Panel of wool and cotton upholstery fabric, possibly designed by A.H. Mackmurdo, woven by A.H. Lee & Sons, Great Britain, ca. 1885

Panel of woven wool and cotton upholstery fabric showing a repeating design of stylised shield-shaped motifs within an ogee network. The main motifs are reversed in alternate vertical and horizontal rows and each is filled with a subsidiary design of small triangles. The pattern is picked out in yellow, red and green on a dark red ground.

Given by Spink & Sons Ltd.

Registered File number 1988/82.
The fabric was woven by the form of Arthur H. Lee whose factory was, at this time, in Warrington, Cheshire (in 1904 they moved to Birkenhead). It is possible that the designer of the piece was A.H. Mackmurdo (1851-1942) and it has been attributed to him.

Mackmurdo produced at least one other design for Lee's (T.84-1953). This particular fabric was used as the upholstery on two chairs designed by the Century Guild, of which Mackmurdo was a member. The chairs are in the Museum (W.74-1975) and the William Morris Gallery, Walthamstow (G59). A chair of the same style was exhibited as part of a Music Room designed by the Century Guild in Liverpool in 1886 although all existing illustrations of this are not clear enough to identify the pattern of the upholstery. However, it is possible that this fabric was used. Prior to setting up looms in Warrington in 1888, Arthur Lee had commenced patterned woollen cloth weaving at the back of a cotton mill which he managed in Bolton.

T.16-1988