Posted 14 years ago
terilaptop…
(1 item)
This copper print plate is about 8 inches by 3 inches. It has reverse writing on one side and a signature, and on the other is an address; 4 Harp Alley, Shoe lane. I traced this and found that the business of this address was a copperplate supplier to artists, in 1760 untill 1781 when the business went bankcrupt.
The info I found on the Internet is underneath. I would love to know more if anyone knows anything. I do not seem to be able to get a good rubbing from it.
More information. 15 /11/10... the name is William Eastword. It was engraved on the copper, above the address, but was obscured. I have no information on this engraver - whether he was living at Harp Alley before 1760. I have an unreliable source that says 1830's but I am not sure if Harp Alley was still standing then. In 1868 the Alley was shortened, and didn't include Shoe Lane anymore, so I am guessing that it is pre 1868
Harp Alley, in Shoe lane, L. A noted Place for Brokers, selling and buying old Household Goods
Harp Court (synonym of Harp Alley), Fleet Street is not identified on the 1859 map but is located north of Fleet Street and west of Farringdon Street near St. Bride's church. It is found at the upper left of K 19 just to the east of "an" in Shoe Lane (only Lane is seen).
WHITTOW, Benjamin, engraver and copperplate maker, Shoe Lane 1763M; no. 48 1776K-1780K; no. 43 1785P-1797K; no. 31 1798K-1825P; 4, Harp Alley, Fleet Market 1826P-1840P+. Trading: as Wittau 1763M; as Whittow and Large 1776K-1780K; alone 1785P-1790U; as Whittow and son 1792K-1805P; as Whittow and Harris 1805H-1807P, 1816U-1822U; as George Harris 1808P-1833P; as Harris and Eastwood 1826Pi; as William Eastwood 1833R-1840P+. Partner probably Thomas Large q.v., later in Giltspur Street. Miss Whittow of Shoe Lane d. 3 Feb. 1794. Original plate of mezzotint portrait of Sir Wilfred Lawson in National Army Museum. Musgrave.
WHITTOW and LARGE, engravers and copperplate makers, see Benjamin Whittow and Thomas Large.
Benjamin Whittow, Shoe Lane, London from 1760s, engraver and copperplate maker. A candidate for the next edition of this Directory. Contact Jacob Simon at jsimon@npg.org.uk.
British artists' suppliers, 1650-1950 - W
1781 gentlemans monthly intelligencer, volume 50, bankcruptcy note
Hi,
I was digging in the garden today and found a metal plate with the following stamped on it:-
WM EASTWOOD, HARP ALLEY, SHOE LANE - LONDON
Neil