Gillott, Joseph

Gillott was a Birmingham (England) manufacturer who, in the course of assembling a large private collection of English paintings, bought and sold both native art and the work of Italian masters, and became closely associated with the dealer Ernest Gambart. Gillott's collection became one of the most widely known and viewed of the Victorian age. The bequests and estate sales that followed his death were of considerable significance in dispersing works into private collections. His activities coincided with and had considerable influence on the formation of the international commercial art market and the exhibition system.

From the description of Joseph Gillott papers, ca. 1843-1890. (Getty Research Institute). WorldCat record id: 82968122

Joseph Gillott of Birmingham, pen manufacturer and patron of the arts. In 1821, he moved from his birthplace, Sheffield, where he had been employed as a cutler, to Birmingham in order to seek employment and by 1830, he was involved in the manufacture of steel pens. He started out in a very small way selling pens at a shilling each to a firm of stationers but his business rapidly increased and he ultimately employed more than 400 people at his works in Graham Street, Newhall Hill. He used the personal fortune he amassed to acquire a large collection of paintings which included works of art by Turner, Etty (who was a personal friend) and other English artists On his death, the paintings were sold at auction for nearly £170,000 and his collection of violins for £4,000.

Reference: Dictionary of National Biography ( London 1908).

From the guide to the Gillott Letters, 1843-1857, (University of Birmingham Information Services, Special Collections Department)