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Social History — 1928

Selfridges store lift

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This lift was one of several installed in Selfridges department store in 1928. The interior metal panels depicting cranes and known as Les Cigognes d'Alsace were designed by Edgar William Brandt (1886-1960). The metalwork of the exterior screens with figures representing the signs of the zodiac was made by the Birmingham Guild of Architectural & Decorative Metalworkers and incorporate the work of Walter Gilbert and his assistant Louis Weingartner, formerly of the Bromsgrove Guild of Metalworkers.

By the 1920s Selfridges was the most glamorous department store in London. American shopping magnate Gordon Selfridge had opened the Oxford Street store in 1909.

Selfridges initially employed young women to operate the store lifts but, after World War II, they were replaced by disabled ex-servicemen. This lift was removed during a refurbishment of the store in 1970-1972.

Category:
Social History
Object ID:
72.265
Object name:
Selfridges store lift
Object type:

lift, department store lift

Artist/Maker:
Birmingham Guild of Metalworkers, Brandt, Edgar William
Related people:

Related events:

Related places:

Production date:
1928
Material:

bronze, plywood, iron

Measurements/duration:
H 3460 mm, L 5200 mm, D 2090 mm (to back wall), WT 1400 kg (overall)
Part of:
—
On display:
—
Record quality:
100%
Part of this object:
—
Owner Status & Credit:

Permanent collection

Copyright holder:

digital image © London Museum

Image credit:
—
Creative commons usage:
—
License this image:

To license this image for commercial use, please contact the London Museum Picture Library.

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