Harold Stabler
FRSA (10 June 1872 – 11 April 1945) was a designer and craftsman in silver, enamels, pottery, glass and other materials. ''
The Times'' described him as "one of the most capable industrial artists of his generation, and a successful teacher".
["Obituary: Mr Harold Stabler", ''The Times'', 14 April 1945, p. 7]
Life and career
Stabler was born in
Levens,
Westmorland
Westmorland (, formerly also spelt ''Westmoreland'';R. Wilkinson The British Isles, Sheet The British IslesVision of Britain/ref> is a historic county in North West England spanning the southern Lake District and the northern Dales. It had an ...
, the son of George Stabler, a schoolmaster. He was educated at Heversham Grammar School, and was then apprenticed to a wood-carver in
Kendal
Kendal, once Kirkby in Kendal or Kirkby Kendal, is a market town and civil parish in the South Lakeland district of Cumbria, England, south-east of Windermere and north of Lancaster. Historically in Westmorland, it lies within the dale of th ...
for seven years, after which he went to the art department of
Liverpool University.
["Obituary", ''Journal of the Royal Society of Arts'', 27 April 1945, pp. 284–285] He moved to London in his twenties, settling in the Hammersmith area associated with
William Morris and his followers.
[ From 1898 to 1900 he was manager of the Keswick School of Industrial Art.][Griffiths, p. 285] From 1907 to 1937 he was head of the art department of the Sir John Cass Institute, and from 1912 to 1926 he was also on the teaching staff of the Royal College of Art.[
As a craftsman, Stabler first made his name as an enameller. He exhibited at the ]Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly in London. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its pur ...
in 1916, 1917 and later. His designs included a silver and enamel mace for Westminster Cathedral, the ceremonial collar of the Royal Victorian Order, and works for the Goldsmiths' Company.[ He did not confine himself to hand-crafted works. According to an obituarist, "In pottery, glass, and silver he designed for mass production by partly mechanical means with conspicuous success". His work included designs for Pyrex glass. For London Transport he designed posters and decorative work including a London-themed set of tiles used on the wall tiling of some new stations.][ Stabler was one of the founders of the Design and Industries Association, and was elected a Fellow of the ]Royal Society of Arts
The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA), also known as the Royal Society of Arts, is a London-based organisation committed to finding practical solutions to social challenges. The RSA acronym is used m ...
in 1938.[
In 1906 he married Phoebe McLeish, a sculptor who collaborated with him in some of his decorative work.][
Stabler died in Hammersmith on 11 April 1945, aged 72.][
]
Notes, references and sources
Notes
References
Sources
*
*
External links
*{{LTM photo, Harold Stabler
Harold Stabler posters
in the collection of London Transport Museum
1872 births
1945 deaths
Alumni of the University of Liverpool
British metalsmiths
British silversmiths
English silversmiths
People associated with transport in London