woven, British, "Delft", by Margaret Simeon for Edinburgh Weavers, 1930s to 1940s, design of stylised flowers in vase in green and white, four colourways attached

Woven, machine-sewn top and bottom edges and two selvedges, textured design of stylised flowers in vases, green and white on pale green ground with wavy lines. Woven EW label: "Quality Delft / Pattern 0587 / Colour 40 / Width 50" / Yards 1 1/2". Paper label written in pencil: "2409007". Four colourways attached: yellow (labelled "E.W. 30"), pink (labelled "E.W. 20"), blue (labelled "E.W. 50"), dark red (labelled "E.W. 10").

Given by Sara Lee Courtaulds

From Courtaulds Design Library, group E4
The Courtaulds Design Library principally contained records from Courtaulds’ factories at Halstead and Bocking, Essex, and Halifax, and the large collection that came into Courtaulds’ possession through its acquisition of Morton Sundour and Edinburgh Weavers in 1963. The library was used by designers within Courtaulds and was also available for the use of Courtaulds’ customers. Following the acquisition of Courtaulds by the international corporation Sara Lee and the subsequent change in the business it was decided that the V&A would be the most appropriate location for the collection to enable it to be appreciated and used more fully. The Library was donated to the V&A by Sara Lee Courtaulds in 2001.

Edinburgh Weavers was founded in 1928 by the textile manufacturer James Morton (1867-1943) as an experimental design and marketing unit of Morton Sundour Fabrics. Originally based in Edinburgh, the firm merged with Morton Sundour Fabrics' weaving factory in Carlisle in 1931. They achieved success in the UK and US under the enlightened directorship of Alastair Morton (1910-63), who commissioned freelance designers and artists to produce work for interpretation as printed and woven fabrics. Following Alastair Morton's death, Edinburgh Weavers was taken over by Courtaulds in 1963.

T.230-2009