Crowden & Keeves’ Catalogue
January 17, 2026
Richard Ince proprietor of James Ince & Sons, Britain’s oldest umbrella manufacturers, showed me this catalogue published by Crowden & Keeves in 1930 which had been knocking around his factory for as long as he could remember. Operating from premises in Calvert Avenue and Boundary St, they were one of the last great hardware suppliers in the East End, yet the quality of their products was such that their letterboxes and door knockers may still be recognised in use around the neighbourhood today.
The umbrellas were supplied to Crowden & Keeves by James Ince & Sons
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Brilliant stuff! These engravings are sensational and must have taken so much time to do. The draughtsmanship needed to depict all the details and subtle differences depicted is incredible, and you can almost feel the weight and textures of all the various items.
Also fascinating to see which products are no longer around (like the chumps and peggies !) while others like the scissors and the pliers are exactly the same as you would use today.
So fascinating! Ferret bells, a parrot stand and seven categories of bannister brush….and a ‘Hanchow bag’ to bring it all home in.
I’ve tripped upon many exquisite paper “finds” in my time, but this catalog makes me weak-kneed.
Over the years, I’ve often used archival “cuts” like these to create illustrations/collages — but my sources have been modestly-priced copyright free repro books, mostly published by Dover, etc.
It would be such a treat to flip through the dignified pages of an actual old catalog like this, and soak up the atmosphere of long past wares. To me, they all look so stalwart and “built to last”; and each item (from the lowly clothes pin to the elegant copper mould) is studiously depicted. I long to have a “LETTER” slot in my front door, or a Punch doorstop, or an egg basket to hold books or magazines. Absolutely charming! (if some enterprising publisher would care to do a replica of this catalog, I will be first-in-line to buy it. I need this for my archive!)
This catalogue is a thing of beauty, the engravings are marvelous. I would love one of those handsome door knockers!