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Letter written by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and addressed to Cameron Davidson, son of William Davidson when in the South of France. Letter dated 24 December 1898 and sent from 140 Bath Street, Glasgow.

Items in The Glasgow School of Art's Mackintosh collection include: furniture, watercolours, drawings, architectural drawings, design drawings, sketchbooks, metalwork and photographs.

Mackintosh studied evening classes at the Glasgow School of Art between 1883-1894, winning numerous student prizes and competitions including the prestigious Alexander Thomson Travelling Studentship in 1890. Mackintosh and his contemporaries also produced four volumes of a publication called "The Magazine" during their time as students, which included examples of their writing and artworks. GSA Archives and Collections hold Mackintosh's Italian Sketchbook, as well as all four volumes of The Magazine, all of which can be browsed on our catalogue.

The majority of Mackintosh's three-dimensional work was created with the help of a small number of patrons within a short period of intense activity between 1896 and 1910. Francis Newbery was headmaster of The Glasgow School of Art during this time and was supportive of Mackintosh's ultimately successful bid to design a new art school building in 1896 - his most prestigious undertaking. For Miss Kate Cranston he designed a series of Glasgow tearoom interiors and for the businessmen William Davidson and Walter Blackie, he was commissioned to design large private houses, 'Windyhill' in Kilmacolm and 'The Hill House' in Helensburgh. In Europe, the originality of Mackintosh's style was quickly appreciated and in 1900 he was invited to participate at the 8th Vienna Secession.

In 1902 Mackintosh was invited to participate at the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative Art in Turin and later at exhibitions in Moscow and Berlin. Despite this success Mackintosh's work met with considerable indifference at home. Few private clients were sufficiently sympathetic to want his 'total design' of house and interior and he was incapable of compromise.

By 1914 Mackintosh had despaired of ever receiving true recognition in Glasgow and together with his wife Margaret Macdonald he moved, temporarily, to Walberswick on the Suffolk Coastline (in England), where he painted many fine flower studies in watercolour. In 1915 the Mackintoshes settled in London and for the next few years Mackintosh attempted to resume practice as an architect and designer. The designs he produced at this time for textiles, for the 'Dug-out' Tea Room in Glasgow and the dramatic interiors for 78 Derngate in Northampton, England show him working in a bold new style of decoration, using primary colours and geometric motifs.

In 1923 the Mackintoshes left London for the South of France, finally living in Port Vendres where Mackintosh gave up all thoughts of architecture and design and devoted himself entirely to painting landscapes. He died in London, of cancer, on 10 December 1928.

The majority of Mackintosh's design work, (including furniture and metalwork), architectural drawings, textile designs and watercolours are in the possession of three public collections - The Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow Museums, and the Hunterian Art Gallery at the University of Glasgow - although significant (individual) pieces can be found in museums across the UK and Europe, North America and Japan. However, some of Mackintosh's most important, symbolist watercolours from the early to mid-1890s are to be found in the collection of The Glasgow School of Art.

The Glasgow School of Art Archives and Collections hold a large number of items by Mackintosh, giving us one of the largest collections of his work held in public ownership. The collection is one of 50 Recognised Collections of National Significance to Scotland. We continue to investigate new routes of engagement for the collection. For example, our Mac(k)cessibility project in conjunction with GSA’s School of Simulation and Visualisation explores digital display and loans of our Mackintosh furniture. Find out more about the Mac(k)cessibility project here.

This collection includes works by a number of artists, designers and architects associated with Charles Rennie Mackintosh, including his wife Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh, his sister-in-law Frances Macdonald MacNair and his sister-in-law's husband Herbert MacNair. These works include textiles, designs, and four volumes of a Glasgow School of Art student publication called The Magazine, as well as several individual watercolours now separated from the publication. The collection also includes a number of models for proposed architectural schemes by Mackintosh.

This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 23rd May 2014. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010). Designed for The Dug-Out, Willow Tea Rooms, Glasgow. Mackintosh designed similar ladder-back chairs for the guest bedroom for Bassett-Lowke at 78 Derngate in Northampton. All chairs reupholstered 1985. Three repaired 1984-85.

This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 23rd May 2014. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010). Designed for The Dug-Out, Willow Tea Rooms, Glasgow. Mackintosh designed similar ladder-back chairs for the guest bedroom for Bassett-Lowke at 78 Derngate in Northampton. All chairs reupholstered 1985. Three repaired 1984-85.

This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 23rd May 2014. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010).
Designed for the Board Room at Glasgow School of Art.

Designed for the principal bedroom at Windyhill, Kilmacolm. A much simpler design than the cheval mirror used at 120 Mains Street. This item was assessed for conversation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access project (2006-2010), and then again in 2018 following the fire in the Mackintosh Building in June 2018.

This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 23rd May 2014. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010).
Designed for either the Museum or Library at the Glasgow School of Art.

One of a series of electric slave clocks located through the Glasgow School of Art and run from a central 'master' clock. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010). Installed into the Museum following restoration in 2013. Following the fire in the Mackintosh Building in May 2014 it was assessed and conserved in 2019.

A rectangular table on plain square legs. This table was commissioned by William Davidson after he moved into 78 Southpark Avenue in 1919. Davidson purchased this house and some of its furniture from Mackintosh when the latter moved to London, however, Mackintosh had taken the dining table with him and so Davidson required a replacement. In later years the table was referred to as a breakfast table. Mackintosh also designed an extension table to accompany this item, see MC/F/109.
This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010).

This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 23rd May 2014. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010).
Designed for the Glasgow School of Art. 'A very simple piece which seems to have been designed specifically for the GSA. A certain amount of furniture was made in 1904 for the Director... but Mackintosh did further work for the GSA in 1906 and 1907-09 so this piece could date from as late as 1909.' (Roger Billcliffe).

One of a series of electric slave clocks located through the Glasgow School of Art and run from a central 'master' clock. Installed in the new Mackintosh Furniture Gallery following restoration in 2013. This item was assessed for conversation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access project (2006-2010), and then again in 2018 following the fire in the Mackintosh Building in June 2018.

This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 23rd May 2014. One of a series of electric slave clocks located through the Glasgow School of Art and run from a central 'master' clock. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010). Installed into the Mackintosh Library following restoration in 2013.

Trade cabinet designed to hold various wood samples. Made for William Douglas, a decorator and friend of Mackintosh who worked on several of his commissions, especially Hous'hill. Reputedly designed by Mackintosh but some of the detailing suggests he did not closely supervise the execution. Each drawer holds samples of different woods, stains, paints and finishes. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010).

This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 23rd May 2014. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010). Designed for The Dug-Out, Willow Tea Rooms, Glasgow. Cube and bobbin legs are a traditional motif not used by Mackintosh before this date. Several of the pieces made for the Dug-Out, however, incorporate such traditional features, e.g. the round table with bobbin legs and the stepped ladder-backs of the chairs (Roger Billcliffe). Repaired, and badly scratched top resurfaced in 1985.

This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 23rd May 2014. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010). Designed for The Dug-Out, Willow Tea Rooms, Glasgow. Mackintosh designed similar ladder-back chairs for the guest bedroom for Bassett-Lowke at 78 Derngate in Northampton. All chairs reupholstered 1985. Three repaired 1984-85.

This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 23rd May 2014. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010). Designed for The Dug-Out, Willow Tea Rooms, Glasgow. Mackintosh designed similar ladder-back chairs for the guest bedroom for Bassett-Lowke at 78 Derngate in Northampton. All chairs reupholstered 1985. Three repaired 1984-85.

Designed for the principal bedroom at Windyhill, Kilmacolm.
This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010).

This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 23rd May 2014. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010). Designed for The Dug-Out, Willow Tea Rooms, Glasgow. Mackintosh designed similar ladder-back chairs for the guest bedroom for Bassett-Lowke at 78 Derngate in Northampton. All chairs reupholstered 1985. Three repaired 1984-85.

This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 23rd May 2014. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010).
Designed for Gladsmuir, Kilmacolm. Designed to match the schoolroom tables and bookcase, the thistle motif pierced in the legs being repeated in the leaded glass of the bookcase.

Designed for 120 Mains Street, Glasgow. An exact replica of the cabinet made in 1899 and sold at the Vienna Secession exhibition in 1900, made to replace this for the Mackintoshs' own use. This item was assessed for conversation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access project (2006-2010), and then again in 2018 following the fire in the Mackintosh Building in June 2018.

This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 23rd May 2014. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010).
Designed for either the Museum or Library at the Glasgow School of Art.

This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 23rd May 2014. Designed for 120 Mains Street, Glasgow and also for the Luncheon Room, Argyle Street Tea Rooms, Glasgow. Stylistically, the most advanced piece of furniture designed for Argyle Street and used by Mackintosh again in his own flat. The examples in the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the V&A in London were formerly in the GSA collection and donated by Douglas Percy Bliss, GSA director, in 1958. The horsehair and rush seats were reupholstered 1985-86. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010).

Designed for original board room at Glasgow School of Art. The chairs were designed for the original Board Room in the East wing (now the Mackintosh Room). The Governors never used this room for meetings and it was initially used as a studio while space was short in the half-finished building. When the new Board Room was built in the second phase of the building, Mackintosh designed a more elaborate version of this chair for it, MC/F/61. Six chairs reupholstered in brown horsehair 1985, very similar to the original fabric found on one of the chairs. Two remaining chairs reupholstered in 1986. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010).

Designed for original board room at Glasgow School of Art. The chairs were designed for the original Board Room in the East wing (now the Mackintosh Room). The Governors never used this room for meetings and it was initially used as a studio while space was short in the half-finished building. When the new Board Room was built in the second phase of the building, Mackintosh designed a more elaborate version of this chair for it, MC/F/61. Six chairs reupholstered in brown horsehair 1985, very similar to the original fabric found on one of the chairs. Two remaining chairs reupholstered in 1986. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010).

This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 23rd May 2014. Designed for the Ingram Street Tea Rooms, Glasgow. 'One of the sturdiest and most successful small chairs designed by Mackintosh. The chair was used in the Chinese Room in the late 1940s but there is no record of it being specifically designed for it.' (Roger Billcliffe). The two chairs in the Museum of Modern Art collection (NY) originally belonged to GSA and were donated in 1958 by then director, Douglas Percy Bliss. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010).

The wavy pattern in the background is very similar to some of the most abstract designs for textiles for which Mackintosh was producing at this time.' (Roger Billcliffe).

This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 23rd May 2014. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010). Designed for The Dug-Out, Willow Tea Rooms, Glasgow. Mackintosh designed similar ladder-back chairs for the guest bedroom for Bassett-Lowke at 78 Derngate in Northampton. All chairs reupholstered 1985. Three repaired 1984-85.

This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 23rd of May 2014. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010).
Designed for Mackintosh's bedroom at 27 Regent Park Square, Glasgow, probably to match the chest of drawers.

This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010).
Designed for Windyhill, Kilmacolm. A letter from Mackintosh to Davidson states that two of these chairs were intended for the main bedroom, but Annan photographs of the time show one in the bedroom and one in the drawing room at Windyhill.

This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 23rd May 2014. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010).
Designed for Mackintosh's bedroom at 27 Regent Park Square, Glasgow, probably to match the bed. This and others pieces of green stained furniture made by Guthrie and Wells, were collected by William Davidson for his house Gladsmuir and later in Windyhill. Guthrie and Wells, originally founded as a painting and decorating firm by J and W Guthrie, who entered into partnership with Andrew Wells in 1895, played an important role in the history of decor and design in Glasgow. They were the most important of the stained glass studios emerging in Glasgow in the 1890s, supplied furniture, glass, mosaics etc and had a reputation for first class craftsmanship and always employed excellent designers.

Designed for Argyle Street Tea Rooms, Glasgow. At least two examples of this settee appear in contemporary photographs, used along the walls in the Smoking and Billiards Rooms. 'A sturdy and quite heavy piece of furniture with slab like sides, upholstered in horsehair which became a favorite material with Mackintosh and used on several designs about this time.' (Roger Billcliffe). Reupholstered in brown horsehair 1984. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010).

This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 23rd May 2014. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010).
Designed for Argyle Street Tea Rooms, Glasgow. 'One of the most successful and comfortable pieces from Argyle Street. The drawing D1897.21 indicated that it was intended for the Ladies Reading Room, of which no photographs survive.' The only chairs in the collection surviving with their original upholstery.

Designed for 120 Mains Street, Glasgow and also for the Luncheon Room, Argyle Street Tea Rooms, Glasgow. Stylistically, the most advanced piece of furniture designed for Argyle Street and used by Mackintosh again in his own flat. The examples in the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the V&A in London were formerly in the GSA collection and donated by Douglas Percy Bliss, GSA director, in 1958. The horsehair and rush seats were reupholstered 1985-86. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010).