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Archival description
The Glasgow School of Art Decorative arts
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Art, Design and Architecture collection

  • NMC
  • Collection
  • 13th century to early 21st century

Artworks, design pieces and architectural designs related to Glasgow School of Art staff and students.

Items include

  • oil paintings
  • ilk screen prints
  • lithograph prints
  • prints
  • photographs
  • sketches
  • sketch books
  • drawings
  • watercolours
  • collage
  • metalwork, sculpture and ceramics.

Almost all works are by former students and staff or figures related to the history of The Glasgow School of Art. The earliest pieces date from the 16th century and later examples have been purchased from recent Degree Shows. The work is in a variety of media and includes drawings, paintings, prints, sketchbooks, furniture and sculpture. Artists represented include many key figures and the most influential and successful students.

There are also several works from former tutors including Neil Dallas Brown, David Donaldson and Fred Selby, alongside contemporary works by students, donated or purchased at degree show. Key works include those by: Maurice Greiffenhagen, Francis Newbery, John Quinton Pringle, Benno Schotz, Ian Fleming and James D Robertson. Suites of note include large collections of Joan Eardley sketches and paintings, Joan Palmer prints, and architectural drawings by Eugene Bourdon.

*Not available / given

Associated Works

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.

Mackintosh, Charles Rennie

Coat of Arms for the stairwell at Glasgow School of Art

This item was severely damaged in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 15th June 2018. Some fragments have been salvaged. The bell survives as it was not in the building at the time of the fire.

The symbols which form the Glasgow coat of arms all refer to miracles performed by St. Mungo, the patron saint of the city who is normally represented with these emblems on the coat of arms. They first appeared on the seals of bishops of Glasgow, the fish on the seal of William Wishart in 1270, the bird on the seal of Robert Wishart in 1271. They were used together for the first time on the seal of the Chapter of Glasgow in 1488. The salmon with the ring in its mouth refers to the story of the local Queen who gave her ring to a knight she was in love with, the jealous King stole the ring from the knight while he was asleep and then demanded it back from the Queen, having thrown it into the Clyde. In desperation she prayed to St. Mungo who told his followers to cast their fishing nets in the river and bring him the first fish that they caught, a salmon with the Queen's ring in its mouth. The tree represents the green hazel twig which Mungo restored to life after his companions had killed it. The bell represents the service bell used in Mungo's church and still in Glasgow until c1700. Mackintosh's tree is highly abstract in its Art Nouveau 'whiplash' spirals untypical of his work. The bird is a modern replacement of the stolen original.

Mackintosh, Charles Rennie

Coat of Arms for the stairwell at Glasgow School of Art (Version 1)

This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 15th June 2018. The bell is all that remains.

The symbols which form the Glasgow coat of arms all refer to miracles performed by St. Mungo, the patron saint of the city who is normally represented with these emblems on the coat of arms. They first appeared on the seals of bishops of Glasgow, the fish on the seal of William Wishart in 1270, the bird on the seal of Robert Wishart in 1271. They were used together for the first time on the seal of the Chapter of Glasgow in 1488. The salmon with the ring in its mouth refers to the story of the local Queen who gave her ring to a knight she was in love with, the jealous King stole the ring from the knight while he was asleep and then demanded it back from the Queen, having thrown it into the Clyde. In desperation she prayed to St. Mungo who told his followers to cast their fishing nets in the river and bring him the first fish that they caught, a salmon with the Queen's ring in its mouth. The tree represents the green hazel twig which Mungo restored to life after his companions had killed it. The bell represents the service bell used in Mungo's church and still in Glasgow until c1700. Mackintosh's tree is highly abstract in its Art Nouveau 'whiplash' spirals untypical of his work. The bird is a modern replacement of the stolen original.

Coat of Arms for the stairwell at Glasgow School of Art (Version 2)

This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 15th June 2018. The bell is all that remains.

The symbols which form the Glasgow coat of arms all refer to miracles performed by St. Mungo, the patron saint of the city who is normally represented with these emblems on the coat of arms. They first appeared on the seals of bishops of Glasgow, the fish on the seal of William Wishart in 1270, the bird on the seal of Robert Wishart in 1271. They were used together for the first time on the seal of the Chapter of Glasgow in 1488. The salmon with the ring in its mouth refers to the story of the local Queen who gave her ring to a knight she was in love with, the jealous King stole the ring from the knight while he was asleep and then demanded it back from the Queen, having thrown it into the Clyde. In desperation she prayed to St. Mungo who told his followers to cast their fishing nets in the river and bring him the first fish that they caught, a salmon with the Queen's ring in its mouth. The tree represents the green hazel twig which Mungo restored to life after his companions had killed it. The bell represents the service bell used in Mungo's church and still in Glasgow until c1700. Mackintosh's tree is highly abstract in its Art Nouveau 'whiplash' spirals untypical of his work. The bird is a modern replacement of the stolen original.

Coat of Arms for the stairwell at Glasgow School of Art (Version 3)

This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 15th June 2018. The bell is all that remains.

The symbols which form the Glasgow coat of arms all refer to miracles performed by St. Mungo, the patron saint of the city who is normally represented with these emblems on the coat of arms. They first appeared on the seals of bishops of Glasgow, the fish on the seal of William Wishart in 1270, the bird on the seal of Robert Wishart in 1271. They were used together for the first time on the seal of the Chapter of Glasgow in 1488. The salmon with the ring in its mouth refers to the story of the local Queen who gave her ring to a knight she was in love with, the jealous King stole the ring from the knight while he was asleep and then demanded it back from the Queen, having thrown it into the Clyde. In desperation she prayed to St. Mungo who told his followers to cast their fishing nets in the river and bring him the first fish that they caught, a salmon with the Queen's ring in its mouth. The tree represents the green hazel twig which Mungo restored to life after his companions had killed it. The bell represents the service bell used in Mungo's church and still in Glasgow until c1700. Mackintosh's tree is highly abstract in its Art Nouveau 'whiplash' spirals untypical of his work. The bird is a modern replacement of the stolen original.

Coat of Arms for the stairwell at Glasgow School of Art (Version 4)

This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 15th June 2018. The bell is all that remains.

The symbols which form the Glasgow coat of arms all refer to miracles performed by St. Mungo, the patron saint of the city who is normally represented with these emblems on the coat of arms. They first appeared on the seals of bishops of Glasgow, the fish on the seal of William Wishart in 1270, the bird on the seal of Robert Wishart in 1271. They were used together for the first time on the seal of the Chapter of Glasgow in 1488. The salmon with the ring in its mouth refers to the story of the local Queen who gave her ring to a knight she was in love with, the jealous King stole the ring from the knight while he was asleep and then demanded it back from the Queen, having thrown it into the Clyde. In desperation she prayed to St. Mungo who told his followers to cast their fishing nets in the river and bring him the first fish that they caught, a salmon with the Queen's ring in its mouth. The tree represents the green hazel twig which Mungo restored to life after his companions had killed it. The bell represents the service bell used in Mungo's church and still in Glasgow until c1700. Mackintosh's tree is highly abstract in its Art Nouveau 'whiplash' spirals untypical of his work. The bird is a modern replacement of the stolen original.

Coat of Arms for the stairwell at Glasgow School of Art (Version 5)

This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 15th June 2018. The bell is all that remains.

The symbols which form the Glasgow coat of arms all refer to miracles performed by St. Mungo, the patron saint of the city who is normally represented with these emblems on the coat of arms. They first appeared on the seals of bishops of Glasgow, the fish on the seal of William Wishart in 1270, the bird on the seal of Robert Wishart in 1271. They were used together for the first time on the seal of the Chapter of Glasgow in 1488. The salmon with the ring in its mouth refers to the story of the local Queen who gave her ring to a knight she was in love with, the jealous King stole the ring from the knight while he was asleep and then demanded it back from the Queen, having thrown it into the Clyde. In desperation she prayed to St. Mungo who told his followers to cast their fishing nets in the river and bring him the first fish that they caught, a salmon with the Queen's ring in its mouth. The tree represents the green hazel twig which Mungo restored to life after his companions had killed it. The bell represents the service bell used in Mungo's church and still in Glasgow until c1700. Mackintosh's tree is highly abstract in its Art Nouveau 'whiplash' spirals untypical of his work. The bird is a modern replacement of the stolen original.

Coat of Arms for the stairwell at Glasgow School of Art (Version 6)

This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 15th June 2018. The bell is all that remains.

The symbols which form the Glasgow coat of arms all refer to miracles performed by St. Mungo, the patron saint of the city who is normally represented with these emblems on the coat of arms. They first appeared on the seals of bishops of Glasgow, the fish on the seal of William Wishart in 1270, the bird on the seal of Robert Wishart in 1271. They were used together for the first time on the seal of the Chapter of Glasgow in 1488. The salmon with the ring in its mouth refers to the story of the local Queen who gave her ring to a knight she was in love with, the jealous King stole the ring from the knight while he was asleep and then demanded it back from the Queen, having thrown it into the Clyde. In desperation she prayed to St. Mungo who told his followers to cast their fishing nets in the river and bring him the first fish that they caught, a salmon with the Queen's ring in its mouth. The tree represents the green hazel twig which Mungo restored to life after his companions had killed it. The bell represents the service bell used in Mungo's church and still in Glasgow until c1700. Mackintosh's tree is highly abstract in its Art Nouveau 'whiplash' spirals untypical of his work. The bird is a modern replacement of the stolen original.

Coat of Arms for the stairwell at Glasgow School of Art (Version 7)

This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 15th June 2018. The bell is all that remains.

The symbols which form the Glasgow coat of arms all refer to miracles performed by St. Mungo, the patron saint of the city who is normally represented with these emblems on the coat of arms. They first appeared on the seals of bishops of Glasgow, the fish on the seal of William Wishart in 1270, the bird on the seal of Robert Wishart in 1271. They were used together for the first time on the seal of the Chapter of Glasgow in 1488. The salmon with the ring in its mouth refers to the story of the local Queen who gave her ring to a knight she was in love with, the jealous King stole the ring from the knight while he was asleep and then demanded it back from the Queen, having thrown it into the Clyde. In desperation she prayed to St. Mungo who told his followers to cast their fishing nets in the river and bring him the first fish that they caught, a salmon with the Queen's ring in its mouth. The tree represents the green hazel twig which Mungo restored to life after his companions had killed it. The bell represents the service bell used in Mungo's church and still in Glasgow until c1700. Mackintosh's tree is highly abstract in its Art Nouveau 'whiplash' spirals untypical of his work. The bird is a modern replacement of the stolen original.

Coat of Arms for the stairwell at Glasgow School of Art (Version 8)

This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 15th June 2018. The bell is all that remains.

The symbols which form the Glasgow coat of arms all refer to miracles performed by St. Mungo, the patron saint of the city who is normally represented with these emblems on the coat of arms. They first appeared on the seals of bishops of Glasgow, the fish on the seal of William Wishart in 1270, the bird on the seal of Robert Wishart in 1271. They were used together for the first time on the seal of the Chapter of Glasgow in 1488. The salmon with the ring in its mouth refers to the story of the local Queen who gave her ring to a knight she was in love with, the jealous King stole the ring from the knight while he was asleep and then demanded it back from the Queen, having thrown it into the Clyde. In desperation she prayed to St. Mungo who told his followers to cast their fishing nets in the river and bring him the first fish that they caught, a salmon with the Queen's ring in its mouth. The tree represents the green hazel twig which Mungo restored to life after his companions had killed it. The bell represents the service bell used in Mungo's church and still in Glasgow until c1700. Mackintosh's tree is highly abstract in its Art Nouveau 'whiplash' spirals untypical of his work. The bird is a modern replacement of the stolen original.

Decorative floral design

Large circular decorative design piece featuring various repetitive marks, shapes and a floral design. Painted in red, blue, pink, green and yellow on a background of brown watercolour. The back of the design reads ‘Jane S. Wilson, 18/6/1912’ in pencil, and ‘GSA 1930-34’ potentially added later in black ink.

Wilson, Jeanne

Decorative leatherwork display case

Wooden display case of decorative leatherwork by P. Wylie Davidson showing examples of materials and techniques. Back of case has GSA label "Leatherwork. 'B', 19.1.58". Back of case also has list of "educational notes". Due to information in archival documentation, display case can be dated pre-1943.

Davidson, Peter Wylie

Enamel display case

Display case showing techniques of enamelling, step by step examples, and materials used. Due to information in archival documentation, display case can be dated pre-1943. This item was damaged in the fire in GSA's Mackintosh Building on 23rd May 2014 and was conserved in 2018.

*Not available / given

Handmade book of written and design work titled ‘History of Ornament’

Large handmade, ring-bound book titled ‘History of Ornament’. Contains a definition of ornamentation followed by a history of ornamentation and information about different historic types and styles of ornamentation, accompanied by hand-illustrated examples in pencil, black and coloured ink and paint. The cover is signed ‘Jane S. Wilson 18/6/1912’. Likely related to a course on the History of Ornament taught as a component of the second-year General Course.

Wilson, Jeanne

Lampshade for Library, Glasgow School of Art - Medium Canister

The library was destroyed by fire on 23 May 2014, though many metal and glass fragments from the lights were subsequently salvaged. Originally, and according to Mackintosh’s preparatory sketches, there were thought to be 53 individual lights in the library, each with punched holes in the inner reflectors which allowed light to pass through blue and purple glass. The central array was made up of 12 small canisters attached to the light frame on the ceiling, with eight medium pendants and five large pendants hanging below. There were an additional twelve medium canisters attached to the coffered ceiling both above and below the library balcony, making 24. Originally there were also four additional medium hanging pendants in each of the south and western window bays, though these four lights, and the medium canister in the librarians office, had all been removed before the fire in 2014, meaning there were 48 in the library. This incomplete light, was one of the largest single pieces salvaged from the floor of the library and the decision has been taken not to try and restore it but rather to keep it in its current condition as a visual record of the tragedy.

Mackintosh, Charles Rennie

Large red vase

Large red glazed ceramic vase with red marking on bottom "GSA 581". Due to information in a 1958 inventory, vase can be dated pre-1958. It may be a student piece or could have been bought and used as a teaching aid.

*Not available / given

Leatherwork display case

Wooden display case of leatherwork by P. Wylie Davidson showing examples of techniques. Back of case has GSA label "Leatherwork. 'C', 19.1.58". Due to information in archival documentation, display case can be dated pre-1943.

Davidson, Peter Wylie

Navy and green embroidery display

Framed display of navy and green embroidery with beading, with engraved title "Samples and Examples by Anne Knox Arthur, The Glasgow School of Art". Includes label "Embroidery A_Navy and Green" and instruction on back of frame. Due to information in archival documentation, display case can be dated pre-1943.

Arthur, Anne Knox

Papers of Liz Arthur relating to Robert Stewart, artist and designer

  • DC 062
  • Collection
  • c1950-2004

This collection contains the research materials of Liz Arthur used in writing 'Robert Stewart : Design 1946 - 95'.

It includes:

  • copies of press cuttings and ephemera relating to Robert Stewart
  • correspondence and notes relating to the book and associated exhibition held at Glasgow School of Art in 2003
  • photographs, strip negatives and slide negatives of Robert Stewart's works
  • and a small number of Robert Stewart's original works, including Christmas cards and textiles.

This material may contain sensitive information about individuals that is protected by the Data Protection Act. Until this material has been checked for sensitive information, it will not be available for researchers. Once this Data Protection work is complete the collection will be open for access, however any sensitive information will be closed and inaccessible for 75 years from the date of creation.

Arthur, Liz

Pink and black embroidery display

Framed display of pink and black embroidery with beading, with engraved title "Samples and Examples by Anne Knox Arthur, The Glasgow School of Art". Includes label "Embroidery C_Black and Pink" and instruction on back of frame. Due to information in archival documentation, display case can be dated pre-1943.

Arthur, Anne Knox

Pottery fragment

1st piece of rim fragment with cream glaze and band of blue, light turquoise, and red/brown paint on recto. Small band of blue paint on verso.

*Not available / given

Pottery fragment

Slightly curved fragment with blue glaze and dark green hand-painted design and bands on recto. Blue glaze with dark green hand-painted Arabic writing and a green band on verso.

*Not available / given

Pottery fragment

Rim fragment with cream glaze and blue, turquoise, red, and dark brown hand-painted patterns on recto. '15 SAVEH' and '15' handwritten on verso. Saveh is a city in Iran.

*Not available / given

Pottery fragment

2nd piece of rim fragment with cream glaze and band of blue, light turquoise, and red/brown paint on recto. Band of blue paint on verso.

*Not available / given

Pottery fragment

Fragment with blue glaze on recto and cream glaze with brown/gold hand-painted pattern on verso. Handwritten letters on one edge - possibly 'C S RAZ.'

*Not available / given

Pottery fragment

Rim fragment with cream glaze and dark blue, red, turquoise, and gold hand-painted pattern on recto. Cream glaze with hand-painted red band and black Arabic inscription on verso.

*Not available / given

Pottery fragment

Fragment with cream glaze and light yellow/gold hand-painted patterns and figures riding horses on recto. Cream glaze with brown hand-painted designs on verso.

*Not available / given

Pottery fragment

Rim fragment from dish or plate. Hand-painted black Arabic writing on recto. 'GOMBAZ KAOUE near Persepolis' handwritten on verso. Persepolis is a city in Iran.

*Not available / given

Pottery fragment

Small fragment with cream glaze and gold hand-painted face on recto. Blue glaze with faint green hand-painted pattern on verso.

*Not available / given

Pottery fragment

Part of group of 31 glazed and gilded pottery fragments from Persia/Egypt/Syria. Includes imagery of ornamental designs, figures, animals, and Arabic/Cufic lettering.

*Not available / given

Pottery fragment

Rim fragment with cream glaze and yellow/gold hand-painted design on recto. Gold hand-painted patterns with figure on verso. Possibly small handwritten letters on an edge.

*Not available / given

Pottery fragment

Rim fragment from dish or plate. Cream glaze with yellow/gold hand-painted pattern with crown on recto. Small area of cream glaze and red/brown section of hand-painted band on verso.

*Not available / given

Pottery fragment

Triangular shaped ceramic fragment with cream glaze with yellow/gold hand-painted design on recto.

One of thirty-one different pottery fragments from Persia/Egypt/Syria. Likely brought to the Glasgow School of Art to be used as teaching aids.

*Not available / given

Pottery fragment

Fragment from what might be a tile. Hand-painted flower and petal shapes in blue, black, yellow, and turquoise paint. '85' and 'SHAH ISF' handwritten on verso. Shah (Persian) is a title given to the emperors/kings and lords of Iran.

*Not available / given

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