John Bryson Orr (1840-1933) Inventor of Orr's Zinc White John Bryson Orr had devoted himself to the search for a satisfactory white pigment and a sound practical method of producing it commercially. Nearing...
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The 1930s House (2)
This is the second part of a look at the changing tastes of the 1930s. Part One can be seen here. In this we learnt that the images came from a work published in 1935 by a large paint company, Pinchin Johnson &...
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The 1930s House (1)
The Hall These images come from a work published in 1935 by a large paint company, Pinchin, Johnson & Co. It was entitled: New Rooms for Old. Some helpful designs and details for transforming the ordinary interior...
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Traditional British Colours – Coronation of King George VI
"A moth-eaten rag on a worm-eaten pole, it does not look likely to stir a man's soul, 'Tis the deeds that were done 'neath the moth-eaten rag, When the pole was a staff and the rag was a flag."1 This book on...
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Painting of Georgian Buildings
In 1950 the Georgian Group issued the above sheet offering advice to householders on the external painting of Georgian buildings. The suggestion was that, in spite of continued post-war shortages, there would be a...
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Parsons’ Decorative Finishes (16) – Parsons’ ‘Corktex’
A previous post has already introduced the subject of a most useful work that was published in the 1930s - Parsons' Decorative Finishes. Subsequently I have used it as a 'prompt' for posts dealing with Water...
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Colour and Lighting in Factories and Offices
In these days, when an ability in Interior Design is often seen to be no more than the selection of a completely impractical 'chalky paint' from a ‘Boutique’ paint supplier and an artfully placed pair of old...
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Ministry of Works Colour Schemes
MINISTRY OF WORKS COLOUR SCHEMES (Official Colour Card No. 1 1952)* This little aid to the decoration of Ministry of Works offices of the early 1950s really is little, measuring only 16.5cm x 6.5cm. However, as...
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Ridgway Color Standards and Color Nomenclature
Robert Ridgway was an American ornithologist, who was the first full-time curator of birds at the United States National Museum. He served from 1880 until his death in 1929. Ridgway also published one of the...
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Pea Green
Fresh Peas - with thanks to Gerry the Cook Pea Green is a colour name that immediately conjures up an image, but on reflection is it the colour of fresh peas, frozen peas, tinned peas or (forgive the accent) mushy...
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