William Sugg & Co

Literature

Products illustrated in the literature of William Sugg & Co fill this website providing details from another era that would otherwise have been lost.

As mentioned in the ‘introduction to publications’ the catalogues were given ‘List numbers’ which follow through the years. The catalogue list numbers and the miscellaneous products are conveniently shown on two catalogue pages from the 1880’s as shown below although at this date the highest list number is 8:

Catalogue List rot cut darken 260  Catalogue List of extras darken 260

Pages from the 1880’s catalogue below illustrate the huge range of beautiful ‘simple’ fixtures designed to take open flame burners.

(SEE LARGER VERSIONS OF THESE UNDER ‘Simple Brackets & Pendants‘ in ‘Interior Lighting’ within ‘Lighting’.)

 1880's 10 rot cut 275 - 125  1880's 9 cut 275 - 125  1880's 8 rot cut 275 - 125  1880's 11 rot cut 275 - 125

From 1904 to 1908 the catalogue size was increased and the sections were available separately. The page below lists the huge range of products and facilities offered by William Sugg & Co at this time.

 List of work Jan 1906 550w

After the death of William Sugg in 1907 there was quite a shift towards more standardisation in publications although the reference numbers for the different groups of products were retained, albeit with additional numbers to cover later products. In addition, for many years, a new booklet was produced every year. Because of the popularity of the Sugg lighting products and the literature as collectors items in their own right, I reproduce here the covers and dates of many items which could be considered collectables, to assist with identification.

LIST 11 ‘Lamps & Fittings’ and LIST 11 Section 2 ‘Brackets & Pendants’

List 11 Sept 10 100
Sept 1910
List 11 Jan 11 100
Jan 1911
List 11 Jan 12 100
Jan 1912
List 11 sect 2 Jan 12 100
Jan 1912
List 11 Sept 12 100
Sept 1912
List 11 May 13 100
May 1913
List 11 Sect 3, Aug 13 100
Aug 1913
List 11 Feb 14 100
Feb 1914
List 11 Sect 3, Oct 20 100
Oct 1920
List 11 Dec 20 100
Dec 1920
List 11 Aug 26 Oct 27 100
Aug 26 – Sept 27
List 11 Sept 29 100
Sept 1929
List 11 Apr 31 - Jul 32 100
Apr 31 – July 32
List 11 June 34 100
June 1934
List 11 Aug 37 100
Aug 1937

Mr Elton whose name is seen on several of the covers above worked in the sales department and was clearly not going to let anyone take his catalogues away! As it happens he was right – they survived!

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This is what the inside of one catalogue looks like:

CATALOGUE LIST 11 APRIL 1931

List 11 1931-2 cover - outer 550

List 11 1931-2 cover - 1 550

List 11 1931-2 2 & 3 550

List 11 1931-2 4 & 5 550

List 11 1931-2 6 & 7 550

List 11 1931-2 8 & 9 550

List 11 1931-2 10 & 11 550

List 11 1931-2 12 & 13 Rochester & squat patt 1931-2 550

List 11 1931-2 14 & 15 Roch & Litt Parabolic shades & Advertising screens 550

List 11 1931-2 16 & 17 550

List 11 1931-2 18 & 19 550

List 11 1931-2 20 & 21 550

List 11 1931-2 22 & 23 500

List 11 1931-2 24 & 25 500

List 11 1931-2 26 & 27 500

List 11 1931-2 28 & 29 550

List 11 1931-2 30 & 31 550

List 11 1931-2 32 & 33 550

List 11 1931-2 34 & 35 550

List 11 1931-2 36 & 37 550

List 11 1931-2 38 & 39 550

List 11 1931-2 40 & 41 550

List 11 1931-2 42 & 43 550

List 11 1931-2 44 & 45 550

List 11 1931-2 46 & 47 550

List 11 1931-2 48 & 49 550

List 11 1931-2 50 & 51 550

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List 11 1931-2 52 & 53 550

List 11 1931-2 54 & 55 550

List 11 1931-2 56 & 57 550

List 11 1931-2 58 & 59 550

List 11 1931-2 60 & 61 550

List 11 1931-2 62 & 63 550

List 11 1931-2 64 & 65 550

List 11 1931-2 66 & 67 550

List 11 1931-2 68 & 69 550

List 11 1931-2 70 & 71 550

List 11 1931-2 72 & 73 550

List 11 1931-2 74 & 75 550

List 11 1931-2 76 & 77 550

List 11 1931-2 78 & 79 550

List 11 1931-2 80 & 81 550

List 11 1931-2 82 & 83 550

List 11 1931-2 84 & 85 550

List 11 1931-2 86 & 87 550

List 11 1931-2 88 & 89 550

List 11 1931-2 90 & 91 550

List 11 1931-2 92 & 93 550

List 11 1931-2 94 & 95 550

List 11 1931-2 96 & 97 550

List 11 1931-2 98 & 99 550

List 11 1931-2 100 & 101 550

List 11 1931-2 102 & 103 550

List 11 1931-2 104 & cover 550


The following catalogue is one of the most interesting of William Suggs’ publications. Unfortunately at present it is not in page order which is immensely frustrating if you are trying to read in sequence! However, rather than delete it until sorted I have left it in place as there is still a lot to see and you can find all the pages if you really try! Apologies!

Modern-Lighting.compressed

 


Copyright © Chris Sugg 2006-13

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Site Background & Header

The background to the site is a modern picture of Westminster, the ‘home’ of William Sugg for so many years. It was taken from the roof of The House of Lords during a visit by the Heritage Group of CIBSE in 2004 and centres on Westminster Abbey. The header carries a woodcut of ‘Vincent Works’, the Sugg factory, which might well have been visible from this vantage point. William used this on one of his letter heads. The first and oldest logo also shows the intimate connection with Westminster as it carries the Westminster portcullis with the inscription ‘en avant’ – ‘in advance’. The second logo replaced the earlier one around 1920 and was used right the way through the century until the ‘modern’ era when the ‘flame’ logo was applied to the new era of gas heating equipment with the new factory in Crawley.

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William Sugg & Co