I.S. Varian & Co., brushmakers. North Dublin
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Where: Unknown
Try to find the spot where the photographer was standing.
When: 01 January 1904
Try to find the date or year when this image was made.
To finish off the week we make a visit to the Mason Collection. What a great variety of brushes, I wonder can we identify all the different uses? In the 1911 Census there are 337 people with "brush" as part of the description of their occupation. These included: Brush Maker, Brush Finisher, Brush Drawer, Brush Trade, Brush Manufacturer, Brush Washer, Brush Merchant, Brush Borer and Brush Traveler. While I'm not sure what a "Brush Traveler" may have done, does the "St Louis - 1904" signage suggest that these particular brushes went on a journey?
This particular Mary must admit to knowing nothing of I.S Varian & Co, brushmakers - before today's researches that is. Particularly striking is the longevity of the business. First founded in Cork in 1798, the company was based from Dublin's Talbot Street since 1856 - and still operating from Walkinstown into the 21st century. They had upwards of 360 employees in the 1940s - some of whom continued an interesting employee renunion tradition on unique dates (4/4/1944, 5/5/1955, etc) - until recent decades. The other interesting thing (clearly) about the business were the displays of their wares. Including their display at the 1904 St Louis Worlds Fair. Given the mention of St Louis and 1904 in this particular display, it seems likely that (though probably not from the St Louis exhibition), our image dates from after this time. Perhaps 1904 - plus a few years...
Collection: Mason Photographic Collection
Date: Catalogue range c.1890-1910. Likely after c.1904.
NLI Ref: M13/14
You can also view this image, and many thousands of others, on the NLI’s catalogue at catalogue.nli.ie
Source: Flickr Commons
Views: 19608
This particular Mary must admit to knowing nothing of I.S Varian & Co, brushmakers - before today's researches that is. Particularly striking is the longevity of the business. First founded in Cork in 1798, the company was based from Dublin's Talbot Street since 1856 - and still operating from Walkinstown into the 21st century. They had upwards of 360 employees in the 1940s - some of whom continued an interesting employee renunion tradition on unique dates (4/4/1944, 5/5/1955, etc) - until recent decades. The other interesting thing (clearly) about the business were the displays of their wares. Including their display at the 1904 St Louis Worlds Fair. Given the mention of St Louis and 1904 in this particular display, it seems likely that (though probably not from the St Louis exhibition), our image dates from after this time. Perhaps 1904 - plus a few years...
Collection: Mason Photographic Collection
Date: Catalogue range c.1890-1910. Likely after c.1904.
NLI Ref: M13/14
You can also view this image, and many thousands of others, on the NLI’s catalogue at catalogue.nli.ie
Info:
Owner: National Library of Ireland on The CommonsSource: Flickr Commons
Views: 19608
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domenico milella
Congratulation for your beautiful Album.
Wendy:
wonderful symmetrical design!
sharon.corbet
The Irish Times had an article in 2005 about the history of Varian Brushes.
sharon.corbet
They seem to like interesting displays - you can just make out their display on the left below: https://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland/6308720554
sharon.corbet
The World's Fair was in St. Louis in 1904, so that may explain the reference.
Bernard Healy
An article showing the significance of St Louis 1904.
sharon.corbet
Varian are listed in the "Irish Industrial Exhibition" for the St. Louis World's Fair.
Niall McAuley
We had a hardback collection of American newspaper cartoons (from the 50s) when I was small called "Honey, I'm Home!", and I seem to remember the door-to-door brush salesman was a stock character.
CASSIDY PHOTOGRAPHY
Today, everything is Made-in-China, in factories resembling slave ships, for slave wages, populated by Chinese ethnic minorities and the under-educated, whom do not even rate as second class citizens.
John A. Coffey
See distemper brushes there , they are used for white washing old cottages, and would travel from neighbour to neighbour, when finished washed and hung in the shed until another fine day.
John Spooner
On the subject of brushes, mechanical hair brushes in Newry www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland/10958329045/in/photolist-...
John Spooner
https://www.flickr.com/photos/scorbet Another variation on the Varian brush display, at the International Exhibition in Herbert Park in 1907, reported by Freeman's Journal on 29 April 1907
I do hope there's a photo somewhere.John Spooner
Which sounds nothing like their display at the end of the exhibition (Weekly Irish Times - Saturday 09 November 1907)
Bernard Healy
In 1911 we had Walter Amos Varian (aged 60) living either above or next to the factory in Talbot Street. (I can't help but note that he was an agnostic!) The rest of the family involved with brushes seem to be based in Blackrock, Stillorgan and Dalkey.
O Mac
Isaac Stephen Varian and Ralph Varian were active promoters of the national movement and they both spent time in Cork City Gaol. Their time there was not without controversy as the following newspaper extract from the end of August shows “A FELONIOUS PIE. _ On Thursday a large meat pie, smoking from the oven, was presented at the city gaol, by a servant of the Messrs. Varian, of Patrick street, to be given to Isaac Stephen and Ralph Varian……. the searcher pierced it with a long needle, and finding it contained something hard, lifted the crust and discovered a bottle. On drawing a cork, it was found to enclose 5 or 6 letters and scraps of newspapers… some of the contents of one of the letters was revealed … The bottle and its contents have been retained by the authorities. The pie was given to the prisoners.”
whatsthatpicture
Blessed are the brushmakers (or is it cheesemakers?)
Bernard Healy
Ooooh! Another one of their displays - including a boar's head! There are also a few pictures of staff working inside the factory.
abovetheclouds_t
Ahhhh, back when sign painting was appreciated!
oaktree_brian_1976
Yes, 1904 was the Louisiana Purchase Centennial Exhibition. Ireland had a village there, I assume the Brush Man was a part of it. archiseek.com/2012/1904-irish-village-st-louis-worlds-fair/
oaktree_brian_1976
Varian is still around apparently. www.irishtimes.com/business/commercial-property/brush-mak...
Seuss.
Three Éires and one Erin?
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
Amazing stuff all! I had a it of fun following the threads of discussion on this one. Including this thread about a lovely tradition of employee reunions. Thanks everyone for the inputs on this one :)
Dr. Ilia
masterful capture