Focus; Festival

Physical description

Specimen of 'Festival' wallpaper, a design featuring circles, squares and rectangles in varying shades of white and (?)green; Printed from rubber rollers on a Heidemann ink embossing machine, on paper; Designer’s name, name of pattern, serial number etc in letterpress on the back.

Within a pattern book containing 187 specimens, including different colourways; a few sheets interleaved with photographs of the papers in contemporary settings; bound in boards, with a design by John Griffiths on the front cover.

Place of Origin

England, Great Britain (made)

Date

1964-65 (manufactured)

Artist/maker

Melbourne, Donald, born 1921 (designer)
Shand Kydd Ltd. (manufacturer)

Materials and Techniques

Colour print on paper

Dimensions

Height: 40 cm size of volume, Width: 50.5 cm size of volume

Object history note

Given by Shand Kydd Ltd.

Historical context note

Printed from rubber rollers on a Heidemann ink embossing machine, this is probably the first flexographic paper printed in this country (reproduced in F. Lewis, Best Designs versus Best Seller, 1965, fig 66).

Descriptive line

Specimen of 'Festival' wallpaper, a design featuring circles, squares and rectangles in varying shades of white and (?)green; Printed from rubber rollers on a Heidemann ink embossing machine, this is probably the first flexographic paper printed in England; Design by Donald Melbourne; Designer’s name, name of pattern, serial number etc in letterpress on the back; Within a pattern book containing 187 specimens (E.1532-1718-1980); Produced by Shand Kydd Ltd.; England; 1964-65.

Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)

Oman, Charles C., and Hamilton, Jean. Wallpapers: a history and illustrated catalogue of the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. London: Sotheby Publications, in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1982.
The full text of the entry is as follows:

'715
Focus
Pattern book containing 187 specimens, including different colourways; each with designer’s name, name of pattern, serial number etc in letterpress on the back; a few sheets interleaved with photographs of the papers in contemporary settings; bound in boards, with a design by John Griffiths on the front cover
Produced by Shand Kydd Ltd
1964-65
Colour prints from wood blocks, rotagravure and ink emboss
40 x 50.5 cm (size of volume)
Given by Shand Kydd Ltd
E.1532-1718-1980

Some of the papers are washable; the remainder are described as 'spongeable'. The volume is divided into sections: 'Lounge & Dining Room'; 'Hall, Landings & Attic'; 'Bedroom & Nursery'; 'Bathroom & Kitchen', and 'Ceilings, Specials & Stripes'. See under Charles Raymond (no 1127) for his design for 'Sweet Pea'. 'Shiro, 'Festival' and 'Fontaine' were exhibited at the Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester, 1972. 'Festival', by Donald Melbourne, was printed from rubber rollers on a Heidemann ink embossing machine and is probably the first flexographic paper printed in this country (reproduced in F. Lewis, Best Designs versus Best Seller, 1965, fig 66).

'Silk' (E.1532, 1534, 1563, 1564, 1573, 1574, 1599, 1601, 1623, 1625, 1627, 1630, 1700-1707); 'Korin', by Peter Sumner (E.1533, 1535, 1537, 1643); 'Osmond' (E.1536, 1613, 1667-1669); ‘Tamana', by James Heath (E.1538, 1540, 1542, 1664-1666); 'Bamboo', by Donald Melbourne (E.1539, 1541, 1543); 'Rosa', by Michael Dauban (E.1544-1546); 'Powys', by John Harbour (E.1547, 1549, 1551, 1621, 1708-1710); 'Gaverne’, by John Harbour (E.1548, 1550, 1552); 'Belinda', by Gordon Davies (E.1554, 1556, 1558); 'Sudbury' (E.1555, 1557, 1717, 1718); 'Alwyn', by Donald Melbourne (E.1559-1561); 'Shiro', by Tessa Hagity (E.1562, 1563, 1565, 1644); 'Gisburn', by Fay Hillier (E.1566-1568); 'Melvyn' (E.1569); 'Mistra', by Jose Bonnet (E.1570-1572); 'Orvieto', by Gordon Davies (E.1574, 1576); 'Kaduna', by Willy Hermann (E.1577); 'Halsbury', by Peter Sumner (E.1578); 'Selbury' (E.1579, 1713); 'Festival', by Donald Melbourne (E.1580 CT8747 (see col pl. p 264, 1582, 1648); 'Kansvik', by James Heath (E.1583, 1584, 1619, 1652); ‘Lindell' (E.1585, 1587, 1711, 1712); 'Kent', by John Harbour (E.1586, 1588); 'Axford', by Evelyn Pauker (E.1589-1591); 'Carna', by Donald Melbourne (E.1592, 1597); 'Barra', by Donald Melbourne (E.1593-1596, 1598); 'Fontaine', by Charles Raymond (E.1600, 1602, 1642); 'Ballina', by Joyce Storey (E.1603-1606); 'Vernon', by John Harbour (E.1607, 1609, 1611); 'Wild Rose', by John Harbour (E.1608, 1610, 1612); 'Deronda', by Joyce Storey (E.1614, 1616, 1618); 'Dunning' (E.1615, 1617, 1640, 1714-1716); 'Dolls', by Donald Melbourne (E.1620, 1622); 'Sweet Pea', by Charles Raymond (E.1624, 1626); 'Clematis', by Donald Melbourne (E.1628, 1629, 1631); 'Marietta', by Mondial Designs (E.1632, 1633); 'Verity', by John Harbour (E.1634, 1637); 'Valerie', by John Harbour (E.1635, 1636, 1638); 'Posy', by Jose Bonnet (E.1639, 1641); 'Hayling', by Harry Cadney (E.1645-1647); 'Herbal' (E.1649-1651); 'Rondel', by John Harbour (E.1653, 1654); 'Corsham', by Donald Melbourne (E.1655-1657); 'Mellor', by Rudi Colme (E.1658-1660); 'Vernon'. by John Harbour (E.1661-1663)'

Materials

Paper

Techniques

Roller-printing; Flexograph

Subjects depicted

Circles; Squares; Rectangles

Categories

Prints; Wall coverings

Collection code

PDP