Letters from various artists, including William Etty, Thomas Danby, Francis Danby and others, 1843-1857.
Gillott Letters
Archive Collection
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- ReferenceGB 150 MS94
- Dates of Creation1843-1857
- Name of Creator
- Language of MaterialEnglish
- Physical Description1 file
Scope and Content
Administrative / Biographical History
Joseph Gillott of Birmingham, pen manufacturer and patron of the arts. In 1821, he moved from his birthplace, Sheffield, where he had been employed as a cutler, to Birmingham in order to seek employment and by 1830, he was involved in the manufacture of steel pens. He started out in a very small way selling pens at a shilling each to a firm of stationers but his business rapidly increased and he ultimately employed more than 400 people at his works in Graham Street, Newhall Hill. He used the personal fortune he amassed to acquire a large collection of paintings which included works of art by Turner, Etty (who was a personal friend) and other English artists On his death, the paintings were sold at auction for nearly £170,000 and his collection of violins for £4,000.
Reference: Dictionary of National Biography ( London 1908 ).
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Acquisition Information
This collection was deposited in 1998.
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Further deposits are not expected.