Paint manufactured by A. Leete & Co.
Paint Box
late 19th century - early 20th century (made)
late 19th century - early 20th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
According to one of its trade price lists, A. Leete & Company was a manufacturer and supplier of 'Paints, Distempers, Colors, Enamels, Varnishes, Polishes, Stains, Painting Brushes' and importers of 'Oils, Chemicals, Greases, Waxes, Gums, Glues, Shellacs & General Drysaltery'. Established in 1826, Leete had a factory in Mansfield Street, off Borough Road in South East London, and offices and a warehouse at 129 London Road, Southwark. The company was probably founded by Alfred Leete, who died in 1889 and whose estate passed in 1890 to his son, also named Alfred (born ca. 1851). In the 1901 census Alfred Leete's profession is given as 'Paint Manufacturer'.
The family-run company continued until at least 1983 when it was operating from the Kent Park Industrial Estate, Ruby Street, London SE15. It provided paint and related items to a range of customers and was well known as a supplier to the theatre industry, which used Leete paints and products for scene painting. The back cover of one of the company's leaflets is printed with an image of the factory and the strap-line, 'Leete's Scenic Colors Are The Best'. A file of business papers held by the V&A’s Department of Theatre and Performance shows that the company supplied paint to the Wimbledon Theatre in 1923 and to the London Festival Ballet in the 1970s. Leete's was still in family hands in 1974 but by 1983 had become part of Tor Coatings Group.
This tray contains 56 samples of paint manufactured by Leete.
The family-run company continued until at least 1983 when it was operating from the Kent Park Industrial Estate, Ruby Street, London SE15. It provided paint and related items to a range of customers and was well known as a supplier to the theatre industry, which used Leete paints and products for scene painting. The back cover of one of the company's leaflets is printed with an image of the factory and the strap-line, 'Leete's Scenic Colors Are The Best'. A file of business papers held by the V&A’s Department of Theatre and Performance shows that the company supplied paint to the Wimbledon Theatre in 1923 and to the London Festival Ballet in the 1970s. Leete's was still in family hands in 1974 but by 1983 had become part of Tor Coatings Group.
This tray contains 56 samples of paint manufactured by Leete.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 57 parts. (Some alternative part names are also shown below)
|
| Title | Paint manufactured by A. Leete & Co. (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Card tray and portfolio, with glass and cork tubes of powder paint |
| Brief description | Box containing 56 samples of powder paint, produced by manufacturers, A. Leete & Co., late 19th - early 20th century |
| Physical description | Segmented card tray, holding 56 small glass tubes of powder paint in various shades, each tube with a cork stopper. The tray is designed to hold 60 tubes and is attached to the cover of an empty portfolio, labelled Kingscroft Portfolios. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Given by A. Leete & Co. Ltd |
| Summary | According to one of its trade price lists, A. Leete & Company was a manufacturer and supplier of 'Paints, Distempers, Colors, Enamels, Varnishes, Polishes, Stains, Painting Brushes' and importers of 'Oils, Chemicals, Greases, Waxes, Gums, Glues, Shellacs & General Drysaltery'. Established in 1826, Leete had a factory in Mansfield Street, off Borough Road in South East London, and offices and a warehouse at 129 London Road, Southwark. The company was probably founded by Alfred Leete, who died in 1889 and whose estate passed in 1890 to his son, also named Alfred (born ca. 1851). In the 1901 census Alfred Leete's profession is given as 'Paint Manufacturer'. The family-run company continued until at least 1983 when it was operating from the Kent Park Industrial Estate, Ruby Street, London SE15. It provided paint and related items to a range of customers and was well known as a supplier to the theatre industry, which used Leete paints and products for scene painting. The back cover of one of the company's leaflets is printed with an image of the factory and the strap-line, 'Leete's Scenic Colors Are The Best'. A file of business papers held by the V&A’s Department of Theatre and Performance shows that the company supplied paint to the Wimbledon Theatre in 1923 and to the London Festival Ballet in the 1970s. Leete's was still in family hands in 1974 but by 1983 had become part of Tor Coatings Group. This tray contains 56 samples of paint manufactured by Leete. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.18:1 to 57-1988 |
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| Record created | August 21, 2019 |
| Record URL |
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