Victorian Cast Iron, Brass and Oak Music Stand by William Tonks & Sons, c. 1880

Age:
c. 1880
Material:
Cast iron and wood
Dimensions:
H: 180 cm
Shipping:
Oversize/Overweight Parcel
Price:
SOLD
A fine music or reading stand by Birmingham brass founders William Tonks & Sons. The brass stand sits on a finely cast iron base with a foliate and anthemion pattern and four lion paw feet. The swivel arm is adjustable to height of 117 cm. It holds an oak book rest (22 x 38 cm), the angle of which can be adjusted with a swivel mechanism.
The 34 cm square iron base bears the maker‘s initials underneath of W.T.& S (William Tonks & Sons of Birmingham). Both the base and the swivel mechanism are stamped Protected and Rd. 169288.
The stand is in excellent condition.
The firm was originally started by William Bedington in 1789 or 1791 and was joined by George and William Tonks to become Bedington Tonks and Co. The partnership was dissolved in 1852, after which the firm continued as William Tonks & Sons until 1889. It then became Tonks Ltd and later Tonks (Birmingham) Ltd until it was acquired by William Newman and Sons in 1970.
William Tonks & Sons was renowned for the quality of their brass and metalwork, winning gold medals at the 1851 and 1862 Exhibitions in London and at the 1855 Paris Exhibition. Known for their architectural hardware, they also produced aesthetic, ecclesiastical and arts and crafts metal work and supplied art metal goods to firms such as Liberty’s.