r t from his o w n work a n d t h e work d o n e in c o l l a b o r a t i o n w i t h J o h n Piper, Patrick R e y n t i e n s is o t h e r w i s e best k n o w n for t h e i m m e a s u r a b l e i n f l u e n c e he has had as a teacher. A charismatic, r o m a n t i c figure of e n o r m o u s charm, e n e r g y a n d e l o q u e n c e , R e y n t i e n s w a s of crucial i m p o r t a n c e to Lane a t this s t a g e of his personal a n d artistic d e v e l o p m e n t . In a d d i t i o n , a f t e r L a n e had s p e n t a y e a r at t h e B y a m S h a w S c h o o l of Art, R e y n t i e n s r e c o m m e n d e d him to t h e C e n t r a l S c h o o l of A r t w h e r e he w a s H e a d of Fine Art. T h e r e Lane fell u n d e r t h e spell of t h e e q u a l l y c h a r i s m a t i c Cecil Collins. T h e s e f e w years in L o n d o n art schools - from 1976 to 1 9 8 0 - f o r m e d m u c h of D a n n y Lane's personal style, not only in his d r a w i n g but also in his v i e w on life a n d w h a t may be d r a w n from it. E m e r g i n g from s t u d e n t life, t r a i n e d in t h e 'fine arts' a n d w i t h a wife, M a r i a n g e l a , w h o m he had met at t h e B y a m S h a w S c h o o l , t h e business of s u r v i v i n g b e c a m e at o n c e o v e r w h e l m i n g . His first studio w a s in W h i t e c r o s s Street in t h e East End of London, shortly f o l l o w e d by a m o v e to N e w N o r t h Place, both places in or near t h e H a c k n e y area, t h e old c e n t r e of L o n d o n ' s furniture trade. H e r e small w o r k s h o p s a n d t r a d i t i o n a l skills still survived. L a n e s p e n t his t i m e in a n d a r o u n d t h e s e w o r k s h o p s picking up k n o w l e d g e and skills w h i c h he w a s to turn t o g o o d use a n d also f o r m i n g a d e e p respect for c r a f t m a n s h i p , w o r k m a n l i k e a t t i t u d e s a n d professional skills as w e l l as an u n f l a g g i n g f a s c i n a t i o n w i t h materials. H e had b e g u n to a c c u m u l a t e t h e stockpile of b a r g a i n off-cuts of metal, glass a n d w o o d , cherished hoards of f o u n d , i n v a l u a b l e a n d p o t e n t i a l l y re-cyclable m a t e r i a l s for w h i c h he had no d e f i n i t e purpose in mind but w h i c h w e r e to b e c o m e his stock-in-trade. In 1983, L a n e met a n English engraver, J o h n C r e i g h t o n , w h o i n t r o d u c e d him to t h e t e c h n i q u e of w o r k i n g w i t h sand blasting. Lane has since p r o d u c e d glass d e c o r a t e d by this m e t h o d from t h e most d e l i c a t e tracery to complex works as rich as tapestries. T h e y o p e n e d a s h o w r o o m in C a m d e n Lock in N o r t h L o n d o n a n d c o l l a b o r a t e d on a n u m b e r of j o i n t projects, f o r m i n g a c o m p a n y GLASSWORKS. Lane w a s p r o d u c i n g
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15 SHORA A ALA EL-NIL
SAIL ON THE
NILE
M a q u e t t e for a w a t e r s c u l p t u r e 3 . 5 m x 1.3m x 4 5 0 m m erected in t h e centre of t h e foyer of t h e new Conrad H o t e l in Cairo, c o m m i s s i o n e d by Bechtel for Conrad H i l t o n Hotels. 6 m m f l o a t glass post t e n s i o n e d i n t o a s p i r a l l i n g f o r m . M o u n t e d on a h a m m e r f r a c t u r e d and polished 2 5 m m f l o a t glass base. D a n n y Lane 1 9 9 8 H e i g h t : 2 8 i n (71cm). w i d t h : 2 9 i n (74cm), d e p t h : 19in ( 4 8 c m )
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decorated mirrors and tables. His scope enlarged: he produced his first works in stacked, sheet glass and also began to take an interest in metals, working with the blacksmith, Paul Anderson, and building up a t e a m of skilled helpers. W i t h i n a year, he had begun to show work at the influential shop ONE OFF in Shelton Street, London, owned by the avant-garde designer Ron Arad. The first exhibition of his work and t h a t of the designerTom Dixon was held at ONE OFF where such events led to fantastic furnishings of sheet metal already rusting, self-conscious nuts and bolts, sheet glass already broken, rough wood, all of it either genuinely found or deliberately reduced to an advanced stage of picturesque decay. breaks
- break it first, it scratches
and this is a quality
I don't neglect"
- scratch
it first, metal rusts - rust it first. Decay
is inherent
in these
"Glass materials,
was a handy Lane quote for the increasing numbers of magazines and journals
which explored the phenomenon. The style was given the names 'Creative Salvage' and 'Post-Holocaust' and for Lane, whose amassed hoard of such material was only waiting to be re-cycled from salvage to art, it was a perfect opportunity to express himself. Throughout this period, Danny Lane worked with his customary adrenalin-charged precipitousness. Creation came most reliably when deadlines were imminent and materials either recalcitrant or unpromising. For anyone else, panic would have been the more reasonable reaction. His working style, always poised on a knife's edge between success and disaster, was to start manipulating the material and to allow the results each time to dictate the next stage. A l w a y s ready to take a d v a n t a g e of the unexpected. Lane was able to pull something exciting and unpredictable from the most unpromising of circumstances. W i t h a group of like-minded helpers and a patron willing to enter into the spirit of the challenge, he was at his best. Lane developed a lightness of touch which ought to have been inappropriate on a large scale but in his hands gave a flickering life, an almost tentative surface to the large areas of glass on which he drew. In the same way, w h e n he began to explore the aesthetic and structural possibilites of stacking glass in 1984. A l t h o u g h others had done so before him none had developed the extraordinary fluidity which became a sort of trademark. This fluidity is further emphasised by the combination of rhythmically orchestrated glass with bolts of metal twisted and manipulated with a dexterity which gave the metal the appearance of hanks of wool orfabric. For the first time, in 1984, he showed work abroad, with ONE OFF at the INTERNATIONAL FURNITURE FAIR in Milan. In t h a t year he made folding glass screens with sandblasted and acid etched drawings. By the following year he had graduated to the production of some of the major works of his career so far - the
16 A P A I R OF A R C H A N G E L S
S t a n d i n g lamps w i t h slumped and sand blasted 19mm float glass bowls, s u p p o r t e d by a stem of layered, h a m m e r bevelled, post t e n s i o n e d glass discs s h e a t h e d in a polished t w i s t e d stainless steel tube, poised on s a n d b l a s t e d f l o a t glass wings. The lamp in t h e etched glass bowl throws its s h a d o w d r a w i n g s on to the wall behind.
Danny Lane 1998 H e i g h t : 8 5 i n (215cm)
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ROMEO AND J U L I E T TABLE a n d t h e R S J TABLE. O v e r t h e next t w o y e a r s c o n t a c t s a n d new d e s i g n s b e g a n to f o l l o w quickly. E v e n w i t h this increasing success he w a s o b l i g e d to work at full stretch w i t h no real c e r t a i n t y a b o u t t h e next c o m m i s s i o n . H e may have f o u n d this t h e most c o n g e n i a l a n d p r o d u c t i v e atmosphere but it was, nevertheless, extraordinarily d e m a n d i n g of e n e r g y a n d nerve.
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In 1 9 8 6 he d e s i g n e d a n d m a d e t h e ETRUSCAN CHAIR, t h e s e a t a n d back of 2 5 m m f l o a t glass broken e d g e d a n d polished, w i t h legs of forged s t u d d i n g . M a n y versions of this original d e s i g n have f o l l o w e d . In t h e s a m e y e a r a glass f o u n t a i n , c o m m i s s i o n e d by S u e a n d M a r t i n C o u l d , w a s i n s t a l l e d on a site in M i a m i , Florida. T h e f o u n t a i n w a s c o n s t r u c t e d of stacked glass as w a s t h e first of a n e w series, t h e STACKED CHAIR ( p a g e 9) - t h e origin of t h e 'post-tensioning' m e t h o d . E a c h new version w a s t h e result not only of v a r i a t i o n s in t h e d e s i g n but in critical a d j u s t m e n t s to t h e g a u g e a n d t y p e of sheet glass used. E a c h n e w design w a s also t h e result of d e e p e r u n d e r s t a n d i n g a n d more confid e n c e in his t r e a t m e n t of t h e glass a n d k n o w l e d g e of its b e h a v i o u r u n d e r stress. P r o b a b l y t h e most d a r i n g of t h e s e furniture-sculptures w a s t h e bed, A N C A R A I B , first d e s i g n e d a n d m a d e in 1987 a n d s h o w n a t t h e exhibition British H o m e m a d e held in Rouen. This e x t r a o r d i n a r y 'bed' is an u n d u l a t i n g raft of glass sheets, j o i n e d e d g e s u p w a r d s and s u p p o r t e d by a n a p p a r e n t l y roughly a s s e m b l e d f r a m e of h e w n w o o d b r a n c h e s lashed together, t a k e n from s t o r m - d a m a g e d London plane-trees. T h e bed is r e m i n i s c e n t of primitive structures, t h e glass a p p e a r i n g to be f l u n g across t h e f r a m e like a blanket. A c h a l l e n g i n g sculpture, this is t h e bed as a peg on w h i c h to h a n g u n s e t t l i n g proposals a b o u t our e x p e c t a t i o n s of comfort. It invites t h e v i e w e r to relax, yet, full of m o v e m e n t it is clearly o f f e r i n g a less-than-relaxing experience. It suggests a n o m a d i c , a n c i e n t , u n c o m f o r t a b l e existence and y e t its kingly presence speaks of luxury a n d power. T h e stacked glass o b j e c t s had b e c o m e a p a r t i c u l a r t r a d e m a r k and this w a s t a k e n up by t h e I t a l i a n c o m p a n y w h o specialise in b e n d i n g glass
FIAM
a n d w h o c o m m i s s i o n e d designs for a t a b l e and chairs. In
1 9 8 8 t h e L o n d o n gallery T H E M E S & VARIATIONS took his exhibition from its first s h o w i n g in t h e DILMOS GALLERY in M i l a n , t h u s p r o v i d i n g his first solo s h o w in this country. U n e x p e c t e d l y , in 1989 he w a s asked to provide d e c o r a t i v e screens a n d a w a l l s c u l p t u r e for t h e British E m b a s s y in Helsinki, an u n u s u a l i n s t a n c e of g o v e r n m e n t p a t r o n a g e a n d a rare choice. His r e p u t a t i o n has spread in A m e r i c a , Italy, S p a i n a n d in G e r m a n y w h e r e he has work in t h e VITRA DESIGN M U S E U M a n d in private a n d c o r p o r a t e collections. M o r e recently he has c o m p l e t e d c o m m i s s i o n s in Tokyo a n d Osaka in J a p a n a n d m a n y more in Britain. In 1 9 9 4 t h e new Glass G a l l e r y o p e n e d in t h e VICTORIA & A L B E R T M U S E U M . Lane w a s c o m m i s s i o n e d to make
18
19 M O O N IN G E M I N I
A pair of glass consoles. Each with a half moon top OH a solomonic column of pliered and highly polished discs over a bun footed, smaller half moon base. Both top and base have drawings by Danny Lane carved into their surfaces by sandblasting. All in 25mm float glass.
Danny Lane 1999 Height: 29'/., in (75cm), width: 3 0 / ; in (78cm), depth: 20in (51 cm)
the lengthy balustrade on stairs leading to a mezzanine floor and he now regards this as a breakt h r o u g h both in attracting recognition and the attendant commissions. Of stacked pillars, orchestrated so that movement creates a glittering undulation, this remains probably his best known work in a British public building and a m a j o r c o n t r i b u t i o n to the Gallery's success. By 1997, he was one of a group of eleven artists, engineers, architects and glass artists who were invited to form an exhibition of new proposals for the use of glass in architecture, held at the Crafts Council gallery and entitled
C L A S S , L I G H T & SPACE.
A l t h o u g h much criticised, in bringing together a disparate set of enquiring
even aggressive individuals, the show made a strong plea for glass in urban situations - as indeed, Lane has been doing for much of his career. Lane moved to his present workshops in Willesden, North London in 1990. Here, in spacious surroundings, he now works w i t h a fluctuating team of helpers and assistants, several of w h o m are glass artists in their own right or who are students about to embark on a career. He is consistent in his praise of them and in emphasising t h a t everything he does is dependent also on the team. He is constantly looking for opportunities to expand his vocabulary and two recent developments are already leading to an explosion of new ideas. The hot glassmaker David Taylor specialises in furnace technology and is about to collaborate in the workshop w i t h Lane. With Taylor's input he plans to add w h a t he hopes will be fiery colours to his range. He talks excitedly of giant puddles of glass. A t the same time Lane is working with a company making glass for scientific and laboratory use, the fruits of which will be shown first at Malletts. This is hot borosilicate glass in t u b u l a r form, heated w i t h a blowtorch, spun on a lathe, stretched, enlarged by centrifugal force and imploded by shunting. Dramatic techniques. It is the type of glass used for ovenwares; a d i f f i c u l t glass which does not yield easily to an artistic role. Lane is coaxing it, combining it w i t h other glass - gold, opal, silvered - a n d hisfamilargreen. In
1993
he was given a one-man show at the
ARTISTS' COLONY
which was founded in
Ulmer writes "Utilitarian
objects
artists was a notion of artistic
MATHILDENHOHE, 1899.
Darmstadt, the museum of the
In the text to this i m p o r t a n t show the curator Renate
devised not by professional
creation
DARMSTADT
designers
but rather by
central to the former artists' colony (at Darmstadt)".
contemporary Drawing a
parallel between this turn-of-the-century concept and Lane's own position in contemporary glass she thus refers to a period when artists and architects looked to 'crafts materials' as a means of expression, bringing a wealth of influences and ideas which redefined the decorative arts, and a freedom with techniques
20
21 PRIMAVERA
Vase - one of a new g r o u p of works made f r o m t u b u l a r b o r o s i l i c a t e glass d e v e l o p e d w i t h master s c i e n t i f i c glass blowers. Danny Lane 1 9 9 9 H e i g h t : 2 9 A in ( 7 4 . 5 c m )
which often radicahsed the use of the material. The painter Paul Gauguin made ceramics and carved wood; the painter and architect Peter Behrens designed glass, metalwork and furniture; Carlo Bugatti who trained as a painter, designed furniture. Lane too feeds off his fine art background but the fact is t h a t he remains d i f f i c u l t to categorise. In the Darmstadt catalogue, Ulmer continues: "...Lane's chairs, tables and wall screens seem to be paraphrases household
objects...he
says,'It wasn't designed,
characterizes
of
the way each of his objects is made tersely but quite accurately
it happened'".
familiar when he
The mere act of stacking glass imposes certain visual results dependant
on technical precision and control and it is rare to see an artist using this technique in the painterly, broad sweeping manner which Lane o f t e n adopts. He himself describes his work as swinging between forms of classicism and romanticism and this is not simply the disparate techniques of glass stacking and glass engraving which he uses w i t h equal abandon, equal control. More mundanely his working method requires him to convey a concept to a team of committed assistants who can be asked to do the most unremittingly repetitive work. The sheer scale of some of the major commissions and the range of semi-industrial techniques needed to realise them, require a range of skills which can only be supplied by several people. The interface between his inspiration and their production are very much dependant on personal chemistry. Thus it is t h a t in the exhibitions with his glassmaker contemporaries. Lane stands out as the exception. When challenged he says t h a t whatever situation he finds himself in he likes to stretch it, to challenge it, to move the walls. So in a conversation about making, he pushes the discussion beyond craft towards concept. With talk of art, he enthuses about the precise variations of a cut line and the manner in which it records the gesture of cutting. Because of his working methods, his background, the mix of drawing, craft and industry, he has remained on the fringe of the British glass world. The symptom, and the consequence, is t h a t he is unique in this country. No other maker, designer or artist fills the space for glass theatre which he invented, which is clearly there, and which he occupies so resoundingly. JENNIFER H OPIE, BA FRSA
Deputy Curator Ceramics and Class Dept.,
V&A
Museum, London
M u c h of t h i s t e x t has been d r a w n f r o m an e a r l i e r a r t i c l e p u b l i s h e d in M E D E D E L I N C E N B L A D N E D E R L A N D S E V E R E N I N O I N C V A N V R I E N D E N V A N C E R A M I E K EN CLAS, n o . l 4 9 , 1 9 9 3 / 2 , p p 3 2 - 9
22 QUICKSILVER
RISING
Developed f r o m t u b u l a r borosilicate glass by Lane and a master scientific glass blower. The t o p has been flared and t h e u n d u l a t i n g u p r i g h t stem is spun and stretched w i t h a silvered borosilicate glass i n t e r n a l core. The lower b l o w n e l e m e n t is a bee-sting t a i l c o n t a i n i n g a c o m p l e x integral split silvered core t h a t rises like mercury t h r o u g h t h e entire c o n s t r u c t i o n , o b s c u r i n g t h e central compression rod and electrical c a b l i n g . A l l this is s u p p o r t e d by a t r i p o d c o n s t r u c t i o n f o r m e d of low iron glass w i t h t u r n e d stainless steel. Danny Lane 1 9 9 9 H e i g h t : 9 8 / ; in ( 2 5 0 c m ) , d i a m e t e r of t o p : 17in ( 4 3 c m )
23
24 A P A I R OF
ETACERES
The design for these e t a g e r e s first a p p e a r s in the Osier design book as n u m b e r 2817, d a t e d S e p t e m b e r 1882, where it is described as an ' o b l o n g whatnot'. The shelves have a teak w o o d carcass supported by an electro-plated silver metal frame clad w i t h strips of cut and mirrored glass. A n o t h e r e t a g e r e is in the collection of t h e B i r m i n g h a m City M u s e u m and A r t Gallery.
B i r m i n g h a m , England, circa 1885 H e i g h t : 3 5 i n ( 8 9 c m ) , Length: 3 2 i n (81 cm). Depth: 19/.. in ( 4 9 c m )
25
26 A CIRCULAR
CUERIDON
A pedestal t a b l e of glass and ormolu s t a m p e d F & C Osier. The circular giass top is cut beneatli in a geometrical design and rests on an e l a b o r a t e ormolu support w i t h central glass finial. The glass stem, w i t h an intricately cut central band, rests on an ormolu ring w i t h six protruding bosses. The spreading glass foot stands on a heavy ormolu base.
B i r m i n g h a m , E n g l a n d , circa 1865 H e i g h t : 32/4 in ( 8 2 c m ) , Diameter: 1 8 A in ( 4 7 c m )
m 27
28 AS A B O V E SO B E L O W
A pair of glass occasional tables, made of h a m m e r bevelled concentric circles of 12mm low iron glass, highly polished for maximum clarity and sparkle.
D a n n y Lane 1999 H e i g h t : 30'A in (77.5cm), top diameter: 19'/2 in ( 4 9 c m )
29 A P A I R OF P E D E S T A L T A B L E S
A p a i r o f O s l e r c u t glass t a b l e s w i t h d o m e d bases i n t o w h i c h t h e s t e m s are s c r e w e d , w i t h t h e j o i n t b e i n g c o v e r e d by c u t socles. T h e o c t a g o n a l t o p s are t r i m m e d w i t h a n e w silk v e l v e t a n d h o l d t h e o r i g i n a l c u t m i r r o r p l a t e s . T h e s i l v e r p l a t e d bases are m o d e r n c o p i e s o f t h e o r i g i n a l a n d are designed to give protection during household cleaning.
B i r m i n g h a m , E n g l a n d , circa 1 8 8 0 H e i g h t : 3 3 / i in ( 8 5 c m ) , W i d t h ; 3 0 / ; in ( 7 7 c m ) , D e p t h : 21 in ( 5 3 c m )
GREENSTONES
Two sculpted and polished c o l u m n s of float g l a s s s u p p o r t a h a m m m e r cut table top of 25nnm float g l a s s
D a n n y Lane 1 9 9 9 Height; 28'/jin (72.5cm), length: 1 0 6 i n { 2 6 9 c m ) , width: 5 8 i n ( 1 4 7 c m )
%
32
E M E R A L D TABLE
T h i s p i e c e tal<es its n a m e f r o m t
h a m m e r bevelled c o n c e n t r i c circ
D a n n y Lane 1 9 9 7
H e i g h t : l l ' / ^ in ( 7 0 c m ) , d i a m e t e
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33 A CUT C L A S S
CARPET
A c a r p e t d e s i g n e d a n d m a d e by F & C O s i e r in B i r m i n g h a m for tineir s h o w r o o m in C a l c u t t a . T h e c a r p e t c o n s i s t s of six p a n e l s of g l a s s c u t w i t h g e o m e t r i c a l a n d l e a f y p a t t e r n s u n d e r n e a t h , held t o g e t h e r by a silverp l a t e d m e t a l f r a m e . It is b e l i e v e d t h a t t h i s c a r p e t w a s for m a n y y e a r s in t h e g r e a t m o s q u e in B h o p a l a n d it a p p e a r s as n u m b e r 3 1 6 8 in t h e O s i e r p a t t e r n book.
B i r m i n g h a m , E n g l a n d , circa 1 8 8 5 N o w m o u n t e d as a low t a b l e L e n g t h : 4 4 ' A in (114cm), w i d t h : 2 7 ' A i n ( 7 0 c m )
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From the time of Louis XIV glass mosaic and coloured glass, sometimes mirrored, was used to decorate furniture. However the hey-day of glass furniture was the nineteenth century, when first the Imperial Glassworks in Russia and then Osier in England and Baccarat in France produced a wide range of furniture forthe MiddleEastern and Indian markets. Osier of Birmingham had large showrooms in Calcutta, opened in 1845, from where they supplied armchairs, chaise-longues, tables, sideboards, etageres, folio stands, cheval mirrors, and even four-poster beds and longcase clocks to the Maharajas. Fortunately the Osier factory is well documented and much of this furniture still survives. Baccarat opened a showroom in Bombay in the late 1880's, which displayed their more limited range of designs, all executed to the highest standards. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries glass and mirror was used only as decorative cladding on furniture. In particular verre eglomisewas
used in England, Scandinavia, France, North Germany, Bohemia, Russia and
Venice. In Russia in the 1760's some furniture was produced using coloured glass veneers produced at M.V. Lomonosov's factory near St Petersburg, which can now be seen in the Chinese Palace, Oranienbaum, also just outside the same city. Both the METROPOLITAN MUSEUM, New York, and the ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO have examples of a suite of furniture made in Sicily in the 1790's where the giltwood is inlaid with glass, reverse painted in imitation of precious stones. In the glass museum in Murano there are several fine examples of Venetian furniture of the eighteenth century inlaid with aventurine and other coloured glasses. This tradition continued into the nineteenth century and we illustrate a fine Venetian mirror-glass clad settee.
34 A MASSIVE CHANDELIER
This fifty light chandelier richly hung with pendant drops of particularly large scale and elaborate pattern appears as number 2 4 0 0 in Osier's large folio and this number would suggest that the chandelier was made in approximately 1862. By this time Osier had made several extremely large chandeliers which is apparent in the confidence of this massive yet light design.
Birmingham, England, circa 1862 Height: 10ft 2in {310cm), span: 6ft 6in ( 1 9 8 c m )
M i
life
The story of glass furniture is the story of new technology meeting the market place. Before the nineteenth century glass houses could produce large objects as long as they were comparatively thin. To produce large thick objects, such as chair legs, requires highly controlled annealing or cooling, otherwise the glass will 'fly', especially during cutting. Thick items of glass need an exceptionally clear metal if they are not to appear dull. This was at last achieved by Victorian chemists in the nineteenth century. Highly cut glass furniture in the Victorian style required a particular kind of taste to appreciate it. During the nineteenth century the market was almost entirely in the Orient, predominately Indian w i t h some further u<
demand in the Middle East. Only companies from countries and w i t h good access to these markets could succeed. A t this time these parts of the world were divided up into English and French spheres of influence.
FRANCE
During the nineteenth century France's boundaries were rather changeable, depending on that country's political and military failures and successes. In particular the glass-making area around Liege, in w h a t is now Belgium, was under French control until 1830, and after the Franco-Prussian war of 1870 the area of Lorraine where the factory of Saint Louis is situated became German. To complicate matters further a Frenchman, M. d'Artigues, first owned Saint Louis, then Voneche in Belgium, then Voneche together with Baccarat, and finally just Baccarat. Because for a t i m e the name of Voneche was more prestigious than Baccarat, some Baccarat products were sold under the Voneche name. Probably the most famous glass furniture in Europe is the glass armchair and dressing-table in the LOUVRE,
Paris. These were first illustrated in
LE M A N U E L D U V E R R I E R
MUSEE
DU
by Julia de Fontenelle and published in
Paris in 1829. Apparently this dressing-table and chair, together w i t h a footstool which is now missing, were made for Marie-Louise, the Queen of Spain, to a design of N. H. Jacob. The glass for this furniture was blown by Voneche, and despite the fall of the French empire in 1815, this appears to be the Voneche in Belgium and not the 'Voneche' made by Baccarat. The cutting and metalwork were carried out by DE CRISTAL,
L'ESCALIER
which was founded around 1802 by Madame Desarnaud-Charpentier, whose workshops were in
the Palais Royal. The furniture has a steel frame to which the ormolu and glass is fixed. The dressing table has a black and gold verre eglomise table top, and at the t i m e of making Mme. Desarnaud-Charpentier said, 'this dressing table of which all the compartments (mechanical)
flute playing
and all the decorations
shine like diamonds
a
13 airs which are repeated one after the other over an hour That is to say that
during the time a pretty woman can decently sit in front of a mirror on her own'.
36
contains
37 AN ORNATE OIL
LAMP
A superb ormolu and glass oil lamp on a circular pedestal in ormolu w i t h three feet. The feet are decorated w i t h silvered masks, t h e mirrored central p l a t e a u s u r m o u n t e d by three figures of Pegasus, The stem consists of t w o pieces of geometrical cutting and is engraved with w a t e r s i d e scenes of herons, sedges and flying kingfishers. A b o v e t h e stem is a sphere decorated with further geometric cutting, at t h e top of w h i c h sit three angels s u p p o r t i n g a font. The font itself is decorated with geometrical cutting and engravings of egrets at the waterside.
B i r m i n g h a m , E n g l a n d , circa 1880 The metal work attributed to Elkington of B i r m i n g h a m . The glass work probably by F & C Osier. Overall height: 3 6 i n (91.5cm)
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A MONUMENTAL CLASS TABLE
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This Baccarat masterpiece is built up on a silver-plated chassis, the glass components cast and blown into iron moulds and then cut. The extreme thickness of the glass and the clarity of Baccarat's high lead content crystal gives this table an exceptional brilliance. The mirrored top is the original. This is one of only tw^o original examples known, the other being in the Corning Museum of Class, New York.
Baccarat, France, circa 1890 Height: 32/2 in (82.5cm), width: 34in (86cm), length: SB'A in (160cm)
Baccarat
is France's most famous glass manufacturer
and
named afterthe village of the same name in a remote area in Eastern France which is the home to their only factory. Many generations of the same families have lived in the village and worked as glassmakers. The factory site is large, storage space is not a problem, so all the moulds needed for manufacture are kept in perpetuity. In 1885 Baccarat opened a shop in Bombay; at the same time they extended their outlets in England, Russia, Japan, Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil. Some time during the next decade Baccarat designed their most ambitious item of furniture ever, our table. This required many large cast-iron moulds and weighs over half a ton. Only two of these tables are believed to have been made. One is now in the Corning Museum of Class, New York State, where it is now one of the most admired exhibits, and the other is in this exhibition. Ours has an interesting history. When made it was exported to Bombay where it was bought by a Maharaja from Rajastan. In the 1960's or early 1970's, after the granting of independence to India and the subsequent removal of rights and land from the Maharajas, it was purchased by a New York dealer and brought to the USA. It eventually entered the ownership of Liberace, the popular musical entertainer. In 1988, after Liberace's death, his effects were sold at auction and the table was acquired by Asprey of London. It was sold by them to Mr Arthur Cilbert and put on display in the Los Angeles County Museum, alongside his loaned collections of outstanding silver, antique boxes and micromosaic objects. The table survived the Los Angeles earthquake of January
1994 with only the slightest damage. Recently, Arthur Cilbert, an
Englishman who had prospered in Los Angeles, returned to live in England and brought his collections with him. These collections were made over to a trust, the Heather Trust, and are to be displayed at Somerset House when renovations there are complete. As this table is so far removed in nature from the rest of the collection the trustees reluctantly decided to sell it. In 1989 Baccarat decided to reproduce this table using the original moulds that they had retained. The table is of such complexity that staff at the factory had to visit Asprey to see the original to check on assembly details. The resultant table, with a glass and ormolu nef, went on show at Harrods in London and then at a large department store in Japan with a price tag of one million pounds sterling ($1.65m). It sold within a year.
40 AN E X H I B I T I O N TORCHERE
A B a c c a r a t twenty-four light c a n d e l a b r u m , each arm hung with long serrated drops, s t a n d i n g on an e l a b o r a t e l y cut and faceted stem s u p p o r t e d on a steel frame and four legs with d i a m o n d and floral cutting. In the B a c c a r a t museum in Lorraine is an identical c a n d e l a b r u m m a d e by t h a t c o m p a n y for t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l Exhibition in Paris in 1878. In 1880 B a c c a r a t o p e n e d a showroom in B o m b a y and this c a n d e l a b r u m (marked number 6) must have been one of the main exhibits. Later on in India it w a s converted to electricity from candles. This conversion has recently been improved to comply with modern safety standards.
Baccarat, France, circa 1878 H e i g h t : 87in ( 2 2 2 c m ) , diameter: 3 3 / ; in ( 8 5 c m )
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The illustration (page 4 0 ) shows the table in Harrods guarded by uniformed attendants as illustrated in the London Evening Standard on Monday 6th November 1989.
ENGLAND
It is d i f f i c u l t now to realise just how i m p o r t a n t India was to the suppliers of luxury goods in the nineteenth century. Many manufacturers opened showrooms in Bombay and Calcutta to cater for both the European administrators, merchants and soldiers, and the rich native rulers of India and the Princely States. The latter, in particular, had tastes much more flamboyant than t h a t of the Europeans and loved large items of glass which glistened in the Indian sunlight and felt cool in the heat of the day. The major manufacturer of glass furniture was F & C Osier of Birmingham, founded in 1807. In 1831 the founder's son took over the running of the business. The company expanded rapidly and soon had a large showroom in London's Oxford Street and a showroom in Calcutta. In 1848 Prince A l b e r t bought a pair of candelabra nine feet high for his wife Queen Victoria at
A N E X H I B I T I O N OF I N D U S T R I A L A R T S A N D M A N U F A C T U R E R S
held
at Bingley House, Broad Street, Birmingham. These candelabra can still be seen in the drawing room of Osborne House, Isle of Wight. The 1848 exhibition, which was England's first large trade fair, was so successful t h a t it largely inspired Prince Albert to promote the 1851
GREAT EXHIBITION.
Throughout the second half of the nineteenth century the company continued successfully to make table glass, chandeliers and, for India, glass furniture. They also retailed china in Oxford Street, and china and other requisites for both ex-patriots and Indians in Calcutta and Bombay. A l t h o u g h the glass furniture was greatly appreciated by the Maharajas, it was not to everybody's taste. Sir Edwin Lutyens, the great Edwardian architect, wrote of his visit to Udaipur: 'But the place from an architectural They are so childishly
vulgar and their taste is for all that glitters.
point of view I was disappointed
The cut glass furniture,
and huge looking glasses make one squirm. A four poster bed stuffed
in.
chairs, beds, tables
with red made with white cut glass of
the worst sort'. But then Lutyens had all the prejudices of an Edwardian grandee. He imposed European architectural designs on New Delhi, making little references to indigenous taste or designs. He probably t h o u g h t t h a t native Indians, no matter how well educated, were completely lacking in taste despite the great tradition of Mogul architecture. In fact these glass artefacts looked perfect in the context of a palace in a sunny climate, w i t h its tall ceilings, large windows and marble floors. T H E POTTERY G A Z E T T E
was the organ of trade gossip during this period and on June 2 2 n d
1884,
in Buyers Notes,
42 From t h e O s i e r a r c h i v e in t h e B i r m i n g h a m M u s e u m a n d A r t G a l l e r y
a p p e a r e d the f o l l o w i n g : 'On a visit to Stourbridge an advanced
state of completion
Webb, ofCoalbourn ture, upholstered
Hill Class in crimson
kind, and what, under represented nothing
time, it is another industry
the past month,
chandelier describe
circumstances, (sic) crystal
would
be a display
glass. The harmony
and the whole reflects
the highest
the beautiful difficult.
of artistically
in the colours
The design
to is intended
made in the development for an oriental
in
Joseph
glass
furni-
is of a
medieval
woodwork
is here
for decoration,
leaves
carved
employed
of seeing
of the late
suite of crystal
credit on the firm producing
that are being
that the suite referred
we had the pleasure
made by the Executor
satin, that we also saw, would be extremely
proof of the rapid strides
We understand
glass
Works. But to adequately
ordinary
in chastefully-cut
to be desired,
a magnificent
during
it, while at the of the
same
glass-making
court'. T h e chairs in this exhibi-
tion are not by J o s e p h W e b b but by Osier, but t h e remark still applies. T h e p r o d u c t i o n of these luxury items was a l w a y s small in number, a l t h o u g h , as each item was extremely expensive, they were an i m p o r t a n t part of Osier's output, both in m o n e t a r y terms a n d in terms of prestige. O u r fifty l i g h t c h a n d e l i e r c a m e from a DURBAR HALL in S o u t h e r n India where it was one of several. T h i s g i v e s s o m e c o n c e p t of the g r a n d e u r of the I n d i a n palaces. Our torcheres by B a c c a r a t w o u l d also have c o m e from s u c h a hall. T h e s e halls were where princely rulers met their s u b j e c t s a n d fulfilled the s a m e f u n c t i o n as a majlis
in a M i d d l e - E a s t e r n p a l a c e today. T h e chairs a n d t a b l e s w o u l d have been used in more private areas
of the palace, possibly the Zerena
or Hareem
but more likely in the ruler's own a p a r t m e n t s .
In India it must not be t h o u g h t t h a t ruling w a s the prerogative of the male. A u t h o r i t y c o u l d be t r a n s m i t t e d t h r o u g h the f e m a l e line with p r o b a b l y the most f a m o u s e x a m p l e in recent t i m e s being the BEGUM OF BHOPAL, t h e State w h e n c e c a m e our green star, t a k e n from a f a c a d e , a n d also our crystal prayer mat by Osier, o n e of m a n y e x p o r t e d to India. D e c o r a t e d g l a s s p a n e l s were used in the s a l o n s of the great t r a n s a t l a n t i c liners between t h e wars but t h e G r e a t War effectively b o u g h t to an end the productions of such items of luxury as g l a s s furniture. T h e 1 9 3 0 ' s were years of recession in Europe a n d A m e r i c a a n d India was torn with strife, w h i c h was to lead e v e n t u a l l y in 1 9 4 7 to H o m e Rule. Only Rene Lalique carried on production with his C A a u s T A B L E , w h i c h is still in production. A l t h o u g h w o o d has a l w a y s been m a i n choice for the p r o d u c t i o n of furniture, o w i n g to its a v a i l a b i l i t y a n d ease of w o r k i n g , it has never been the only material. Iron has been used, from crude b l a c k s m i t h ' s work to t h e exquisite work from the c r a f t s m e n of Tula, particularly in c a m p a i g n furniture. T h e use of bolts a n d h i n g e s make it c o l l a p s i b l e a n d iron is extremely sturdy. T a b l e s have been m a d e from coal a n d marble seats, b e n c h e s a n d t a b l e s are p o p u l a r in o r i e n t a l c o u n t r i e s , p a r t i c u l a r l y for o u t s i d e use, t h e very best b e i n g i n l a i d w i t h
44 A TWELVE ARM TORCHERE
A finely cut glass torchere with twelve arms in two layers supported on a highly cut stem, surmounted by a large single piece finial. This torchere was supplied by Baccarat to a pavilion in Istanbul. Many palaces in this city contain to this day similar torcheres purchased during the reign of A b d u l II. Baccarat, France, circa 1870 The pedestal base of modern simulated marble. Height: 91 'Ain { 2 3 3 c m ) , diameter: 4 2 i n ( 1 0 6 c m )
semi-precious stones, particularly from the workshops around Agra. Silver, sometimes gilded, has been used, sometimes solid but more usually as cladding, with the use of repousse work to give surface decoration. This technique is particularly used in throne chairs. During this century plastics have been used. Thermosetting
plastics such
as
Bakelite
were
particularly
used
for
such
items
as
radio
cabinets.
Thermoplastic plastics such as PVC are used in garden furniture and furniture for the nursery while glass reinforced plastic is used in contemporary furniture because of its ability to produce flowing lines while retaining lightness. The only transparent material to be used other than glass is the thermoplastic acrylic, 'perspex' in the UK. This is a very tractable material but it is soft and scratches too easily for every day use. Class, however, is tough. It was not until the 1980's that Danny Lane, starting with the approach of a sculptor, redefined w h a t could be done with this apparently intractable material. Class is the most unforgiving of materials to work with. W h e n hot it must be worked quickly and w h e n cold any changes are irreversible. The temptation must be to play safe, but Danny has courage. Technically, virtually all of his pieces could have been made at any time over the last two hundred years, and conceptually they might have been possible in the 1920's, but Danny is the first to show us the use of controlled irregularity. His glass is not chipped and broken at random; the forms are controlled with a sculptor's eye, the functions with a technician's knowledge. John
P Smith
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46 A PAI R OF T O R C H E R E S
A pair of glass a n d silver p l a t e d t o r c h e r e s m a n u f a c t u r e d a n d s i g n e d by F & C Osier, B i r m i n g h a m , t h e h e a v y c a s t b a s e o n t h r e e s m a l l b u n f e e t a b o v e w h i c h are a s e r i e s of d i f f e r e n t l y d e c o r a t e d g l a s s s e g m e n t s , s u p p o r t e d by silver p l a t e d s l e e v e s a n d s u r m o u n t e d by a m i r r o r e d p l a t e a u .
E n g l a n d , circa 1 8 7 5 Height: 45in (114cm)
48 A P A I R OF T H R O N E
CHAIRS
These t w o m a g n i f i c e n t armchairs have been reupholstered in a regal sill< v e l v e t w h i c h copies t h e original design conceived in 1894, Their solid glass legs are f a c e t e d and richly cut and support steel and w o o d e n frames and ornately faceted and cut backs. This design a p p e a r s in t h e large Osier folio as n u m b e r 2 8 9 5 B . The slightly larger chair w o u l d have been for t h e M a h a r a j a or Prince, and the smaller for his consort.
B i r m i n g h a m , E n g l a n d circa 1895 CHAIR LEFT: H e i g h t : 4 8 i n (122cm), width: 26'/i
in (67cm), depth: 26'A in ( 6 7 c m )
CHAIR RIGHT: H e i g h t : 4 6 i n , (117cm), width: 2 5 / ; in ( 6 5 c m ) , depth: 23/,
in ( 6 0 c m )
49
:
50 SOLOMON'S CHAIR
O n e o f a limited edition (a maximum of 12 to be made, subject to availability of the opal glass). The cleaved seat, inspired by Solomon's split judgement, is made from rare cast opalescent glass. 24 mm cast opalescent cast glass, steel, 19 mm float glass.
Danny Lane 1998 Height: 47in (120cm), width: 15'A in (40cm), depth: 24in { 6 0 c m )
51 A V E N E T I A N SETTEE
A V e n e t i a n l a t e 1 9 t h c e n t u r y e n g r a v e d a n d m i r r o r e d glass s e t t e e , t h e back d i v i d e d i n t o t h r e e b e v e l l e d e d g e d p a n e l s o f f l o r a l e n g r a v i n g , f r a m e d w i t h s i m i l a r l y e n g r a v e d b o r d e r s , h a v i n g an e l a b o r a t e s c r o l l e d c r e s t i n g e n g r a v e d w i t h f l o r a l sprays. The a r m s a n d f r i e z e are m o u n t e d w i t h p a n e l s o f m i r r o r d e c o r a t e d w i t h o v a l a n d c i r c u l a r recessed p a t e r a e . N o w u p h o l s t e r e d in g r e e n silk v e l v e t .
V e n i c e , I t a l y , circa 1 8 8 0 Height: 59in (150cm), width: 56in (142cm), depth: 25in (63cm)
52 THREE TOWERS
MAQUETTE
M a q u e t t e for a proposal for D i g i t a l E q u i p m e n t ' s E u r o p e a n h e a d q u a r t e r s in G e n e v a . Three i n d e p e n d e n t sculptures, each t w i s t e d a r o u n d t h e vertical axis to form a staggered series t h a t spirals into a single line. Layered 2 / 3 mm float glass, steel fittings.
D a n n y Lane 1998 H e i g h t : 11 'A in ( 2 9 c m ) , length: 2 0 i n (51cm), w i d t h : S i n ( 2 0 c m )
r
53 VARIABLE THEME
A new version of this classic D a n n y Lane console with a pliered and h a m m e r fractured 2 5 m m float glass top and c o n n e c t i n g shelf structure through w h i c h two layered columns o f l 2 m m glass spiral with stainless steel fittings.
D a n n y Lane 1 9 8 6 / 1 9 9 8 H e i g h t : 35'A in ( 9 0 . 5 c m ) , width: 78'/4 in ( 2 0 0 c m ) , depth: 24in ( 6 0 c m )
Much of Danny Lane's work is made to commission, sometimes sculpture, sometimes furniture, occasionally lighting. This type of work enables D a n n y to develop new ideas, taking into account the situation in which the object will be placed. Indeed many of the new works in this exhibition took into account Mallett's specific requirements, especially with regard to lighting. We, at Mallett, look forward to new challenges and would welcome working with o u r c l i e n t s in the commissioning of works in glass or metal from D a n n y Lane.
54 REELING WALLS MAQUETTE
Maquette for a post tensioned, layered glass sculpture. The large version (shown opposite), is in a private collection, Munich, Germany. 2 m m float glass, hand turned stainless steel fittings on a 2 5 mm float glass hammer bevelled base.
D a n n y Lane 1992 Height: 14in ( 3 5 c m ) , width: ]9/i in ( 4 9 . 5 c m ) , length: 27in ( 6 9 c m )
56 DIAMOND MAQUETTE
M a q u e t t e for the D i a m o n d C o l u m n , (opposite). Layered polished 6 mm float glass, s t a i n l e s s steel base and t i t a n i u m top fitting. Danny Lane 1 9 9 8 Height: 2O/2 in ( 5 2 c m ) , d i a m e t e r o f base: S i n ( 2 0 c m )
DIAMOND COLUMN
Post tensioned layered glass s c u l p t u r e . T h e 3 0 degree cuts through this e x c e p t i o n a l l y bright low iron glass create a prism t h a t breaks up full spectrum light to reveal rainbows of colour at the sculpture's outer angles. Danny Lane 1 9 9 8 Height: 81 in ( 2 0 6 cm), w i d t h : I S i n ( 4 6 c m ) , depth: l O i n ( 2 6 c m )
58 ELECTRIC STANDARD
LAMP
A cut glass standard lamp s u p p o r t e d on an ormolu base with lion's mask and classical a n t h e m ion decoration, the stem made of c o l u m n s of glass decorated with cross cutting or rope twist. This a p p e a r s as number E271 in the Osier c a t a l o g u e . B i r m i n g h a m , E n g l a n d , circa 1895. H e i g h t : 6 2 i n (157.5cm)
S T A N D S TO
REASON
A pair of s t a n d i n g lamps in post t e n s i o n e d float glass. These are t h e first of a group of pieces to use low iron glass. Each piece has all its edges arrissed and highly polished for maximum reflectivity. Danny Lane 1999. H e i g h t : 78.5in ( 1 9 9 c m )
59
D a n n y L a n e s t u d i o in f u l l s w i n g o n t h e m o n u m e n t a l m e t a l w o r k C H I L D OF FAMILY f o r S o u t h a m p t o n
Danny Lane w a s born in the U S A in 1955 and has hved and worked in E n g l a n d for over t w e n t y years.
CD C
PUBLIC
COLLECTIONS
Victoria and A l b e r t M u s e u m , London / M i l w a u k e e A r t M u s e u m / Crafts Council, London Vitra Design M u s e u m , W e i l a m Rhein / M u s e e des A r t s Decoratifs, Paris / M u s e u m of Fine Arts, Boston M u s e u m Kiinstlerkolonie, D a r m s t a d t / Rbhsska Konstslojdmuseet, C b t e b u r g
ra
Corning Class M u s e u m , New York / N a t i o n a l m u s e u m , S t o c k h o l m / K u n s t g e w e r b e m u s e u m , Dresden
Q
BIOGRAPHICAL 1955
NOTES
Born Urbana, Illinois, U S A
1975
Moves to t h e U K to study w i t h stained glass artist Patrick Reyntiens
1975-77
B y a m S h a w School of Art, London
1977-80
Studies p a i n t i n g at Central School of Art, London with Cecil Collins
1981
Sets up studio in W h i t e c r o s s Street, London E C l
1982
M o v e s Studio to M e t r o p o l i t a n Workshops, London N1
D e v e l o p s a p p l i e d art objects inspired by Isamu N o g u c h i t
M o v e s studio to New North Place
11983-85
O p e n s showroom in C a m d e n Lock B e g i n s to show work at One Off and c o l l a b o r a t e s with Ron A r a d B e g i n s to develop steel work in c o l l a b o r a t i o n with blacksmith Paul A n d e r s o n First s h o w i n g of work in Italy
1986 11987 1988-90
S h o w s work at T h e m e s and V a r i a t i o n s and at Crucial galleries, London P a r t i c i p a t i o n in numerous shows and exhibitions Three one-man shows in London and Paris and at Dilmos, M i l a n Design of tables for m a n u f a c t u r e by Fiam Italia Develops work in w o o d Late 1989 establishes studio in H y t h e Road, north w e s t London Develops range and size of pieces beyond furniture
1991 - 9 3
Large scale sculpture commissions: Edinburgh, London, Barcelona, China Exhibits works at t h e Economist Plaza, St James's, London O n e man exhibition 'Sand and Light', M a t h i l d e n h b e , D a r m s t a d t
1994
Commissioned by t h e Victoria and A l b e r t M u s e u m to install a balustrade of stacked glass in their New Glass Gallery Large scale architectural and sculpture commissions in London, M i d d l e s b o r o u g h , Tel Aviv, M u n i c h O n e man exhibition in Rbhsska Konstslojdmuseet, Gbteburg, S w e d e n Large scale sculpture commissions and o p e n s metal workshop Travels to J a p a n and u n d e r t a k e s architectural commissions in Tokyo and Osaka Presents one-man shows in London and Zurich
1995
Large scale commissions in S o u t h a m p t o n , London, Tokyo Exhibitions in Edinburgh, London, Sevres, Paris, Frankfurt, Tokyo
1996 j
Commission for New B o n d Street, London Commissioned sculpture for W e m b l e y S t a d i u m approach, London, ' M a n C a t c h i n g a Star' Exhibitions in London, Venice, Scotland, U S A , Boston
1997
Commission for farm near Delhi, India, 'Gopis' and ' S h y a m '
1998
Commission for Conrad I n t e r n a t i o n a l Hotel, Cairo, 'Shoraa Ala EL-NiL'
Commission for Bishopsgate, London, 'Simurgh' Commission for shopping centre Greenford, England, 'Solomon's C o l u m n ' Commission for S h a n g h a i , China, pair of glass f o u n t a i n s Commission for office building in A n k a r a , Turkey, W a t e r F o u n t a i n
62
1681
pieds w i d e and t w o pieds five pouces high,' appears in an i n v e n t o r y of Louis XIV of France, now
Z3 4->
!
3 LD lAl rc c n Mâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;
O
^
il680's 1756
a t t r i b u t e d t o Bernard Perrot of Nevers and Orleans Table of c o l o u r e d glass made at t h e M e d i c i glass house f o r C o s i m o III ( 1 6 7 0 - 1 7 2 3 ) Lady M a r y W o r t l e y M o n t a g u , w h i l e v i s i t i n g Venice, w r i t e s t o her d a u g h t e r c o n c e r n i n g 'a set of f u r n i t u r e , in a taste e n t i r e l y new...all of glass'
1760's
Lomonosov makes glass i n l a i d f u r n i t u r e f o r t h e Chinese Palace, O r a n i e n b a u m , St Petersburg, Russia
1804
A n d r e s V o r o n k i n designs t a b l e s w i t h blue glass tops and a m b e r glass stands and bases. One is now in t h e
o +-1
X
A t a b l e of glass f u r n i t u r e and cane work, w i t h glass legs, 'three and a half pieds long, t w o and a half
Pavlosk Palace M u s e u m , St Petersburg, a n o t h e r is in t h e C o r n i n g M u s e u m of Glass, New York State 1807
The f i r m of F&C Osier f o u n d e d
1819
Cristallerie de Voneche of Liege and L'Escalier de Cristal of Paris e x h i b i t a dressing t a b l e , chair and stool of glass, in Paris
1820
M d ' A r t i g u e s purchases Baccarat and i n t r o d u c e s lead-crystal glass t o t h e c o m p a n y
1845
Osier opens s h o w r o o m in Oxford Street, L o n d o n
1846
Osier sends a representative t o C a l c u t t a , India
1848
Prince A l b e r t purchases a pair of 8 feet h i g h candelabra f r o m Osier as a g i f t t o Queen V i c t o r i a
1851
Osier produces large f o u n t a i n f o r t h e Great E x h i b i t i o n
1862
Osier supplies ' s u n l i g h t dishes' for t h e Great C h a m b e r at W i n d s o r Castle
1878
Osier e x h i b i t s at t h e Paris e x h i b i t i o n
1880
The l i g h t - b u l b i n v e n t e d s i m u l t a n e o u s l y by Swan and Edison
1904
Libby Glass of Toledo Ohio, e x h i b i t s a glass t a b l e at t h e St Louis World's Fair
1910
King of Nepal orders glass longcase clock for Nepal
1930's
Rene Lalique designs glass d i n i n g t a b l e s
1981
Danny Lane opens his f i r s t glass s t u d i o in London
1994
V i c t o r i a & A l b e r t M u s e u m in London installs glass b a l u s t r a d e by Danny Lane
63
The invitation by M a l l e t t to show my work with their collection of remarkable historical glass objects posed a great challenge to my studio staff and self. Well over half of the works shown are entirely new ideas or refinements of earlier work. I have used the exhibition as motivation to push quality and finish to an extreme - also to prove that contemporary work lives happily alongside the traditional and historical. The real issue is one of integrity of form and process. In a time w h e n the rhetorical challenges the eye of the heart to disbelieve its true perception, it remains my intention to create objects of quality and beauty. Heartfelt thanks to V i n c e n t O'Brien, Martin Shelsher, Paul Booth and A n n e Brooks; also OIlie, J J , Little J o h n and Neville at the studio; Peter W o o d and Clive Bartlett for their photography; Howard Brown for the catalogue design; J o h n Smith, Henry Neville, Ceorgina Orr-Ewing and all at Mallett.
-2).
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M A L L E T T PLC M a l l e t t & S o n (Antiques) Ltd 141 New Bond Street London W 1 Y O B S Tel 0171 4 9 9 7411 Fax 0171 4 9 5 3179 Contact: J o h n P Smith M a l l e t t at Bourdon House 2 Davies Street London W I Y I L J Tel 0171 5 2 9 2 4 4 4 Fax 0171 4 9 9 6 2 7 0 Contact: Henry Neville Website: www.mallett.co.uk Email: Antiques@mallett.co.uk
64 Š M a l l e t t & Son ( A n t i q u e s ) Ltd 1999 Designed by H o w a r d B r o w n Printed in E n g l a n d by B A S Printers Ltd P h o t o g r a p h s by Clive B a r t l e t t - pages 5-11 j 15 | 21 j 2 4 - 2 7 j 29 j 3 2 - 5 2 j 54 j 56 j 58 j 6 4 j back cover M a l c o l m C r o w t h e r - 12 and Peter W o o d - front cover j 2 j 17 j 19 | 23 j 28 j 3 0 j 53 | 55 | 57 | 59 j 6 0 - 6 1