John Ashwin & Co. drawings of stained glass church windows, ca. 1950-1963 / by Martin van der Toorn, Robert Szako and an unknown artist

PXD 1479

fonds

ca. 1950-1963

Graphic Materials, Design Drawings

9606300

14 drawings - watercolour, graphite, ink

John Ashwin & Co. was a stained-glass window firm based in Sydney. It was established in 1911 when John Ashwin took over from his brother Frederick Ashwin (1835-1909).

When John Ashwin died in 1920, John Radecki, who had been a partner in the firm and its chief designer, continued the business under the Ashwin name until his death in 1955. From 1955 until 1961 his daughter, Winifred Siedlecky, ran the business.

Martin van der Toorn, a stained glass artist who migrated from The Netherlands in 1950, worked as an artist with John Ashwin & Co from 1951-1956. From 1960, van der Toorn took over the remainder of the Ashwin studio, and merged the Ashwin business with his own and formed Van-Mar Studios. The business continued until 1998.

Robert Szako was also employed by John Ashwin & Co as a stained glass artist.

References:
B. Sherry, Australia’s Historic Stained Glass (Syd, 1991), p. 15
Australian Dictionary of Biography Online. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/ (accessed 14 May 2018)
'Martin van der Toorn maakte ongeveer 400 gebrandschilderde ramen', Dutch Australian Weekly (Sydney, NSW), 29 May, 1970, p. 3.
'Gekleurde ramen van brandschilder Martin', Dutch Australian Weekly (Sydney, NSW), 5 March, 1982, p. 7.
Library correspondence file

From Kevin Little, a stained glass artist, to donor.

SERIES 01
Martin van der Toorn drawings for stained glass church windows, ca. 1960-1963

SERIES 02
Robert Szako drawings for stained glass church windows, ca. 1950-1955

SERIES 03
Drawings for stained glass church windows, [between 1950? and 1963?]

This collection is arranged into three series by artist.