I’m a big fan of vintage art supplies. Seems that much of the stuff you get today feels like cheap knock-offs. Plus its kind of a spiritual experience using good quality materials that were used and enjoyed by another artist.
I always admired the romance of the French easel. Growing up I looked at these at Pearl Paint but they were too expensive for me. One day I saw a vintage Grumbacher #286 on eBay. When I examined the photos there was a nice patina and not too much wear, so I took the plunge and made a last-minute bid.
When I unpacked it I was thrilled. It had the original leather handle, as well as a barely legible impressed stamp that said “Made in France.” The carrying area for paint tubes and brushes was made of tin – something you don’t see in French easels on the market today.
Everything was in good working condition, but there were cobwebs inside, the wood was very dry, and it smelled like someone’s attic. So I got some rags, and bought a package of light-duty steel wool and a canister of tung oil and went to work. Tung oil, from the Asian tung tree, is an environmentally safe rehabilitation treatment for woods that leaves a glowing water-resistant veneer.
First I wiped the easel down and got rid of the dust and cobwebs, then lightly steel wooled all surfaces. I applied at least five coats of tung oil, allowing it to sink deeply into the wood. The rubber feet were dry and rotted so I found small rubber bumpers on-line and replaced them. All the hardware needed oiling down as well. When it was done I added a leather carrying strap from an old duffel bag.
Set-up in the studio was just fine, but taking this easel out into the field was another matter. As elegant as it looks, it is heavy and clunky to carry around. It’s also ponderous to set up, and if any of the multiple thumb screws is not completely tightened you have a potential disaster on your hands. The French easel is simply no match for a good field kit like the Open Box M. What was once the state-of-the-art now seems like an idiosyncratic holdover. Still, many plein air artists use easels with this design.
But just because it’s clunky and impractical in the field doesn’t stop me from loving this item. For a Manhattan apartment where space is a premium, it makes an excellent studio easel I can put up and take down with ease, so that’s what I use it for. I also use it for photoshoots to document my art. Now this vintage Grumbacher #286 that likely sat in storage for who-knows-how-many years is a well-loved, and well-used item in my studio.
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Nice job on the rehab! I was just gifted a vintage 286 easel and can’t figure out how to open the legs. All of the instructions online only show 286s with *outside* legs mounted on the exterior sides of the box. Mine has legs recessed *inside* the back of the box. (I have a photo.) Any help would be very much appreciated!
You’ve done a lovely job of preserving and caring for your easel! I came into possession of the same model of french easel a few years back. It had been my dad’s but hadn’t been used since the 70’s. I’m now trying to update it as there are a few missing hardware pieces. Do you recommend any online resources for sourcing these vintage hardware for these beauties?
Jeffrey
Great story. I too keep an open eye for vintage artist materials. Can’t understand why some of the old designs, like the quality sketchboxes, aren’t still being used today.
The easel looks great. Jullian, of Paris, is the actual manufacturer. Grumbacher just contracted with them to put their name on it and sell it through their vast channels.
Jullian still makes them but has move production from France to China and the quality is said to have suffered.
Got one I’m refinishing but would like to know something about how old these Jullian/ Grumbacher 286’s are. Can’t find anything anywhere on history, dates, timeframes of manufacture. Resources, info anyone?
I’m not sure if they stamped serial numbers somewhere on the box. I believe mine (an original Jullian, not a grumbacher rebadge) was from the mid 90’s and it does have a serial number.
Jeffery’s appears to be from the 60’s or early 70’s based on the blue Grumbacher logo badge near the handle. That was the style of logo they were using on their products during that period.
I came across this completely by accident. I have this wood box that’s a Grumbacher oil color set. The supplies are all gone but I felt like it was a neat box. I was going to freshen it up to store my colored pencils in, but not knowing what I’m doing or what I had, to Google I went; enter your post here I’m wondering now if I should take more care with it. There is a lovely manufacturer label inside with handwriting that says “Christmas of 1974 from Bob”
Melissa thanks for the note. Your box is a treasure. The vintage art supplies were lovingly made and most of good quality. If you can find a wooden box today it is likely of mediocre quality and made in China.
Hi Jeffrey, I just found your post and found it helpful. I have my Dad’s Grumbacher #286 French Easel that he purchased in 1952 in France. It has an odd smell. However, you inspired me to clean it up and use it in the studio. Thanks!
Thanks for the note Margaret! Good luck with the clean-up and reconditioning. I used at least a can-and-a-half of Tung Oil to recondition the wood, but that leaves its own odor.
I just picked one up for $20 usd . i thought it looked neat but it had some damage . during repair i realized the dovetailing and solid ness of the piece as well as the amount of ware. The newer ones while simmilar are missing minor details this one has craftsmanship wise .
I just found a very used French easel by grumbacher number in the two hundreds. Do you know the year approx. they were made and valve.
Thanks
Sorry Sandra I dont know the year they were made. There is a faded stamp on the case that says “Made in France.” The horsehide handle is a giveaway that they are pretty old.