Special Commissions

Kings Lynn

A high Victorian design of bench featuring a number of stylised elements but also bearing the bespoke addition of cast portraits of two unknown individuals, believed to be benefactors of the park, within the bench ends. Lost Art Limited were commissioned to produce replicas of an original bench for The Walks in Kings Lynn. In addition, a number of specially designed curved benches were designed and produced in order to complement a particular layout feature of the park. As with other designs, this can be adapted to specific requirements and so replacement faces could be introduced to the patterns and therefore the castings.

This example of High Victorian bench design was produced for the restoration project at The Walks in Kings Lynn. The design features stylized acanthus leaves plus some architectural features within a framework that owes inspiration to the influential design work of both Christopher Dresser and possibly Thomas Jeckyl. The design also incorporates two silhouette faces, although extensive research has failed to identify them, it is assumed they were benefactors of the initial project at some stage. Should these designs be of interest to you, it is possible to replace the original portraiture with either figures or alternative designs.

In the initial stages of the restoration, Lost Art were working exclusively from original illustrations until eventually an original was found in a garden adjacent to the site. In addition to the traditional cast iron and timber benches, Lost Art also designed and produced a number of longer, curved benches that also used the bench ends. This serves to illustrate our adaptability and capability and the range of our services.

This design can be offered in a variety of lengths, according to customer requirements. Longer lengths of benches can be created with the addition of central supports.

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The Dartmouth Bench

Reproduced by Lost Art Limited based solely on historic images of the original bench. At all stages of the project, approval was sought from the client as original carvings were produced, followed by a pattern and finally the castings. A substantial, yet decorative bench, a variety of styles were eventually produced, with and without the armrests. The finished benches were also supplied with the basic colour scheme supplemented with bespoke pearlised gold paint highlights.

Produced by Lost Art Limited for a significant Heritage Lottery Fund park restoration in West Bromwich. The original benches in the park had all long since disappeared and therefore Lost Art were commissioned to reproduce the benches based solely on visual documents that remained. The original source of the benches was also unknown but was not one of the major foundries of the time, although there were many smaller foundries operating in the midlands throughout the Victorian and Edwardian eras.

The benches comprise chamfered timber slats between substantial cast iron supports that feature geometric and heraldic elements, including pierced trefoils and quatrefoils. We produced a pattern that allowed for the casting of bench spurts that either include the arm rests or can be produced without them and both styles are in evidence throughout the park.

As a finishing touch, the painted supports feature highlighting in a pearlized paint finish to add further interest to the rather elegant supports.

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Saltaire Macfarlane

Reproduced from an original Macfarlane Company design for a restoration project in Robert’s Park, Saltaire, adjacent to the Salt’s Mill World Heritage Site. Lost Art were able to produce the pattern for the benches from original benches held in the Lost Art collection, as is the case with a considerable number of our benches. The same style of benches were also supplied to the restoration project at South Marine Park, South Shields.

Installed in Roberts Park at the World Heritage Site of Saltaire in West Yorkshire, this is a reproduction of an original bench from the famous MacFarlane company of Glasgow and produced in their Saracen Foundry in Possilpark.

The original bench, from which the casting pattern was produced is part of the extensive Lost Art collection of historic benches, which we are led to believe rivals any collection in this country or around the world.

Historic documents of the time show that the benches that were installed in the park during Victorian times had been modified to include a timber footrail. It was decided not to include this feature in the replacement items on the basis of Health and Safety concerns and the fact that increases in average height over the last 130 years mean that additional leg room is now required.

The images show the decorative painting applied to the benches at Saltaire, illustrating a further service offered by Lost Art Limited as required.

This design can be offered in a variety of lengths, according to customer requirements. Longer lengths of benches can be created with the addition of central supports.

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