BATES. Items connected with family history of Edmund Bates [1816-1896]

I am keen to buy ofr hear of items connected with my ancestor, Edmund Bates [1816, Morpeth – 1896, Leeds] . after moving to Leeds in the early 1840s he formed a business as a carver and guilder in partnership with  James Adams as Bates & Adams at 8 Gascoigne’s Yard but later continued under his own name moving premises several times within the city. HIs business changed over the years with carving, gilding, and picture framing developing into art dealing but in 1878 he went into liquidation and his stock of paintings [from old masters to pre-Raphaelite works] was sold along with his library of some 2,000 volumes. He bounced back and was again working as carver and gilder in the 1880s. He wrote several pamphlets and short works on art and organised some importany exhibitions in the city.

I would especially like to acquire copies of any of his writings, any books which could be traced back to his library [I am not aware of his having used a bookplate but think it is quite likely], copies of his exhibition catalogues. He also had a trade card and probably used labels on the back of paintings he framed.

Illustrations show an entry for his label from the Dictionary of English Furniture Makers 1660 -1840 and his advertisement from White’s Directory of Leeds & Bradford 1847. I show an illustration of the style of one of his frames which was used on small portraits and pictures such as those of John Atkinson Grimshaw . This is one of two frames still in the family’s possession.