London, Thomas

THOMAS LONDON (ca.1780-81-1826) is known for his use of ivory for ‘standard size’ profiles, a medium usually reserved for smaller jewellery pieces and miniatures. Though advertised, profiles on paper are unrecorded. Rare and distinctive, his work, even without trade labels, is easily attributable.

 

Two trade labels are known. The first places him in Kidderminster, the second, ‘at his home’, 26 Cross Street, Worcester. There is no evidence he worked as a profilist outside of Worcestershire.

 

2021 research discovered London’s given name, and from information his widow offered, when applying for birth certificates for their surviving son and daughter, his occupation was given as ‘fancy cabinet painter’. As small items of furniture such as workboxes and tea caddies, fancy cabinets were often embellished with porcelain and ivory ovals decorated with profiles or some other composition. Interestingly, a generation earlier, Francis Torond offered ‘shades…copied to any size for furniture’. Obviously, London would have had a sizable stock of ivory for cabinets and profiles alike.

 

Commentators long assumed his career ceased ca.1810, and he never painted bust line terminations. However, a work dated 1817 with truncation, was sold at auction in 2019. Between 1819-23, London is absent from available records, reappearing as a dealer in tea in Bath in 1824. No advertisements promoting profiles in Bath have been found. However, as his widow advertised as a tea dealer/fancy cabinet maker, it’s possible he ran these same strands of business himself, between 1824/26. 

 

London’s given age is 45 when his obituary appears in the BATH CHRONICLE, 12th September 1826.

 

Revised 5 April 2022 (Brian Wellings)