UNIVERSITY of GLASGOW

The copper plate bears the oval stamp, 'HUGHES & KIMBER (LIMITED) / MANUFACTURERS / LONDON E.C.' They were Whistler's preferred suppliers at this time, and supplied copper plates for most of his known Houndsditch subjects. Cutler Street, Houndsditch [361], Melon Shop, Houndsditch [355] and After the Sale, Clothes Exchange, Houndsditch [357] are on plates of the size 128 x 178mm, which was one of Whistler's favourite sizes; then there is St James's Place, Houndsditch [255] at 82 x 178mm (possibly a plate of 128 x 178mm cut in half); plus three larger plates, Clothes-Exchange, Houndsditch. No. 2 [359] and Clothes-Exchange, Houndsditch. No. 2 [359] at 229 x 153mm, and finally this, the largest one, Clothes-Exchange, Houndsditch. No. 1 [358] at 162 x 242mm.

This largest size is close to, but not exactly the same as that used for two Chelsea subjects of the same period (see The Barber's Shop, Chelsea [263]) which were also bought from Hughes & Kimber. Out of all Whistler's surviving plates, 168 were obtained from that firm, and a high proportion, over sixty, date from 1887.

The plate was in Whistler's studio at his death and was bequeathed to Rosalind Birnie Philip (1873-1958), who gave it to the University of Glasgow in 1935. It was cancelled posthumously with a diagonal line across the lower left corner.