Among the collection is this colour lithographed fold-out catalogue of sofa designs by Henry Lawford, 1855 called The Cabinet of Practical, Useful and Decorative Furniture Designs. Credit: The John Evan Bedford Library of Furniture History, University of Leeds.
The display, Part of the Furniture in the university’s The Treasures of the Brotherton Gallery, explores the history of furniture and furnishings and runs until December 21.
Bedford of William Bedford, who died in 2019, left his collection of rare books, trade cards, manuscripts, artworks and objects to the University of Leeds.
He began his career in the world of antiques with a stall in a Kensington antiques market in the 1960s and became one of the major dealers in antique furniture in London in the 1970s and listed publicly on the stock exchange.
The Library of Strawberry Hill, engraved by Godfrey, from A description of the villa of Mr. Horace Walpole, youngest son of Sir Robert Walpole Earl of Orford, at Strawberry-Hill near Twickenham, Middlesex, 1784. The John Evan Bedford Library of Furniture History, University of Leeds.
A series of events will also be held during the year to support the exhibition which is curated by associate professor Dr Mark Westgarth, Dr Rachel Eckersley, rare book specialist, and Rhiannon Lawrence-Francis, special collections curator.
Dr Westgarth said: “The subject of furniture history began to emerge in the 1830s and has since evolved to become a vibrant multifaceted discipline. Driven by subject specialists, furniture history has been intimately associated with collecting and furnishing with antique furniture, and with antique furniture dealers such as Bedford.
A pop-up diagram in paper and mica from Practical perspective; or Perspective made easie… by Joseph Moxon, 1670. Credit: The John Evan Bedford Library of Furniture History, University of Leeds.
“This exhibition shines new light on the themes and subjects that have come to dominate furniture history as a subject, and asks what furniture history might look like in the future.”
