Look up outside the Apple Store at 235 Regent Street and you’ll be rewarded with some wonderful mosaics with a fascinating history The post History of 235 Regent Street | Mosaics on the Apple Store appeared first on Look Up London.
Look up outside the Apple Store at 235 Regent Street and you’ll be rewarded with some wonderful mosaics.
These artworks are a clue to the building’s original use, as the showroom and London headquarters of a famous Victorian glassmakers.
History of Salviati Mosaics
Founded in Venice in 1859, Antonio Salviati was a lawyer who was so inspired by the restoration of the Basilica of San Marco that he started a glassmaking business, specialising in mosaics and glasswork.
In 1864 he won the gold medal at the “First Glassmakers Exhibition” and quickly caught the attention of international clients. With money from English investors he established the Venice & Murano Glass & Mosaic Co Ltd in 1866.
The Salviati family shop can still be seen in Venice and the company still exists today.
During the Victorian period mosaics were in huge demand and Salviati’s company quickly gained an impressive portfolio, working on projects in St Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, The Albert Memorial, Buxton Memorial, Westminster Cathedral and the Houses of Parliament.
In 1898 they built a new headquarters on Regent Street and (naturally!) they decorated the facade with mosaics. This impressive building was a joint venture between the Salviati brand and some other Murano-based glass companies which operated under the name Salviati, Jesurum & Co.
By this point (c.1890) Antonio Salviati had died, but his son Giulio had took over the business. The same year as the Regent Street showroom opened he comitted suicide in the family workshop, leaving a note despairing about the company’s finances despite the success of the business. His death was recorded as ‘temporary insanity’ and Giulio is buried in Brookwood Cemetery, commemorated by a monument with beautiful mosaics.
History of 235 Regent Street
Today’s 235 Regent Street stands on the site of the Hanover Chapel, an impressive church building which was here 1825-1896.
You can also see an interior image in the V&A Collections here.
Either side of the Apple Store entrance are some stone markers which helpfully corroborate the history.
But for the real treat you have to look up!
The Regent Street Mosaics
In the spandrels above the huge plate glass windows there are various coats of arms celebrating the new links to London and the company’s Venetian heritage.
On the left is a proud-looking lion with a crown, one paw resting on the Royal Coat of Arms. The VR behind standing for Victoria Regina (Queen Victoria) with DIEU ET MON DROIT (‘God and my right’, the monarch’s motto).
The lion is framed either side by the shields of the City of London and Westminster.
On the right is another lion, this time the symbol of Venice. This lion represents Saint Mark, his par resting on a book with the words PAX TIBI MACE EVANGELISTA MEUS. This Latin phrase is part of the origin myth of Venice, supposedly the words spoken by God to Saint Mark when he founded the city on the lagoon. DANDOLA and LOREDANO written behind refer to two of the most famous Venetian Doges (Dukes).
You can find a portrait of Doge Loredan by Giovanni Bellini (painted 1501-2) in the National Gallery.
Either side of the Venetian lion are the coat of arms of the Islands of Murano and Burano, still famous for their exquisite glass today.
In 2004 Apple opened their first shop outside the US at 235 Regent Street. In 2015 the shop reopened after an extensive refurbishment by Foster + Partners.
This wasn’t the only showroom for Salviati Mosaics, in fact they had multiple shop locations in the West End including St James’s Street, Piccadilly and Oxford Street. I couldn’t find out exactly when this Salviati showroom closed but this photo from 1971 seems to show that there are new tenants in the building.
The building received Grade II listed status in 1973 so thankfully the mosaics cannot be changed and give us a window into their history.
So have a look up next time you’re on Regent Street!
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The post History of 235 Regent Street | Mosaics on the Apple Store appeared first on Look Up London.
