FAQs — FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: What is scagliola? Is it a process, a material or a product?
Scagliola is a centuries-old technique for creating surfaces that mimic fine marble and other noble materials. It was never only used as an economical alternative to replace luxurious materials, hence we refrain from labeling it as fake, imitation or faux marble. We say it’s our imaginary marble. This man-made plaster may be mistaken for semi-precious stone, but it feels warmer when touched, and is more lightweight. Our Bobbin, Coffee Bean, Cube, Evora, Funnel, Longbeam, Minty, Pebble, Reparterre and Stria are cast in scagliola.
Q: Which countries do you ship to?
McCollin Bryan ships to countries and territories worldwide. We normally use FedEx, UPS and other reputable freight forwarders. If you’d like to arrange the delivery yourself outside of the UK, we kindly ask you to confirm the shipper. If it is a company that we regularly work with, it will be zero-rated for VAT. Otherwise, as per the UK HMRC guidelines for ExWorks shipments, we may need to include 20% VAT which will be refunded to you once the proof of export has been received.
Q: What is a limited edition in design?
Collectible design pieces are not mass-produced and usually are limited edition or unique works. Contrary to open editions, limited editions are restricted to a chosen number, so the size of an edition never changes.
Limited edition applies to the piece variation, e.g. our Aurora Wall Composition in Shades of Amber will be made in the quantity of 20. We plan to produce 20 items of the same in Shades of Green and 20 more in Quartz Variations.
Usually, each individual collectible piece retains its value or even appreciates over time, making it an investment. Smaller editions are more desirable so more valuable.
Q: How accurate are the product dimensions listed on the McCollin Bryan website?
A: Due to the handmade nature of our products, the dimensions may vary within a tolerance of up to 5 mm.
Q: Is the clear tabletop of your Lens Table completely clear, or is there some colour to it?
Our clear tabletop is made of pure resin with no added pigment, however there is a ‘tolerance of tones’ set by the raw material manufacturers. This means batches can vary slightly (some bluish, some pinkish).
Even the clear transparent resin in the Lens Table is backed with a mirror. Because of its reflective qualities, the colours may ‘dance’. Besides, as the tabletop is not transparent, you can’t see the floor through it.
Colour perception is a tricky matter! We strongly recommend discussing what effect you want to achieve in the interior with your designer or with us. Sometimes ordering a sample can be helpful.
Q: Do the colours of the Lens Tables match in reality and in photos?
Resin, our signature material, allows to manipulate light through, so every Lens Table might change its shade with weather, time of day, lighting conditions, surface area or simply the viewer’s angle of vision.
The play of light in a translucent mirrored tabletop certainly does not contribute to perfectly accurate colour reproduction in photographs. Also, the images are vulnerable to individual screen settings.
So the best way to explore these versatile shades is to see them in person. Please see our Galleries and retailers list or book a visit to our London studio.
Q: How can I see our products in person?
We are represented by selective showrooms and galleries on every continent – please see our Galleries and retailers list.
If you, your friends or your partners happen to be in London, you can visit our Camberwell studio Monday to Friday 9am — 5pm. Our address is:
45 Urlwin Street
London SE5 0NF
As a working studio, we’ll appreciate one day’s notice so we can prepare for your visit.
Q: Are your designs being copied?
Sometimes our products “strongly inspire” very similar objects. It happens rarely because it is easy to copy a shape but not a way of thinking or a process.
Q: How can I get samples of the colours you offer?
We are happy to provide you with samples for our Lens Tables, Coffee Bean Tables and other popular products. Our samples are sent out free of charge on a short-term loan basis of about a month. If you’d like to keep them, they cost £35 (excluding VAT) each.
Q: Can I purchase the exact coffee table displayed on your website?
All product images are indicative only and may not reflect the exact product appearance. For example, with our Coffee Bean tables, every single scagliola piece is individually pigmented resulting in its unique appearance. Because of the way we produce them every client is getting an individual item.
Q: Is Scagliola suitable for outside?
Scagliola, a marble-like material made from plaster, is visually almost indistinguishable from the real marble. But, unlike it, it is unfortunately not suitable for the exterior. Due to its sensitive nature it’s even not appropriate for wet areas. Fortunately, scagliola is repairable: most defects can be successfully fixed by experienced hands. If you own our Coffee Bean or other scagliola item that you think looks tired, please read our Restoration manual or enquire about the cost of professional repair.
Q: How can I buy your items in America?
We work with American-based Holly Hunt for some of our designs. In the North American market, they act on our behalf, covering Canada, the United States, Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, the Bahamas, Barbados, Saint Lucia, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda, and Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Holly Hunt look after the sales for Lens Table, Coffee Bean, Barbarella, Aurora Folding Screen and Aurora Wall Composition.
For other pieces, please contact us directly to get your local pricelist.
Q: Are your Coffee Bean tables heavy?
Our scagliola tables may seem heavy because of their marble-like appearance but they are not: 55 kg for our smallest 80 Ø x 35cm and 135 kg for the maximum 150 Ø x 40cm one. Also, they can be produced with castors to address that issue.
Q: How customizable your Lens tables are? Are you able to supply them in bespoke colours and sizes?
The Lens Tables are definitely customizable. Before we make them for you, you choose between 13 colour variations, 3 metal bases and 6 sizes, which brings the number of options to more than 250.
Here is the list of colours we work with: Acid Lemon, Amber, Amethyst, Bubblegum Pink, Bottle Green, Citrine, Clear, Crystal Quartz, Dark Amber, Emerald, Rose, Sapphire, Turquoise.
Please enquire if you are interested in another shade.
For the sizes, we can customise the height, but with tabletops, we have to keep the dimensions.
Q: Can you guide me on how to check the lead times?
We make 95% of our items to order. Lead times can always be found on relevant product pages: the lead time for all the Coffee Beans is 10-12 weeks, and it’s 14-16 weeks for the Lens Tables.
Why so? Our designers keep their practice intentionally small which fits with their ethos and experimental nature.
We know that waiting may be frustrating. So we always have a limited number of experimental pieces available for immediate delivery – please see our selection.
Q: Do you make brutalist items?
We do not stick to a particular style but sometimes media and buyers associate us with brutalism, especially when it comes to Coffee Bean Table, Bobbin Table, Stria Bench, Geo Console or Funnel Wall Composition in shades of cement. Although béton brut was pioneered by modernists it’s sometimes associated with trendier brutalists. We are fine with those comparisons.
Q: How sustainable are your designs? Are they eco-friendly?
Making new things can never be ecological but we take pride in the fact that our pieces are locally produced. Every item is made in England in a unique process honed over decades, combining modern production methods and skilful craftsmanship. We don’t mass-produce and we do not produce waste, as each piece of furniture is made to order.
We strive to design timeless objects that will stand the test of time and be passed on, never becoming obsolete. To extend their physical lifecycle, we always provide care and restoration tips to customers.
We implement circular materials, like the one we developed recently experimenting with dust, the byproduct of our Lens Table production. Each tabletop is made of resin and goes through a laborious sanding and polishing process until it twinkles. We’ve spent a long time working out how to incorporate all the dust back into our production. We’ve started collecting it and combining it with other ingredients, e.g. ecoresin in our reconstituted Cube Coffee Table.
Q: Do you rent your pieces for commercials and advertising?
We rent most items for printed media, television, film and commercials, and even have experience with theatrical productions. Please contact us with your request.
Q: How can I find a replacement mechanism for McCollin Bryan clock?
It’s always so nice to hear that our clocks are still part of people’s homes. Unfortunately, we ceased production of these well over 10 years ago and we don’t have any clock repairers to recommend. But quite a few of our customers have successfully changed mechanisms at home.
There should only be a small dab of araldite glue holding the original mechanism in place so it should be possible to remove it. First remove the small nut on the front of the hands, take the hands off the spindle and unscrew the larger slotted nut from the front. Then you should be able to twist the mechanism to release the glue.
We used to suggest that replacement mechanisms (UTS Quartz German Euroshaft Movement Mechanism Motors) were bought from Bude Time but they have closed so you may have to shop around to find the right one.
We used different sizes on different clocks, so please measure the shaft on the broken mechanism to make sure you get the right size. If you have a photo of your clock at hand, feel free to email it to us to double-check.
If you’d prefer not to change the mechanism at home, we would recommend speaking to a local jewellers, as they often carry out watch and clock repairs.
Q: Do you offer trade discounts to interior designers and architects?
We offer trade discounts for qualified designers and architects. Please enquire with your website, portfolio or company registration details.
