Geometric January: on the tiles
My latest Friday gallery for Becky’s Geometric January Squares Challenge is on the theme of tiles. The image above was taken for quite a different reason, to remind me of the whereabouts of a plaque to the Scottish Suffragette Societies. However the building in the background is very geometric and, although there are no tiles visible, the name of the bar is appropriate so it makes a good introduction.
I’m starting with tenement tiles, or wally closes: wally meaning china, and close, in this case being a tenement entrance. Many 19th century Glasgow closes still have ornately tiled floors and walls and beautiful stained glass panels, but most of them are no longer visible because of security doors. I have only managed to photograph three sets of tiles, seen below, but one woman, Zan Phee, has created an online archive of them – you can see more examples and read about her project in the Greater Govanhill Newsletter.
There are lots more geometric tiles of various sorts below, with locations in the captions. Some of these make my eyes water!
Next Friday will be my final Geometric Squares gallery – what will it be? I haven’t quite decided, too many themes still to choose from! See you then.
The Glasgow Gallivanter 
Beautiful tiles, Anabel. I love how you do the square challenge by theme.
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Thanks Natalie!
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Some very interesting tiles Anabel.
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I thought so! Thanks Mélodie.
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So beautiful tiles and photographs, Thank you, Love, nia
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Thanks Nia!
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Some very unique ones for certain. The wally close ones have an interesting history are are unique.
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The tiled closes are a lovely feature. Some places have removed them – almost criminal!
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Very nice!
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Thanks!
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I like tiles but on walls they are inexorably connected with being cold in my mind so that affects how I look at them.
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Useful as well as decorative in the right place though.
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We have a few here and there around the house.
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The tenement tiles are gorgeous. What a beautiful entry to have in a building. And I see what you mean about eye watering. Some of those are loud.
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Loud, yes, that’s one way of putting it!
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Fine collection of colourful tiles. My favourites are the wally close ones! Thank you.
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Thanks, I love those too.
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The Wally Close tiles are lovely. Especially like that green one, Anabel.
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They are gorgeous, aren’t they? Our house is too modern to have anything like that.
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I didn’t recognise your name for them, but I’ve seen similar before. But rarely!
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I love tenement tiles
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They are quite special!
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A great selection there. Some I recognise but many others not. Bob. BSS.
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Thanks Bob, you would probably spot Kelvingrove!
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A lovely collection…(Suzanne)
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Thanks Suzanne!
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You have a beautiful (on the whole!) collection of tiles here – I would only exempt the modern one, bottom left, from that description 😆 I was fascinated by the wally close examples. The one top right in particular reminded me of designs of tiles on the Paris Metro and has given me an idea for a possible post of my own if I can fit it in before the end of the month!
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Yes, that’s the eye-watering one! What were they thinking? Some of the wally closes do have an art nouveau aspect to them.
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Oh, the wally close ones are fabulous! But modern 2? Ouch! I like the way you have themed your squares.
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Thanks Jude – the Modern 2 tiles are in the Ladies so lingering is not a good idea if you don’t want to come out with a headache!
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The Broomhill tiles remind me of a Victorian public toilet but the others are great. Oude Kerk looks very opulent and I love the Stockingfield bridge one. Is the Manchester one inside the Kimpton Hotel?
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Hi Eunice, yes, that’s right, it’s one of the corridors in the Kimpton.
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I always stop to look at beautiful tiles. Thank you for sharing this collection.
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Thank you for looking!
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