Arthur Tooth & Sons
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Art dealership |
| Founded | 1842 in London, England |
| Founder | Charles Tooth |
| Defunct | 1970s |
| Headquarters | London , England |
Area served | United Kingdom, United States, France |
Key people | Arthur Tooth, Dudley Tooth |
Arthur Tooth & Sons was an art dealership established in London, England, in 1842 by Charles Tooth (1788–1868).
History
Charles Tooth opened the gallery to provide a foundation for his son, Arthur Tooth (1828–1900). The business stayed within the Tooth family until it ceased operations in the 1970s following the passing of Dudley Tooth, Charles' great-grandson. Although modest in size, Arthur Tooth & Sons emerged as an influential entity in the commercial art scene from the 1870s onward. The gallery supplied notable industrialist Henry Clay Frick with artworks by painters such as Lawrence Alma-Tadema, Jean-François Raffaëlli, J. M. W. Turner, Frits Thaulow, Pascal Dagnan-Bouveret, and Rembrandt.
Initially concentrating on British paintings from the 18th and 19th centuries, the gallery broadened its scope during the 1880s to incorporate contemporary art alongside occasional Old Masters. Instead of focusing on renowned masterpieces, Arthur Tooth & Sons prioritized a consistent selection of sought-after contemporary artists and artworks treated as commercial commodities. Serving as both patrons and agents, they commissioned pieces that were frequently reproduced through photogravure prints. Their inventory approach capitalized on the prestige of established artworks to lend credibility to newer creations. The gallery was part of a collective of approximately thirty London dealers who played a key role in promoting Victorian painters within the commercial market.
Arthur Tooth gained particular prominence through his success in marketing photogravures featuring works by the Pre-Raphaelites and others, dominating this profitable niche often referred to as the "cash cow" of Victorian art commerce.
Throughout the 19th century, intermediaries increasingly bridged artists and buyers; Arthur Tooth & Sons exemplified this evolving model. By the early 20th century, it operated locations not only in London but also in New York and Paris. To bolster its reputation, the firm implemented strategies such as establishing international branches and naming galleries after dealers. The New York branch was closed in 1924.
In the mid-1920s, leadership passed to Dudley Tooth (1896–1972), who revitalized the gallery’s identity and expanded its commitment to contemporary artists by organizing solo exhibitions approximately every two and a half years.
The gallery ultimately closed during the mid-1970s.
Further reading
- Glew, Adrian (editor), Stanley Spencer: Correspondence and Writings, London, Tate Publishing, 2001.
- Weisberg, Gabriel, Art Collection during the Gilded Age: Patronage in Pittsburgh, 1890–1910, Pittsburgh, Frick Art and Historical Centre, 1997.