Bolling & Company

06/16/2024

06/02/2023

Bo Sullivan, founder of will be giving an online talk through the UK-based Wallpaper History Society called "Shopping for Arts & Crafts Wallpapers in 1907" next Tuesday, June 6, at 10 am Pacific Time, 1 pm Eastern Time. Details are here (ticketed event):
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/.../bo-sullivan-1907...
The focus of this talk will be the rarely discussed real-life experience of American wallpapers in the early 20th century, not the "greatest hits" of mythological designers and famous (but infrequently used) designs we've all seen before like William Morris and C.F.A. Voysey! 🙂
https://www.wallpaperhistorysociety.org.uk/
https://bollingco.com/

09/05/2022

Bolling & Company offers rare original wallpapers as remnants, rolls, and in custom presentations that are artfully trimmed, mounted and framed for unique beauty and impact.

08/09/2021

Bo speaks to preservation issues in this podcast from Keperling Preservation Services...

Bo Sullivan joined the Practical Preservation podcast to discuss a long career in preservation and his two companies Bolling and Co (period style wallpaper as art) and Arcalus Period Design. You can listen here: https://practicalpreservationservices.com/practical-preservation-podcast-featuring-bo-sullivan-of-bolling-co-and-arcalus-period-design/

07/25/2021

We are participating in the Arts & Crafts Collector conference in August as an exhibitor (along with many other fabulous exhibitors). Bo Sullivan will be leading a small group discussion on August 6th at 10 AM PT, "Shopping for Arts & Arts & Crafts Wallpaper, 1907 - 1910".

05/31/2021

FARM SCENES c1932

Two layers found behind a (later installed) corner cabinet in the breakfast nook of a 1932 Portland home. The yellow strip is the lower layer, and presumably original to the house. Besides being utterly charming, it is also color-coordinated wonderfully with the original inlaid linoleum floor. The second green paper was applied over the yellow paper. Interesting how they selected such a similar theme (and also somewhat coordinated to the floor). Also interesting is how eventually the room was painted in a pale yellow that seems to intuitively bring it back to the color it started with.

I did not see any evidence that the yellow paper was on top of yet another layer, and the match to floor leads me to the conclusion that the paper is original to 1932, yet I had not associated these farm scene papers - which were very popular - with being quite this early... I always thought of them as more of a late-1930s/1940s thing. I'll have to go back and search thorough our archive of original sample books to see when they first appear!

I am strongly reminded of this example in our collection, one of my all time favorites:

https://bollingco.com/collections/ready-to-hang/products/copy-of-farm-scene-mounted-antique-wallpaper-panel-sold

04/27/2021

1907 - A ROSY OUTLOOK

While the color palette may not be for everyone, I find this plate from a 1907 American Wallpaper Company catalog pretty fascinating.

On the wallpaper front, the use of the lowered crown aligned with the window lintels beneath a blank frieze area gives the room a unique look and proportion, and the coordination with the drapery valance is a thoughtful touch. The ceiling, which I presume was painted, uses a border stripe cut from the stripes in the sidewall.

The rest of the room rewards deeper scrutiny (and perhaps the occasional head scratch as well)... The decorative fabric treatments, possibly embroidered or stenciled, harmonize with the decor nicely. The mantel and desk apparently hold art pottery, and along with the distinctive lantern bracket on the wall show the influence of the Arts & Crafts Movement. The desk seems to have banished its chair to the other side of the room, while its meek warming footrest hides like a mouse in the corner. The scale and layout of the pictures on the wall is odd and curious (the blocks left as a tripping hazard on the floor perhaps indicate this is a child's room?). And is that a wisp of smoke coming up from the logs in the fireplace??

The large casement windows are unusual for the era, and are punctuated by pairs of narrow roller shades in a quirky twist. But the real reward for this forensic foray is found in the view out of the (strangely elevated - is this an apartment building?) windows to the urban scenery outside. which just happens to feature a large yellow billboard advertising the American Wallpaper Company. Bravo!!

04/15/2021

DIE NIEDERLAENDER c1910-1920

We recently were fortunate enough to acquire one panel of the two-panel set Die Niederlaender, an American intaglio San-Kro-Mura mural by Schmitz-Horning.

A massive 60" wide (1.5m) and 40" high (1m), it is printed in oil-based inks in soft pastel tones. I have no idea if this is the Natural, Blue, or Tan colorway noted in the original catalog image.

While it is too bad we don't have the second panel of the set, this would make a stunning and lovely framed piece!

04/07/2021

FALLING IN LOVE WITH WALL PAPER - 1909

This 1909 postcard would have been purchased and imprinted by wall paper retail stores to promote their goods. The quirky scene has an impeccably dressed cupid marketing a paper featuring stripes of yellow roses to a young couple seemingly on a decorating date. Shopping hand in hand, it is nonetheless clear who is in charge here. Wall paper was often sold in the same stores as paint, and we can see exterior house colors and stacks of paint cans in the background. The wood sample book stand was the primary selling vehicle for papers at this time, though it looks like a large portfolio and several rolls of paper have been stuffed behind it. An odd Art Nouveau-inspired motif fills the edges of the scene, showing the subtle influence of this style in the US, which was present between about 1900 and 1915, but never really took hold like it did in other places.

Pay us a visit and maybe Wallpaper Cupid will lead you to fall in love with one of our rare survivors!

03/24/2021

WALLPAPER THAT TRULY "SUCKS"

I have to say that I am not always a big fan of many post-1960 novelty papers, but this may be the most compelling and successful novelty application I've ever seen - this "Dracula" paper just works at every level, in my opinion, cleverly and masterfully adapting actual historical wallpaper pattern language in completely resonant and visually attractive ways while keeping to a subtle and tasteful color palette.

Of course, it doesn't hurt that Edward Gorey is also my favorite artist. :-)

https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/100267945_edward-gorey-licensed-dracula-s-damask-wallpaper

02/28/2021

ENDLESS LOVE FOR LUXURY NAME-BRAND WALLPAPERS THAT FLAUNT WEALTH AND EURO-TASTE...

My admittedly personal irritation is with the constant stream of mainstream press articles that focus on wallpaper as status symbol and conspicuous display of European-centered wealth over multi-faceted vehicle of interior warmth and beauty, but I do see that it is a battle I will never win (and sometimes I wonder whether I even want to).

That said, I actually think this recent piece from Financial Times (say no more?) is well written, with a bit more than surface gloss on the history and culture of wallpaper - I get the sense of honest love for paper from the writer, rather than another fluff assignment to "write about how wallpaper is appearing in lots of films and TV shows"... I also like the way it is not afraid to take minimalism head on, and focuses on the emotional impact wallpaper can make on spaces.

Am I wrong to take this hit from it - do you also think it shows a certain respect for and appreciation of the topic?

Sumptuous interiors have taken centre stage on screen – and sparked a maximalist revival. Meet the set designers stealing the show

02/28/2021

THE PEACOCK FRIEZE

For our final post during Arts & Crafts Month at Bolling & Company, we offer publicly for the first time an original remnant that is one of our favorite pieces in our inventory.

The Peacock Frieze was originally designed by W. Dennington and produced by Shand Kydd around 1900. It was famously installed in Blackwell, known as the Arts & Crafts House, by M. H. Baillie Scott, where it still hangs today.

Our version, which is 39” high and 60” wide, is one half of an adaptation produced c1910-1914 as a two-part intaglio-printed extended design on a grass-cloth-textured paper featuring a full version of the peacock without the truncated tail (as shown) and a second panel featuring only the brambles, allowing a less repetitive layout placing the peacocks only in desired locations (which we reproduced for our first gallery space, as shown).

Our remnant is not in perfect condition, with some damage along the top and bottom edges, but the vast majority of the piece is in excellent condition, and the roughness at the edge simply adds to the character. It would be a stunning framed piece. Please direct-message us for additional photos, pricing, and availability.

We do offer this paper as a full two-part reproduction and have done some gorgeous digital prints on aluminum panels for indoor/outdoor use that shimmer in the light as the metal grain shows through the transparent inks.

To see the Dennington original at the V&A:

https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O228636/peacock-wallpaper-dennington-w/

More on the Peacock Frieze at Blackwell House in Bowness-on-Windermere, UK:

https://www.facebook.com/blackwellartsandcrafts/photos/pb.173653319313226.-2207520000../5179118715433303/

Our posts this month have focused on history and context for Arts & Crafts wallpapers with research and images drawn from our extensive archives, but our business offers rare museum-quality antique remnants across a wide range of eras. If you haven’t had a chance to check us out yet, please visit www.bollingco.com online to explore our one-of-a-kind inventory, and follow us on Facebook and on Instagram at

Thanks for joining us these last 28 days during Arts & Crafts Month at Bolling & Company.