John Evan Bedford Library of Furniture History

Description

Private library of archive and printed material relating to all aspects of furniture history and design belonging to the antiques dealer John (Victor) Bedford (1941-2019).



The archival collection includes trade cards, billheads, accounts, advertisements, posters, inventories, indentures, estate papers and files of reference material (cuttings from trade and auction catalogues etc) relating to furniture design, production, ownership and sale in the UK and abroad. A particular strength is cabinet-furniture making in Birmingham (UK).



The printed collection comprises over 5500 items, including books and printed ephemera, from the seventeenth century onwards, many of them extremely rare and in some cases unique. They cover all aspects of furniture-making from interiors and furnishings, lighting and metalwork, drapery and upholstery to architectural and garden design. The book collection contains trade directories, trade catalogues, pattern books, books of ornament, drawing books, manuals, inventories of country houses, auction catalogues and modern reference works.



Also includes:

1) papers relating to the administration of the collection, including purchases

2) index cards and indexing/cataloguing notes relating to the organisation of the collection

3) personal papers of John Bedford, relating to him and his family

4) the archives of furniture historians Pauline Agius and Edward T. Joy



Biography


The John Evan Bedford Library of Furniture History was developed by the antiques dealer, John Victor Bedford (1941-2019) over a period of 45 years. It was named in memory of his father, Dr D. Evan Bedford, CBE, MA, FRCP, who gifted his own library of cardiology to the Royal College of Physicians in 1971.

Physical characteristics

Box diameter : 67.5Linear metres

Biography or history

The John Evan Bedford Library of Furniture History was created by antique dealer, John (Victor) Bedford over a period of 45 years. It was named in memory of his father, Dr D. Evan Bedford, CBE, MA, FRCP, who developed his own library of cardiology, gifted to the Royal College of Physicians in 1971.

Provenance

In the main, the arrangement of the collection represents the order that creator John Bedford established. Where it does not, notes will be added to archival history/system of arrangement to reflect this.

Access and usage

Access

This item is stored off site at Western Campus and must be ordered online using the 'Printed items catalogue' record link shown below. Store requests are processed each weekday morning and we aim to make items available within 48 hours. You will receive an email from Special Collections when the item is ready to consult in the Reading Room. The item will be held in Special Collections for 2 weeks.

This collection is subject to various access conditions. Please see individual catalogue descriptions for further details on access.

On our website

Collection guide: Art and Antiques Market Collections

A guide to the Art and Antique Dealers’ Collections held in Special Collections.

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