British Antique watercolor paint blocks & makers


tm

Virtual Watercolor
Museum
Main Entrance

LINKS FOR INFORMATION

updated Jan 22, 2023

The Virtual Museum of Watercolor gallery of:

British Antique Watercolor

Paint Blocks, Palette & Supplies

1700-1800's

The Virtual Museum of Watercolor
This Virtual Museum is a collection of photographs
items are shown on this pager are for historical interest -and are not for sale and
are phisically in various collections throughout the world

Watercolor paint blocks were invented by brothers William and Thomas Reeves in the 1760' -1770s (see their early blocks below)

In 1835 Winsor & Newton introduced the first moist watercolor cakes using glycerine They were more easily wettable making easier to use.

This and the new colors being invented by chemists & introduced contributed to the watercolour painting craze in Victorian England.

Queen Victoria & Prince Albert were great patrons of the arts encouraged the arts through many programs; especially by expanding the royal warrants- providing a guarantee of quality of many brands of art supplies.

ARZONE antique watercolor cakes c. 1830

Embossing on one block: " 54 Dean St, Soho" he was at that address 1830-37

The photos shows both sides of same blocks .
The colors appear slightly different due to lighting.

Blocks are approximately 1 inch long , 5/8 inch wide & 1/4 inch thick.
Photos are enlarged for detail 3/1
As with any modern professional artist's paints, they may contain harmful substances. These should be handled with care. They are not for use by children.

Waring & Dimes Antique Paint Blocks

Embossing on the block: " Gt.Russell St .. Bloomsbury"

The partnership dates these blocks to 1840-1842

The photos shows both sides of same blocks .
The colors appear slightly different due to lighting.

Early watercolor cakes of this make are quite rare
They also provided Drawing materials,Oil colors, canvas & other supplies.
JMW Turner was known to use some of their art supplies.

Blocks are approximately 1 inch long , 5/8 inch wide & 1/4 inch thick.
Photos are enlarged for detail 3/1
As with any modern professional artist's paints, they may contain harmful substances. These should be handled with care. They are not for use by children.

T. J. Morris Antique Paint Blocks

Early watercolor cakes of this make are quite rare

He was known to be a color maker 1818 to 1838
In that period he USA color maker to the Duke of Sussex from 1823 to 1838
& to Her Majesty & Princes Victoria 1828 -1838

This dates these blocks are from 1823 to 1838

Embossing on the block:
T. J. Morris
Manufacturer of Color
to Royal.....
?? Duke of Sussex
LONDON

The combined photo shows both sides of two blocks vertically.
The colors appear slightly different due to lighting.

Blocks are approximately 15/16 inch long , 9/16 inch wide & 3/16 inch thick.Photo is enlarged for detail 3/1
As with any modern professional artist's paints, they may contain harmful substances. These should be handled with care. They are not for use by children.

Robertson & Miller Paint Block -dating in the 1830's

The photos shows both sides of same blocks .
Blocks are approximately 1 inch long , 5/8 inch wide & 1/4 inch thick.
Photos are enlarged for detail

Watercolor Paint Blocks 1800's Marked "S O" with a crown.
This stands for the Crown Stationary Office in the UK.
Goverment office artists were issued materials with the SO stamp throughout the empire.

The paints were manufactured by various London colormen and were fine quality.
The Crown Stationary Office was formed around 1822

We will post more on these in time. For now our thanks to a correspondant for this information.

photo enlarged for detail

H B Binko - London Antique Paint Block c.1800's

Henry Boch Binko (c.1838-1911), born Austria, was active in London from 1868
known in 1873 to be at 183, City-road, London
Manufacturer and retailer of Paint, Stationery , Writing equipment & Toys

photo enlarged for detail

References found:
THE LONDON GAZETTE, JANUARY 24, 1873, Page 334
384* Binko, H. B. (*see also Gr.X, No. 384) Writing articles 183, City-road, London

THE PRACTICAL MECHANIC'S JOURNAL. 23 12/A February 1869.
439 H. B. Binko, Manufacture and application of indigo, carmine, and other colours

Winsor & Newton
Antique Paint Blocks
pre 1881

Blocks are approximately 1 1/8 x 5/8 by 3/16 inch thick
photo enlarged for detail
NOT FOR SALE
I want blocks like these will trade or buy
c. 2010 R M Bodoh

George Rowney & Co
Antique Paint Block c.1844 c

NOT FOR SALE
Blocks are approximately 1 1/8 x 5/8 by 3/16 inch thick
photo enlarged for detail

Newman's
Watercolor
Paint Blocks
1800's

Blocks are approximately 1 1/8 x 5/8 by 3/16 inch thick
photo enlarged for detail

NOT FOR SALE

R Ackermann Paint blocks- photo enlarged for detail. Blocks are around 1827- Shown here on the back of a R Ackermann palette.

DESIGNS OF THOMAS REEVES & DESCENDANTS
WATERCOLOR PAINT BLOCKS THROUGH TIME
NOT FOR SALE -

T Reeves & Son
(Thomas Reeves
with is son William J. Reeves)
c 1784 1790
Note the shield is a oval
unlike the shield below.

T . Reeves & Son
With the royal warrant

( Thomas Reeves with is son William J. Reeves)
a later variation of
Thomas Reeves & Son paint blocks
c 1790-1799

Reeves & Woodyer
(son of Thomas: William J Reeves & Partner Woodyer)
c. 1799-1817

Son of Thomas reeves: William J.Reeves should not be confused with Uncle: William- brother of Thomas- see above

Reeves & Woodyer & Reeves not shown-
(Partners : William J Reeves- Woodyer & his son) around 1817- 1818

Reeves & Son(William J Reeves-& his son)c.1819-1826 not shown

Reeves & Sons
(The two sons of the late William J Reeves carrying on the business with fathers name)
1827-

On these particular blocks
Were these "New Wax Colors" a response to Winsor & Newton introducing
Moist watercolors?

Was what they called wax actually glycerine or a water based wax?

Reeves & Sons
by this time is was
a company of various owners
c.1860-
similar Blocks may be earlier

Reeves & Sons
Superior Elementary Colors line
a company of various owners
1880?-1899

Reeves & Sons Ltd c.1891- 1972
(not shown

Blocks are approximately 1 1/8 x 5/8 by 3/16 inch thick
photo enlarged for detail

Curious case of Antique REEVES Paint Block
1700's

Does the paint block on the left have a misspelling ReAves of REEves?

The text is similar to blocks dating c 1784 1790,
but the front design is similar to blocks dating 1790-1799
though it is wider (below right).

It is most probably an early forged paint block by another maker
Forgeries if Reeves paints were known of as early as the late 1700's.

It was found in a British paint box from the 1780's by William Reeves along with other paint blocks from England, France and Germany.

We believe the box has been in America since the 1700's
it seems to tell the story of having to resupply the British box with paint from other countries during the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812.

DESIGNS OF WILLIAM REEVES WATERCOLOR PAINT BLOCKS THROUGH TIME
NOT FOR SALE

s

William Reeves Paint block -- 1784-1795

William Reeves was the brother of Thomas Reeves and formed two separate Reeves paint companies when their partnership broke up in 1773.

Reeves & Inwoodc. 1796-1811
( William Reeves {Brother of Thomas} & Inwood as Partner
in a separate parallel business
after brothers Thomas and William broke up their partnership in 1784)

Caution: Antique paint blocks like modern paint may have some harmful substances in them
& should be handled carefully and not ingested through the mouth or skin. They are not for use by children.

PAINT PALETTES c. 1700's -1800's
The palettes below are not for sale

Reeves & Sons 1829 on
4 5/8 inch by 2 1/2 inch wide

Artists supplies c. 1700's -1800's

W.Reeves & CO Pigment Sifter
above showing all the layers
below the engraved name
note this probably is made by a different Reeves company than the Paint makers.

Conte' crayon- or chalk holder- silver
This device easily holds the square crayons for ease of drawing and allowing the artist to use the whole arm for more elegant strokes.
The rings slid out to cinch the crayon tightly. shown enlarged for detail. Actual size approximately 6 inches long without crayons:

Below is one in brass slightly under 6 inches.

Thank you