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Designed for the Director's Room, Glasgow School of Art. Twelve chairs were made in 1904 for the GSA, but William Davidson acquired a further two, with six of MC/F/58 for use as dining chairs in the hall at Windyhill. Twelve chairs reupholstered in brown horsehair 1984. One chair on loan from Glasgow University, returned 1984. 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. Designed for the Director's Room, Glasgow School of Art. Twelve chairs were made in 1904 for the GSA, but William Davidson acquired a further two, with six of MC/F/58 for use as dining chairs in the hall at Windyhill. Twelve chairs reupholstered in brown horsehair 1984. One chair on loan from Glasgow University, returned 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 the Director's Room, Glasgow School of Art. Twelve chairs were made in 1904 for the GSA, but William Davidson acquired a further two, with six of MC/F/58 for use as dining chairs in the hall at Windyhill. Twelve chairs reupholstered in brown horsehair 1984. One chair on loan from Glasgow University, returned 1984.

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 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).
Tall, shelved unit for use in the Library at Glasgow School of Art. Perhaps originally kept in the book store on the mezzanine floor above the Library. Nothing about their appearance could be said to date specifically from c1910, so it is possible that they were made at the time of the first phase of the School (c1899) to provide temporary storage (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).
Square display unit for the Library at Glasgow School of Art. Probably designed to support large bound volumes such as newspapers or folio books which were too large for the readers' tables. The deep zinc lined well in the centre could have been used as a receptacle for pot plants. It has been suggested that it was used for plant drawing, with four students working at drawing boards on each side of the stand, but this seems unlikely, the students would have been too close to the plant to be able to see it. The construction allows this piece to be dismantled and folded.

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).
Tall, shelved unit for use in the Library at Glasgow School of Art. Perhaps originally kept in the book store on the mezzanine floor above the Library. Nothing about their appearance could be said to date specifically from c1910, so it is possible that they were made at the time of the first phase of the School (c1899) to provide temporary storage (Roger Billcliffe).

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.

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 assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010).
Designed for the (new) Board Room, 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. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010).
Designed for Library at Glasgow School of Art. 'This piece appears in the 1910 Bedford Lemere photographs without the upper rack but even in those photographs it served as a reading desk for the periodicals. The arrangement of stretchers, with a small lattice work area in the centre of each section, is typical of the period, each of the intermediate vertical stretchers, at both ends of the table, is pierced with a unique design similar to the carved pendants on the balcony. The upper rack is simply slotted over the desk. Each end has an exaggerated play on the wedges and toggle fasteners which hold the piece together.' (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).
Podium used to raise the chair occupied by the Chairman of the Board of Governors at formal meetings. This item was depicted, in use, in Francis Newbery's group portrait of the Glasgow School of Art Building Committee, from c1913.

Designed for the Willow Tea Rooms, Glasgow. There is no provenance for this table. Stylistically it has elements in common with some of the pieces designed for the Willow Tea Rooms; the row of glazed ovals is reminiscent of a similar feature in the fireplace in the Smoking Room. It could have come to the GSA with a number of other pieces of Willow furniture purchased from the Grosvenor Restaurant. (Roger Billcliffe).
This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010).

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 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.

This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010).
Designed for Gladsmuir, Kilmacolm. Two tables and two benches were made for the schoolroom at Gladsmuir, probably at the same time as the bookcase. The thistle motif pierced in the sides of the legs of the benches is repeated in the leaded glass of the bookcase.

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. Two tables and two benches were made for the schoolroom at Gladsmuir, probably at the same time as the bookcase. The thistle motif pierced in the sides of the legs of the benches is repeated in the leaded glass of the bookcase.

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).

Designed for entrance hall, Glasgow School of Art.
This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010).

Designed for the board room, Glasgow School of Art. Basically, a compilation of three examples of MC/F/18 with the pierced motif repeated three times on each back rest. Reupholstered in brown horsehair 1984. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010).

Designed for entrance hall, Glasgow School of Art.
This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010).

Designed for entrance hall, Glasgow School of Art.
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's watercolour designs for the Dug-Out show a very similar settle (painted yellow) in the staircase vestibule and presumably this is where the piece was originally placed. It is a smaller variant of the Derngate hall settle. Whilst the property of the Grosvenor Restaurant, it was probably painted black, but when it was returned from exhibition in Helsinki (early in 1983) damage to the surface revealed yellow paint-work underneath. When the black paint was stripped it was clear that the entire settle had been painted yellow, and on the lower surfaces the original paint-work was intact, allowing accurate colour matching for repainting. In the winter of 1983-84 the settle was repainted and reupholstered to match the original design. 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.

Designed as the order desk, at the Willow Tea Rooms, Glasgow. 'One of the most impressive and novel of Mackintosh's chairs, it stood in the centre of the ground floor saloons, isolated and defining the point at which the white Front Saloon became the dark Back Saloon. Designed six months before the curved screen at Hous'hill, it plays the same role in acting as a transparent division between two spaces which are actually part of the same room... The front of the seat also serves as a small locker or chest... The chest was provided for the supervisor who took orders from the waitresses and passed them to the kitchen by dropping coloured balls, coded to each dish on the menu, down a tube to the kitchen below.' (Roger Billcliffe). Reupholstered in brown horsehair 1984 (the settle was originally upholstered in a green and gold striped horsehair, matching the Willow armchairs).
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.

A small rectangular table on plain square legs designed as an extension to dining table MC/F/108. 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. In later years the table was referred to as a side table. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010).

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 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 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. One of a set of tea tables for the Dug Out. Such a table can be seen in Mackintosh's design for the Rest Room.

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. One of a set of tea tables for the Dug Out. Such a table can be seen in Mackintosh's design for the Rest Room.

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. One of a set of tea tables for the Dug Out. Such a table can be seen in Mackintosh's design for the Rest Room.

Designed for the Willow Tea Rooms, Glasgow. These chairs do not appear in any contemporary photographs but the provenance suggests that they came from the Willow Tea Rooms as the Grosvenor Restaurant owned Willow furniture. Reupholstered in blue horsehair 1985. 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 Willow Tea Rooms, Glasgow. These chairs do not appear in any contemporary photographs but the provenance suggests that they came from the Willow Tea Rooms as the Grosvenor Restaurant owned Willow furniture. Reupholstered in blue horsehair 1985. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010).

Designed for use in Mackintosh's own flat in Mains Street, Glasgow.
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 Room de Luxe, Willow Tea Rooms, Glasgow. Contemporary photos of the Willow Tea Rooms do not show where these tables would have been placed, the edge of one seems to be visible between the bow windows, but the legs are identical to those on the square or oblong tables for the Room de Luxe. Probably while the tables belonged to the Grosvenor Restaurant, they were over-painted black (like the yellow couch from the Dug-Out, MC/F/84). In 1986 the black paint was removed and the tables repainted silver with an aluminium paint similar to the original (paint sample analysed by Kelvingrove conservators). At the same time missing glass insets were replaced. 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 Room de Luxe, Willow Tea Rooms, Glasgow. Contemporary photos of the Willow Tea Rooms do not show where these tables would have been placed, the edge of one seems to be visible between the bow windows, but the legs are identical to those on the square or oblong tables for the Room de Luxe. Probably while the tables belonged to the Grosvenor Restaurant, they were over-painted black (like the yellow couch from the Dug-Out, MC/F/84). In 1986 the black paint was removed and the tables repainted silver with an aluminium paint similar to the original (paint sample analysed by Kelvingrove conservators). At the same time missing glass insets were replaced. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010).

Designed for Director's Room, Glasgow School of Art. 'This large table may well have been designed for meetings of the Board of Governors, who rarely used the original Board Room which was eventually taken over as a studio. It was designed with two high backed armchairs and twelve low backed armchairs and was photographed in 1910 in the new Board Room which Mackintosh had provided for the Governors, and not in the Director's Room for which it was designed. The square is again the dominant motif in this group of designs. The table legs are square, but they are hollow, and square cut outs in them indicate the construction.' (Roger Billcliffe). 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).
One of nine readers' tables for the Library at Glasgow School of Art. Like the vertical stretchers on the periodical desk, MC/F/73, none of the patterns on the legs (variations on these themes of the gallery pendants) are repeated.

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). One of nine readers' tables for the Library at Glasgow School of Art. Like the vertical stretchers on the periodical desk, MC/F/73, none of the patterns on the legs (variations on these themes of the gallery pendants) are repeated.

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). One of nine readers' tables for the Library at Glasgow School of Art. Like the vertical stretchers on the periodical desk, MC/F/73, none of the patterns on the legs (variations on these themes of the gallery pendants) are repeated.

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).
One of nine readers' tables for the Library at Glasgow School of Art. Like the vertical stretchers on the periodical desk, MC/F/73, none of the patterns on the legs (variations on these themes of the gallery pendants) are repeated.

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).
One of nine readers' tables for the Library at Glasgow School of Art. Like the vertical stretchers on the periodical desk, MC/F/73, none of the patterns on the legs (variations on these themes of the gallery pendants) are repeated.

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). One of nine readers' tables for the Library at Glasgow School of Art. Like the vertical stretchers on the periodical desk, MC/F/73, none of the patterns on the legs (variations on these themes of the gallery pendants) are repeated.

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). One of nine readers' tables for the Library at Glasgow School of Art. Like the vertical stretchers on the periodical desk, MC/F/73, none of the patterns on the legs (variations on these themes of the gallery pendants) are repeated.