Carreras Black Cat Factory

Inspired by one of London's most theatrical pieces of industrial architecture, this architectural object interprets the entrance of the Carreras Black Cat Factory — Collins, Collins & Porri's 1928 Egyptian Revival landmark in Camden — as a refined, sculptural form.

Rather than the building's full 550-foot frontage, this piece focuses on the central entrance bay: the two flanking cat statues, papyrus-form columns, and painted hieroglyphic detailing that make this building instantly recognisable.

Read the full Carreras Black Cat Factory architecture guide

An Egyptian Revival entrance, interpreted as an object

The Carreras factory's entrance concentrates its Egyptomania into a single, symmetrical composition: two colossal cat statues standing guard beside papyrus-form columns and richly painted hieroglyphic ornament. Rather than attempting the building's full 550-foot length, this object isolates that entrance so its distinctive detailing can be appreciated as a piece of sculpture in its own right.    

This architectural model focuses on the building's defining characteristics:

• the two flanking cat statues, stylised versions of the Egyptian goddess Bastet
• the papyrus-form columns and painted Egyptian ornament
• the fine lettering and detailing, rendered in etched metal

By reducing the building to its entrance alone, the object allows the proportion and character of this Egyptian Revival design to be appreciated up close, independently of the factory's much larger scale.

Why the Carreras Black Cat Factory works as an architectural model

The entrance translates especially well into object form because it is a self-contained, symmetrical composition built around a strong central motif, with ornament dense and legible enough to survive miniaturisation without losing its character. These characteristics remain powerful when isolated from the building's long flanking wings. The object feels both architectural and sculptural — a compact, theatrical counterpart to more restrained Art Deco designs of the same era.

Craft, materials, and finish

Each Carreras Black Cat Factory object is crafted with an emphasis on material honesty and precision. The plaster finish picks out the fluting of the papyrus-form columns and the crisp geometry of the entrance surround, while the etched metal detailing renders the fine lettering and ornament of the original facade against the smooth cast form. The result is an object that sits comfortably within architectural interiors and design studios, on bookshelves and workspaces, and in collections focused on Art Deco or Egyptian Revival design. It is equally suited to architects, designers, and anyone with a fondness for Camden's more flamboyant landmarks.

A piece of Art Deco history

The Carreras Black Cat Factory was built as advertising as much as architecture — a purpose-built home for Carreras's Black Cat and Craven A cigarette brands, designed to be recognised and remembered. Its Egyptian ornament was lost for decades after the building's 1960s conversion to offices, before a careful restoration in the late 1990s brought it back, recasting the two black cats that had stood at the entrance since 1928. It is a Grade II listed building today, known as Greater London House. As an object, this piece offers a way to engage with that history in tactile, physical form.

Product details

• Subject: Carreras Black Cat Factory (Greater London House), Camden, London
• Architectural style: Egyptian Revival Art Deco
• Original completion: 1928
• Architects: M. E. Collins and O. H. Collins, with A. G. Porri
• Designed and made by: Chisel & Mouse

Learn more about the Carreras Black Cat Factory

For a detailed exploration of the building's architecture, history, and cultural legacy, see our in-depth guide:

Carreras Black Cat Factory Architecture: Collins, Collins & Porri and London's Egyptian Revival Landmark