Hull, Edward & George (1826-1860)
Hull, Edward & George
London; curiosity dealers, furniture makers (fl.1826-60)
Edward Hull was known as a ‘curiosity dealer’ and ‘antique furniture dealer’ but was also described in trade directories as ‘Gothic and Elizabethan furniture manufacturer’. First listed as ‘broker’ at 20 Change Alley, Cornhill, and then recorded as ‘curiosity dealer’ at 55 St Martin’s Lane in the Post Office Directory for 1832/33. In 1834 he opened another shop at 109 Wardour Street, taking over the shop of the dealer, John Swaby, whilst remaining at St Martin’s Lane until 1835. From 1833 he had extensive dealings with Charles Scarisbrick, including supplying contemporary furniture, arranging and overseeing alterations to interior decorations, as well as supplying ‘ancient’ carvings, woodwork and objects for Scarisbrick Hall and the Scarisbrick’s London house at 11 Suffolk Street, Pall Mall. Hull bought carved furniture from the dealer John Coleman Isaac and from various auctions including Pryor’s bank and at least 17 lots from Strawberry Hill in 1842. He obviously had a good relationship with A. W. N. Pugin (1812-52), selling him objects and also making furniture to Pugin’s designs for Pugin’s house, St. Marie’s Grange, Ramsgate. Pugin used Hull’s address in 1838 for an advertisement in his book ‘Ecclesiastical Ornaments...’. Hull died in 1847 and the curiosity business was continued by his son, George (b.1808). In the 1851 census George Hull was listed as an ‘upholsterer’ at 109 Wardour Street but 1852 and 1860 directories recorded him at the same address as ‘antique furniture dealer’.
Source: Westgarth, A Biographical Dictionary of Nineteenth Century Antique and Curiosity Dealers (2009)
Occupation
Ornamentation/Design
Style