Thomson, Alexander

Edinburgh, Scotland; carver and gilder (fl.1799-1812)

Addresses in Edinburgh; head of Calton 1799-1809, 16 York Place 1809-11; 34 York Place 1811-14; 79 High Street 1814-25; furnished lodgings, 2 Shakespeare Square 1810-11; 5 Shakespeare Square 1811-12; house 111 Nicolson Street 1814-19 & 33 Frederick Street 1831-32. Made frames with portrait painter, Henry Raeburn, in 1801, 1806 and 1812. Also made looking glass frames, repaired and cleaned pictures, and supplied packing boxes. Receipt concerning 3 Raeburn portraits held at Duns Castle ‘Received from Robt. Hay Esqr. Of Drumillzer [sic] Dunce [sic] Castle the sum of Ten Pounds fifteen Shillings and two pence as paymt of three-Three quarter picture frames and two packing boxes Alexr Thomson’. He also supplied burnished work - ‘Received from Sir William Cumming Bart. the sum of six pounds 6 [shillings] as payment of two, three-quarter picture frames, done in burnished gold, for the portraits of his father and mother Alexr Thomson’. Frame with Thomson label ‘THOMSON, CARVER & GILDER, EDINBURGH, MAKES, CARVES and GILDS all kinds of LOOKING-GLASSES, PICTURE FRAMES, &c., in the best style and on the lowest terms. .......Paintings Cleaned and Repaired’ on the frame of Colonel William Hunter by David Martin 1772 and a labelled frame of Mrs Colin Mackenzie by Henry Raeburn, c.1805 – both illus. Houliston, Regional Furniture (1999) pp.67 & 68.

Source: Houliston, ‘Frame Making in Edinburgh 1790-1830’, Regional Furniture (1999).