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Kallenborn & Joos; Kallenborn, J & Sons; Joos, Charles (1895-1914)

Kallenborn & Joos; Kallenborn, J & Sons; Joos, Charles

London; cabinet makers (fl.1895-c.1914)

Kallenborn & Joos were recorded as cabinet makers at 20a Clipstone Street, Fitzrovia W in the 1895 Street Directory and at 154 Great Titchfield Street W in the 1902 Trade Directory. This was probably a partnership of Charles Joos and John Joseph Kallenborn. At the time of the 1901 census, the cabinet maker Charles Joos (born in France, c. 1849) and his London born wife, Alice E. (aged 40), were living at 300 Regent Street with their daughter, Alice (aged 2). Thereafter there are no records for Charles Joos.  

Joseph Kallenborn, a cabinet maker born in Germany, first appeared in London census in 1881 (aged 31), listed as a visitor staying with the cabinet maker, Heinrich Wittenberg at 50 Grovedale Road, Islington.

In the 1901 census, a John J. Kallenborn (aged 51) and probably the same man, is described as an 'employer cabinet maker' at 189 Brecknock Road, St Pancras, living with his wife, Ellen and their four sons: Engelbert, Frederick, James, and Ernest. By 1911 Engelbert was also recorded as a cabinet maker and Ernest as an upholsterer, whilst their father John Joseph (aged 60), remained listed as a cabinet maker. Because John J was still classified as a German resident, his name did not appear on the electoral roll of 1910-11, however his four sons qualified, as did a James William, described as a 'clerk for oil importers', who is recorded for paying rent of 10s 6d per week, including partial board, to his parents. It seems likely that these were the Kallenborns, who produced the two marquetry trays by Kallenborn & Sons, one ‘The Wrestlers’ designed by Henry Gaudier-Brzeska (illustrated below).

Image
The Wrestlers tray
Copyright (Attribution/Credit)
V&A Museum

Marquetry tray depicting wrestlers, Henri Gaudier-Brzeska for the Omega Workshops, c. 1913 [W.30-1978]. ©Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Two marquetry trays made by Kallenborn & Sons, one ‘The Wrestlers’ decorated by Henry Gaudier-Brzeska and the other ‘The Elephant’ by Duncan Grant. It is known that George Bernard Shaw owned a ‘Elephant’ tray from Omega. Another tray with a marquetried giraffe at the V&A (Misc.2:12-1934). The London Post Directory, 1914, listed John Joseph Kallenborn & Son, cabinets makers, at 65½ Stanhope Street, Euston Square.  

Kallenborn also made the furniture for a new dining room for Lady Dorothy Wellesley at Penns-in-the-Rocks, Tunbridge Wells, 1928-30 (illus. Anscombe (1981), pp.38 & 39). The designers and painters of this dining furniture were possibly Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell.  

J. Kallenborn & Sons were also the makers of the furniture; an octagonal table was designed to match a set of eight chairs, designed c. 1913 by Roger Fry. The furniture was then painted by Grant & Bell. The chairs were offered for sale at Sotheby's London, 30 October 1998.  

John Joseph Kallenborn died in 1932 in Barnet, Hertfordshire.

Sources: Anscombe, Omega and After (1981); Collins, The Omega Workshops (1984).