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.