Shapland & Petter Wardrobe

Following on from the heritage theme of the Belleek pottery blog, this week's blog is centred around the Devonshire based furniture makers: Shapland and Petter.  With increasing public interest in their products, it is somewhat surprising that so little is widely known of the company's history. Sadly in 2009 the company became another casualty of the current recession.  Before then however, Shapland and Petter was the largest employer for 150 years in Barnstaple, Devon, UK, employing many hundreds of local people from the time of it's birth in 1854.  

Shown below is one of our wardrobes produced by Shapland and Petter displaying beautiful floral inlays. This piece is very typical of the Arts & Crafts movement, and perhaps gives a clue as to the business's success and reputation.  

Circa 1900, this remarkable specimen would have been made shortly before Shapland and Petters both died. It was not long after their deaths that the company was merged with The Barnstaple Cabinet Company to create North Devon's largest employer in 1924.  A brief history of Shapland and Petter can be found on the following link.  

For further information about this and all our antiques please visit our illustrated website, or better yet, pop into our themed showroom in Benton, Newcastle Upon Tyne.

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