- Also known as
-
Thomas Bakewell
-
primary name: Bakewell, Thomas
- Details
- individual; printmaker; publisher/printer; British; Male
- Other dates
- 1729-1760s (fl. (firm))
- Address
- Next door to Horn Tavern, Fleet Street (1737 - advertisement in The Craftsman, June 1742 - London Evening Post); at the Golden Lion, Fleet Street (c.1714-1725); at the corner of Johnson's Court, Fleet Street (March 1734, June 1736, London Evening Post) - these three addresses describe the same premises.
Against Birchin Lane in Cornhill (1743,1746, August 1748 - London Evening Post, 1750)
- Biography
- Print- and map-seller and publisher, working between 1729-49, sometimes in partnership with Timothy Jordan (q.v.). (Plomer's first record of the name is in 1670, so perhaps an earlier generation was involved.)
Took over the business of Thomas Taylor at the Golden Lion in Fleet Street by 1729 (see advertisement in Fog's Weekly Journal on 28 June 1729). Subscriber to two sets of Bucks 1749 (Gough). His first trade card claims a stock of 'fine French, Italian and Dutch Prints & Maps, large & small Indian Pictures, Oyl-Paintings for Chimney Pieces, and Glass Paintings'. Later cards suggest a shift towards English prints proclaiming 'all sorts of Maps & Prints for Exportation' together with the glass prints, oils and 'Indian pictures'. His cheap etching of George Daraugh (Rawlinson a 8) announced that 'all Country Chapmen may be furnish'd with all sorts of Maps & Prints at the lowest Prices'. He also offered a frame making service and would fit up 'stair cases and Rooms with any of the above said at Reasonable Rates'. In the 1730s he was favoured by Hogarth, distributed his prints and issued licensed copies. Popular mezzotints issued by him are found with numbers as high as 562 (see 2010,7081.640), suggesting he had a large stock of plates. Elizabeth Bakewell, Thomas's widow, continued the business into the 1760s with Henry Parker who had been Bakewell's assistant from 1748.
Trade cards in Heal and Banks Collections. Heal,100.10 and Banks,100.33 advertise "Thomas Bakewell Map & Printseller against the end of Birchin Lane in Cornhill, London. Sells all sorts of Maps & Prints for Exportation. Glass Paintings & Pictures in Oyl [sic] for Chimney Pieces, and makes all sorts of Frames in the neatest manner. Stair Cases & Rooms neatly fitted up with Indian Pictures & all sorts of Liquid collours [sic] for Surveyors." Heal's annotations on mount: "See card (small series) of Bakewell & Parker, 'Maps & Printsellers, opposite Birchin Lane in Cornhill' (to follow). There is an earlier card 'Thomas Bakewell Bookseller next door to the Horn Tavern in Fleet St.' which displays a horn as sign. The Horn or Horn in the Hoop was No.164 Fleet St. See Hilton Price p:568. See also card of Elizabeth Bakewell (Heal,100.11)) identical with this one except for change of name. Gardiner Collection." Heal,100.12 and 100.13 advertise "Thomas Bakewell, next Door to the Horn Tavern in Fleet Street, London. Selleth all Sorts of fine French, Italian, and Dutch Prints & Maps, large & small Indian Pictures, Oyl Paintings for Chimney Pieces and Glass Paintings, and all Sorts of Frames either in Gold Lacquer or Black, Likewise fitteth up Stair cases and Rooms with any of the above said, in the neatest manner & at Reasonable Rates. N.B. He giveth good allowance to those that Buy to Sell again." Heal's annotations on mount similar to above.
- Bibliography
- Plomer et al., 'Dictionary of Booksellers and Printers'
Information from Timothy Clayton
