A large and handsome portrait of William Brown, c.1840. Oil on canvas.
William Brown was the great-great-grandfather of Aubrey Brown (d.1935), the founder of the silk tie company 'Holliday & Brown'. Holliday & Brown is still flourishing today with its founder Aubrey Brown front and centre of its history:
At the beginning of the 20th century, the Brown family owned haute couture stores for men's clothing in the historic Mayfair district. The area had been the home of the best British craftsmanship since 1819. The brave and visionary Aubrey Brown sensed that there was room in the men's fashion world for a specialist to design and distribute silk for ties. In 1919 he opened his store in the famous Burlington Arcade.
In 1926, he founded "Holliday & Brown Ltd" with his family friend Mr Holliday. It was a brand of ties with unmistakable prints and unique and elegant colours. When Aubrey died, his brother Basil and son Colin took over the business, after moving to the historic Coach and Horses Yards headquarters. After working at Harrods, and printing and weaving work experiences, Colin acquired the trade’s techniques and secrets and became Art Director. Later, he became responsible for the entire family business. During the thrilling 1960s, Holliday & Brown became an internationally renowned name of excellence. During the 1970s and 1980s, which were revolutionary for art, music and fashion, the Brand, in its legendary Pink House headquarters, consolidated its position as leader of the British male style. Its prints with large British motifs and eccentric colours were its hallmark. In the 1990s, the Holliday & Brown headquarters moved to Savile Row, the famous address of the most essential and well-known tailoring workshops in the world and synonymous with elegance. The Brand was purchased in 2002 by Mantero Seta which jealously maintained the company's glorious past, and laid the foundations for building an important future.
The portrait depicts William Brown in his black tie and cravat seated on a red chair. There is a small puncture to the canvas to the lower left and a very small area of paint loss to the centre left - please see photographs. The canvas is stamped for Waring & Dimes, active between 1839-1842, dating this work to around that period.
The work is housed in a substantial gilt frame which has some minor losses and generally displays very well.
Provenance: By descent through the sitter's family.
Dimensions (framed)
Height: 97.5cm
Width: 84.5cm
Depth: 7cm
Delivery
UK Mainland: £75
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