Getting to Grips with My Elgin and Elgin for Tri-ang Furniture

***EVERYTHING I KNOW IS FROM MO***

Lines Bros. Ltd trading as Tri-ang was in business from 1919 to 1971, however, it didn't sell furniture for all of that time. It sold furniture during three periods:

1. 1921 to 1925 - Made by Elgin of Enfield
2. 1935 to 1940 - Made by Tri-ang
3. 1960 to 1970 - Made by Tri-ang (The Spot-on range of furniture)

Since my focus as a collector is pre-1960, this post only covers the first two periods.

Elgin of Enfield Furniture NOT Sold By Triang (1919-1926)

Elgin of Enfield only traded from 1919 to 1926 and it supplied its furniture to Triang from 1921 to 1925.

WAS IT EXCLUSIVE TO TRIANG FROM 1921 ONWARDS AND THEREFORE THE PIECES BELOW ARE 1919-1920? However, Elgin also sold its furniture directly to retail outlets and there are a few pieces of Elgin furniture which do not feature in any of the Tri-ang price lists, catalogues or advertisements.

I own the following pieces:

Elgin of Enfield Grandfather Clock (Marked Elgin of Enfield)

Elgin of Enfield Grandfather Clock (Marked Elgin of Enfield)

The door opens but there is no sign that there was ever a pendulum and/or weights.

Elgin of Enfield Tea Table (Marked Elgin of Enfield)

This table is not featured in Marion Osbourne's book and I've yet to see another.

INSERT PHOTO OF SMALL OCCASIONAL TABLE WITH ONE CENTRAL LEG

Tudor Nursery

Elgin of Enfield Rocking Cradle (bedding added)

I've only seen one other such cradle and the small panel on the footboard did not have the painted coat of arms on it, so I don't know if this beautifully painted feature was added in the factory or by an owner at a later date.

Elgin of Enfield Rocking Cradle (bedding added)

Apart from the painted coat of arms on the footboard of my piece, the headboard and footboard are indistinguishable.

Tudor Chest. Opening Lid. Marked Elgin of Enfield

W 10.5 x D 5.5 x H 5 cm

MO says may or may not be part of the nursery set. My chest differs from the one shown on Marion's CD two the half balustrade decorative pieces on the front of mine are upside down compared to that one and also mine has double grooves on all four edges of the lid whereas that one only has single ones.

Bedroom

I only have one of the items from this surprisingly plain-looking 'miscellaneous' set.

Elgin of Enfield Wardrobe (missing one handle loop). Non-opening 'drawers'.

H 11.4 x W 9.6 x D 3 cm. Marked Elgin of Enfield (very faint).

Elgin of Enfield Washstand (Marked Elgin of Enfield)

The central cupboard door opens. This item is not shown in Marion Osborne's book and as yet I have never seen another. The raised sides to the top of the washstand are unusual.

Other items known:

• Dressing mirror (table-top, not cheval)
• Bed
• Bedroom chairs

Dining Room

Sideboard (Marked Elgin of Enfield

Dining Room Chair (with substitute missing leg)

Other known dining room items:

• Another type of sideboard (there were two different models identified in MO's book, one of which is above).

Miscellaneous

Grand Piano (Marked Elgin of Enfield)

W 10.5 cm x L 9.5 cm x H 6.5 cm

Other known miscellaneous items in the category 'produced by Elgin but NOT sold by Tri-ang are:

• bureau
• occasional table

2. Colonial Bedroom and Dining Room Items

Colonial Wardrobe  (Marked Elgin of Enfield)

W 11.4 cm x D 3.4 can x H 12 cm

Colonial Wardrobe - Open

The section below the wardrobe doesn't open.

Colonial Chest of Drawer  (Marked Elgin of Enfield - very faint)

W 10 cm x D 4.1 can x H 6.5 cm

Colonial Chest of Drawer

The single, deep drawer pulls out.

Colonial Standing Mirror (Missing Mirror. Marked Elgin of Enfield)

W 5.7 cm x D 1.7 cm x H 5.5 cm

Colonial Bed (Marked Elgin of Enfield)

W 9cm x L 13 cm x H 6 cm

Other bedroom items known:

• Bedroom chair (two versions known, both with 'raffia' seats and a half back (no raffia), i.e. there is a gap between the back and the seat)

Colonial Dining Chair  (Marked Elgin of Enfield)

W 4.5 cm x D 3.4 cm x H.8.3 cm

The back and seat both have 'raffia' (textured paper/card applied adhered to the wood). Designated by MO as a dining chair because of the solid back, i.e. without the gap between the back and the seat which is seen on the bedroom chairs.

This one has no 'raffia' or sight that it was ever there - not mentioned by Marion but doesn't seem to fit other sets???

Other dining room items known:

• Sideboard

3. White Bedroom Set (and a white Dining Chair!)

I don't have any pieces of this set. MO says it's possible that it's the same set as PF 11 Jacobean Bedroom set No 2 (see later) and that the differences in dimensions are due to the manufacturing techniques being less precise than in more modern times.

Items known:

• Bed
• Wardrobe
• Chest of Drawers (one drawer) with mirror
• Wash stand
• Bedroom chair

• Dining chair (may have been over-painted)

4. Queen Anne Style

I only have one of the bedroom items

Other known items:

• Wardrobe (like later QA wardrobe but curvy line to bottom edge).
• Dressing table

Elgin Only - Queen Anne Style Wash stand (Version 3). Marked Elgin of Enfield

This is the third version shown on Marion Osbourne's CD. The other two versions have a drawer and not a cupboard as the as. Note the bow front to the cupboard.

The Elgin Only Washstand (Version 3) in front of the Elgin for Tri-ang PF17 Sideboard

The washstand could easily be mistaken for the Elgin for Tria-ang sideboard from PF17 Queen Anne Dining Room Set No 2, but the sideboard is slightly taller and much wider.  NB The PF17 sideboard does not have a bow front.

Elgin Only Small Table

(Not marked Elgin therefore possibility that it is is German)

H 5.2 x W 9 x D 5.5 cm

This same table is shown in the 'Elgin Items Sold Under the Elgin Label' section of Marion Osbourne's book where it is listed in the 'Queen Anne Style' section as "Small Table". In common with a similarly styled settee shown just above it in Marion's book, the table is unmarked and so, as Marions says "there is always the possibility it is German made, but the item is offered here as a possibility." 

Items known:

• Settee (not marked Elgin)
• Rocking chair

I have one of the dining chairs (or is it later - check if marked!)

Queen Anne Style Dining Chair? (with substitute missing leg)

5. Chippendale

Chippendale Four Poster Bed - Missing Drapes (Marked)

The bed would originally have had drapes either side of the bedhead - you can see the original tie-backs for them. There was no frill around the top.

Other items known:

• Wardrobe
• Chest of drawers

Dining Table (Jacobean?) (Marked Elgin of Enfield)

Measurements: H 6.5 x L 11.5 x W 5.7 cm

(NB Similar to PF 19 and PF 21 sold by Triang*)

*The table in the photo above is marked Elgin of Enfield and has a groove along the apron of the table which is not present on those sold by Triang and not marked Elgin of Enfield. The dimensions are quite close to PF 19 but this version is not as wide.