Towel Rail
1917 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1868-1928), was born in Glasgow, Scotland and became a leading architect of the Glasgow School. His most noted projects include the city's School of Art, and a number of domestic interiors, including ‘Windyhill’, and ‘The Hill House’ in Helensburg, as well as several of Glasgow's celebrated tea-rooms.
This towel rail comes from a suite made for Mr and Mrs Sidney Horstmann of Bath. In 1917 they commissioned Mackintosh to renovate their house. Though he worked on a relatively small number of rooms in the house, he created startling differences in each room. The guest bedroom, for which this towel rail was designed, was furnished with dark mahogany. Some of the larger pieces in the suite were decorated with inlay. The style is very similar to that of a suite designed by Mackintosh for the guest bedroom of 78 Derngate, Northampton, the home of Mr and Mrs W.J. Bassett-Lowke.
The furniture was constructed by Prisoners of War on the Isle of Man in 1917.
This towel rail comes from a suite made for Mr and Mrs Sidney Horstmann of Bath. In 1917 they commissioned Mackintosh to renovate their house. Though he worked on a relatively small number of rooms in the house, he created startling differences in each room. The guest bedroom, for which this towel rail was designed, was furnished with dark mahogany. Some of the larger pieces in the suite were decorated with inlay. The style is very similar to that of a suite designed by Mackintosh for the guest bedroom of 78 Derngate, Northampton, the home of Mr and Mrs W.J. Bassett-Lowke.
The furniture was constructed by Prisoners of War on the Isle of Man in 1917.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | |
| Brief description | Mahogany towel rail, the design by Charles Rennie Mackintosh originally for 78 Derngate, Northampton, 1917. |
| Physical description | Towel rail of mahogany with ebonised feet |
| Dimensions |
|
| Style | |
| Gallery label | Prisoner-made furniture
During the First World War, the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea held one of Britain’s largest internment camps for foreign prisoners of war. To reduce boredom and make use of cheap labour, the prisoners were put to work making furniture and other goods. Men in the furniture workshop produced bespoke items, including this towel rail designed by the Scottish architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh for a house in Bath.
Mahogany towel rail
1917
Designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh
Manufactured by prisoners of war on the Isle of Man
Mahogany
Museum no. CIRC.593A-1966
The object sits in the 'Crisis and Conflict' section of the Design 1900-Now gallery opened in June 2021.(2021) |
| Object history | This towel rail comes from a suite made for Mr and Mrs Sidney Horstmann of Bath. In 1917 they commissioned Mackintosh to renovate their house. Though he worked on a relatively small number of rooms in the house, he created startling differences in each room. The guest bedroom, for which this towel rail was designed, was furnished with dark mahogany. Some of the larger pieces in the suite were decorated with inlay. The style is very similar to that of a suite designed by Mackintosh for the guest bedroom of 78 Derngate, Northampton, the home of Mr and Mrs W.J. Bassett-Lowke. The furniture was constructed by Prisoners of War on the Isle of Man in 1917. |
| Summary | Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1868-1928), was born in Glasgow, Scotland and became a leading architect of the Glasgow School. His most noted projects include the city's School of Art, and a number of domestic interiors, including ‘Windyhill’, and ‘The Hill House’ in Helensburg, as well as several of Glasgow's celebrated tea-rooms. This towel rail comes from a suite made for Mr and Mrs Sidney Horstmann of Bath. In 1917 they commissioned Mackintosh to renovate their house. Though he worked on a relatively small number of rooms in the house, he created startling differences in each room. The guest bedroom, for which this towel rail was designed, was furnished with dark mahogany. Some of the larger pieces in the suite were decorated with inlay. The style is very similar to that of a suite designed by Mackintosh for the guest bedroom of 78 Derngate, Northampton, the home of Mr and Mrs W.J. Bassett-Lowke. The furniture was constructed by Prisoners of War on the Isle of Man in 1917. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | CIRC.593A-1966 |
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| Record created | September 17, 2001 |
| Record URL |
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