King and McGaw

King and McGaw is a British art publisher, print producer and online retailer based in Newhaven, Sussex. The company supplies art prints and related products to museums, galleries, department stores and other retail outlets, while also selling directly to consumers through its online retail operation. Its manufacturing base is a 50,000-square-foot factory in Newhaven, where the company produces prints and framed products for both institutional and consumer markets. The business was established in Sussex in 1982 by three brothers, Gyr, Quentin and Perry King. It initially operated as King Publishing, a silkscreen printing company creating high-quality, upmarket posters for art galleries and independent boutique shops. From its early years, the company built its range through licensing and rights agreements covering work by contemporary artists and photographers as well as established figures including Bridget Riley, Howard Hodgkin and Terry Frost. By the late 1980s the company had adopted the King Posters name and had broadened its activities beyond poster production. It began developing framed pictures and other products for museum shops, working with institutions such as Tate, the National Gallery, the Louvre, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art. This combination of art publishing, licensed reproduction and specialist retail supply became central to the brand's identity. A major setback occurred in 1989, when a warehouse fire destroyed stock reportedly valued at approximately £3 million. The company obtained additional bank financing to reproduce the lost inventory, while American poster supplier Bruce McGaw offered replacement stock without charge. That assistance led to a commercial relationship and ultimately to the adoption of the King & McGaw name in 1990. During the 1990s, King & McGaw expanded its distribution beyond museums and galleries to department stores. Partnerships with John Lewis, Next and Debenhams helped the business reach a wider home-decoration and gift market. By the end of 2000, reported annual sales had reached $35 million, although the available reference material does not specify the accounting period or provide an independent financial filing for that figure. The company moved to digital printing in 2007. This enabled a print-to-order model, reducing the need to hold large volumes of finished inventory and making it easier to offer a broader catalogue of images, sizes and formats. In 2011, King & McGaw expanded its consumer-facing activity by acquiring the online art retailer Easyart.com. Easyart had been founded in 1999 by Simon Matthews and gave King & McGaw an established e-commerce platform and a recognizable online art-retail operation. In March 2015, the Easyart name was discontinued and its website activity was consolidated under the King & McGaw brand. The same year, the company used a temporary Soho shop to present historic lithographic posters from the Mourlot Studios archives, including works associated with Picasso, Matisse, Masson, Fernand Léger, Joan Miró, Le Corbusier, Yves Klein, Raoul Dufy and René Magritte. The event also incorporated drawing and screen-printing classes, linking the brand's retail activity with public engagement and practical art education. King and McGaw's current positioning is therefore built around accessible art reproduction supported by museum and gallery relationships, specialist printing capability, framing and direct-to-consumer e-commerce. The company operates between cultural publishing and home décor: it commercializes reproductions of recognized artworks while also serving institutional buyers and retail partners that require licensed, presentation-ready art products.

King and McGaw began in Sussex in 1982 as King Publishing, a silkscreen printing business founded by brothers Gyr, Quentin and Perry King. Its early work consisted principally of premium posters for galleries and small design-oriented retailers. The company secured rights to reproduce works by artists and photographers at different stages of their careers, including Bridget Riley, Howard Hodgkin and Terry Frost. By the late 1980s, the company was trading as King Posters and had expanded into framing and the development of products for museum shops. Its institutional customer base included Tate, the National Gallery, the Louvre, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art. This expansion positioned the business as more than a poster printer: it became a supplier of licensed art merchandise and display products to cultural institutions and specialist retailers. In 1989, a warehouse fire destroyed stock reported at approximately £3 million. The company received a further £5,000 bank loan to support reprinting, while American supplier Bruce McGaw offered to replace some of the lost stock. The resulting commercial relationship led to the adoption of the King & McGaw name in 1990. Throughout the 1990s, the company broadened its distribution through department-store partnerships, including John Lewis, Next and Debenhams. Reported annual sales reached $35 million by the end of 2000. In 2007, the business adopted digital printing, which supported print-to-order production and reduced dependence on large runs of pre-printed stock. The company's move toward online retail accelerated in 2011 with the acquisition of Easyart.com, an online art retailer founded by Simon Matthews in 1999. Easyart had previously faced a naming dispute with easyGroup, but easyGroup later discontinued its legal action. In March 2015, King & McGaw retired the Easyart identity and brought the online operation under the King & McGaw name. Also in 2015, the company staged a Soho pop-up exhibition featuring lithographic posters from the Mourlot Studios archives. The event included works associated with several major modern artists and added drawing and screen-printing classes, demonstrating an effort to connect commerce, archives and public participation. King and McGaw's business model combines art publishing, licensing, specialist production, museum and gallery supply, retail distribution and online consumer sales.

• 2015

  Easyart brand integrated into King & McGaw

  [1]King and McGawen.wikipedia.org

  The Easyart name was retired and its online activity was consolidated under King & McGaw.

• 2011

  Easyart.com acquired

  [1]King and McGawen.wikipedia.org

  The acquisition expanded King & McGaw's direct online retail capabilities.

• 2007

  Digital printing introduced

  [1]King and McGawen.wikipedia.org

  Digital production enabled the business to print products to order.

• 2000

  Reported annual sales reach $35 million

  [1]King and McGawen.wikipedia.org

  The company was reported to have reached $35 million in annual sales by the end of the decade, although the available reference does not specify the accounting basis.

• 1990

  Company renamed King & McGaw

  [1]King and McGawen.wikipedia.org

  The name changed after a business relationship developed with American supplier Bruce McGaw.

• 1989

  Warehouse fire causes major stock loss

  [1]King and McGawen.wikipedia.org

  A fire destroyed inventory reported to be worth approximately £3 million, requiring new financing and reprinting.

• 1982

  King Publishing founded in Sussex

  [1]King and McGawen.wikipedia.org

  Gyr, Quentin and Perry King established the business as a silkscreen printing company producing high-quality art posters.

A specialist British art publisher and retailer combining licensed cultural content, museum and gallery relationships, digital print production, framing and online direct-to-consumer sales.

• Art publishing · 1982

  Art prints and posters

  The company's core range consists of licensed reproductions of artworks and photography, originally produced through silkscreen and later through digital printing. The catalogue has included modern and contemporary artists as well as imagery suitable for galleries, museum shops, department stores and home interiors.

• Home décor

  Framed pictures

  King and McGaw expanded into framing as its business developed in the late 1980s. Framed products allow the company to sell presentation-ready wall art to consumers and retailers rather than supplying only unframed printed sheets.

• Cultural retail

  Museum and gallery products

  The business develops and supplies art-related products for museum and gallery shops. Its reported institutional relationships have included Tate, the National Gallery, the Louvre, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art.

• Digital printing · 2007

  Print-to-order artwork

  Following the 2007 move to digital printing, King and McGaw could produce selected items to order. This model supports a larger range of artwork, dimensions and formats while limiting the need for extensive finished-goods inventory.

• 2015Mourlot Studios archive pop-up

  United Kingdom

  King & McGaw operated a temporary shop on D'Arblay Street in Soho to present lithographic posters from the Mourlot Studios archives, including works linked to Picasso, Matisse, Miró, Le Corbusier and other artists. The program also included drawing classes and screen-printing sessions.

  Outcome. The event provided a physical showcase for the brand's art-publishing credentials and connected the retail presentation with public art education.

  Source

• 2015

  Consolidated Easyart under King & McGawStrategy

  Background

  After acquiring Easyart.com, the company reassessed how its online retail activity should be branded.

  Action taken

  King & McGaw discontinued the Easyart brand and merged the site into the King & McGaw identity.

  Aftermath

  The move concentrated the company's consumer-facing online presence under one brand.

  Source

• 2011

  Acquired Easyart.comM&A

  Background

  King & McGaw decided to expand its retail activities and build a stronger direct-to-consumer online presence.

  Action taken

  The company acquired Easyart.com, an online art retailer founded by Simon Matthews in 1999.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition added an established e-commerce operation before the Easyart name was later retired.

  Source

• 2007

  Switched to digital printingStrategy

  Background

  The company sought to broaden its product range and improve production flexibility.

  Action taken

  King & McGaw moved from a predominantly conventional printing model toward digital production and print-to-order capability.

  Aftermath

  The change enabled more flexible production and reduced the need to pre-print and warehouse every catalogue item.

  Source

• 1990

  Adopted the King & McGaw identityStrategy

  Background

  A warehouse fire in 1989 caused substantial stock losses. American supplier Bruce McGaw provided replacement stock, leading to a commercial relationship with the Sussex poster business.

  Action taken

  The company changed its name from King Posters to King & McGaw.

  Aftermath

  The new identity became the basis for the company's subsequent expansion into museum supply, department-store distribution and online retail.

  Source

• 2015

  Easyart brand retired and integrated into King & McGaw[1]King and McGawen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  King & McGaw discontinued the Easyart name and consolidated the online operation under its own brand.

• 2015

  Mourlot Studios archive presented in London pop-up[1]King and McGawen.wikipedia.org

  Campaign · Other

  A temporary Soho shop displayed lithographic posters from the Mourlot Studios archives and hosted drawing and screen-printing activities.

• 2011

  King & McGaw acquired Easyart.com[1]King and McGawen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  The company acquired online art retailer Easyart.com as part of its expansion into direct online retail.

• 2007

  King & McGaw moved to digital printing[1]King and McGawen.wikipedia.org

  Product generation

  The company adopted digital printing, enabling a print-to-order approach and allowing it to offer a broader range of artwork without relying entirely on pre-printed inventory.

• 2002

  Easyart faced a legal challenge over its name[1]King and McGawen.wikipedia.org

  Lawsuit

  Easyart faced allegations from Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou and easyGroup concerning the use of the word “easy” in its brand name. The dispute ended after easyGroup discontinued the legal action.

• 1990

  King & McGaw name adopted after Bruce McGaw relationship[1]King and McGawen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Following assistance from American poster supplier Bruce McGaw after the warehouse fire, the company changed its name from King Posters to King & McGaw.

• 1989

  Warehouse fire destroyed King Posters stock[1]King and McGawen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  A warehouse fire destroyed stock reportedly worth about £3 million. The company arranged additional financing and replacement production to rebuild its inventory.

1. 1King and McGawen.wikipedia.org