Norman & Stacey (1880-1901)
Norman & Stacey; Norman & Co. (Ltd)
London; furniture makers (fl.c.1880-1910)
Norman & Stacey were manufacturing furniture at various addresses in Queen Victoria Street, retailing furniture made by other firms, including Shapland and Petter, and copying other makers’ designs.
They were one of the first (c. 1880) to offer purchase facilities recorded as ‘a revolution in furnishing by gradual payments’ [The Artist, 1901]. There were two court cases in 1880s relating to the legal complications with such agreements. In 1884 as the 'Hire Purchase Furnishing Co.', they took a Mr Barefoot to court for non-payment of instalments for the purchase of furniture to the value of £80; the arrangement having been negotiated by Mr Matthews. Barefoot had offered a guarantee if Matthews did not pay the instalments. At the hearing Mr Barefoot stated that he had not been made aware of Matthew’s default but the judge over-ruled this and the jury gave verdict in favour of the plaintiffs [The Furniture Gazette, 8 March 1884].
The second case related to Mr Bird, a clerk of Norman & Co. (Ltd) at 79 Queen Victoria Street, who was charged with an act of wilful damage on 27 October 1886. The complainant was made by Mr Frederick Gray, who entered into a hire purchase agreement in July 1885 to purchase some office furniture. He fell into arrears and after five months’ failed payments and repeated applications from the company, Bird and others from the firm broke into Gray’s office and took back the furniture and also documents and a mat which belonged personally to Gray. It was for this action that Mr. Bird was charged. At the court hearing Mr Coller (principal clerk) gave evidence for the defence producing the written documentation relating to the purchase agreement, stating that in the non-event of any payment the company was empowered to enter and seize the furniture on hire payment. This paperwork, however, contained a stipulation that no act of trespass or otherwise could be brought in respect of any proceedings to recover goods. Alderman Lawrence who conducted the trial, stated that the company had no right to forcefully enter Gray’s office and the public should be made more aware of the implications of the hire purchase system. The firm was fined a total of £7 7s 6d for the offence, costs and damage to the office door [The Furniture Gazette, 1 December 1886].
The firm converted to a limited liability company called Norman & Co. (Ltd), with plans to extend outside London, although it still traded after this date under the name of Norman & Stacey [The Furniture Gazette, 1 March 1888].
After 1900 Norman & Stacey advertised furniture in the Empire and Regency styles. A double desk for the ante-room in an Officer’s Mess and a hall settle, designed by Harry Napper, were exhibited at the Earl’s Court Military Exhibition, 1901 (illus. Agius (1978), p. 119).
The London Post Office Trades Directory, 1902, listed Norman & Stacey at 252, 253, 254, 255 & 256 Tottenham Court Road, with City offices at 118 Queen Victoria Street as cabinet makers, house furnishers, decorators and upholsterers, and with the telegraphic address of 'Norsda'.
Examples of Norman and Stacey designs including those for wash-stands, secretaries, cabinets, various types of chair and settee, desks, chests of drawers, mirrors, screens, sideboards, are illus. Joy (1977). A circular inlaid mahogany occasional table, which was designed by G. M. Ellwood for the makers J. S. Henry c.1900, appeared in the Norman & Stacey Ltd (‘under Royal Patronage’) catalogue c.1910 and priced at £2 9s 6d [illus. Agius (1978), p.137]. The National Art Library, at V&A, holds a Catalogue of Artistic Furniture, Decorations, Carpets & Antiques', produced by Norman and Stacey c. 1910 (NAL: 608.AD.0409).
Sources: Joy, Pictorial Dictionary of British Nineteenth Century Furniture Designs (1977); Agius, British Furniture 1880-1915 (1978); Collard, ‘The Regency Revival’, The Decorative Arts Society 1850 to the Present (1984); Bennett, Shapland & Peter Ltd of Barnstaple. Arts & Crafts Furniture (2005).