Champagne Glass thumbnail 1
Champagne Glass thumbnail 2
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Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Glass, Room 131

Champagne Glass

1862-1870 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Object Type
Although flutes were still made for drinking champagne, glasses with cup-shaped bowls were probably introduced around 1830 and were standard by the 1860s. Among the glasses designed by Philip Webb there is also a champagne flute.

Historical Associations
By 1860, the architect Philip Webb (1831-1915) had designed an elaborately decorated range of glassware for William Morris's personal use at the Red House. These designs were subsequently simplified, probably by Webb, for commercial production by James Powell & Sons Glass Works. This glass is from that production. It was sold exclusively through Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co. and curiously, despite its importance in the firm's accounts, very little of the range survives. Against a small sketch of this shape, Philip Webb describes the glass as for champagne in the passbook in which he kept a record of his designs matched with prices. It is not clear exactly to what these relate but it has been suggested that '2 champagne 3/6d' may be Webb's account of two glasses taken from Morris & Co's stock in payment for his design work. The glass was bequeathed to the Museum by Morris's daughter, May Morris. Her continued occupation of the family home, Kelmscott Manor suggests that the glass may have been chosen by William Morris or his wife Jane.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Clear glass, hand-blown and part mould-blown
Brief description
Champagne glass, England (London), designed by Philip Webb for Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co., made by James Powell & Sons (Whitefriars), 1862-1870
Dimensions
  • Height: 15.7cm
  • Bowl diameter: 8.2cm
  • Base diameter: 7.4cm
Dimensions checked: Measured; 07/07/1999 by Terry
Style
Gallery label
British Galleries: TABLE GLASSES
In January 1860, Philip Webb designed enamel-painted glassware in historical style for William Morris's own use at the Red House. These were made by James Powell & Sons. By 1862, without the painting and with the shape simplified for commercial production, the glassware was sold through Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co. Two of these examples were used at the Morris family's country home, Kelmscott Manor in Oxfordshire.(27/03/2003)
Credit line
Bequeathed by May Morris
Object history
Designed by Philip Webb (born in Oxford, 1831, died in Worth, West Sussex, 1915) and made by James Powell & Sons, Whitefriars Glass Works, London
Summary
Object Type
Although flutes were still made for drinking champagne, glasses with cup-shaped bowls were probably introduced around 1830 and were standard by the 1860s. Among the glasses designed by Philip Webb there is also a champagne flute.

Historical Associations
By 1860, the architect Philip Webb (1831-1915) had designed an elaborately decorated range of glassware for William Morris's personal use at the Red House. These designs were subsequently simplified, probably by Webb, for commercial production by James Powell & Sons Glass Works. This glass is from that production. It was sold exclusively through Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co. and curiously, despite its importance in the firm's accounts, very little of the range survives. Against a small sketch of this shape, Philip Webb describes the glass as for champagne in the passbook in which he kept a record of his designs matched with prices. It is not clear exactly to what these relate but it has been suggested that '2 champagne 3/6d' may be Webb's account of two glasses taken from Morris & Co's stock in payment for his design work. The glass was bequeathed to the Museum by Morris's daughter, May Morris. Her continued occupation of the family home, Kelmscott Manor suggests that the glass may have been chosen by William Morris or his wife Jane.
Bibliographic references
  • Rudoe & Coutts (1992; Fig. 10a)
  • Anarchy & beauty : William Morris and his legacy, 1860-1960 / by Fiona MacCarthy. London: National Portrait Gallery, [2014] Number: 9781855144842, 1855144840 p.26
Other number
9262 - Glass gallery number
Collection
Accession number
C.80A-1939

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Record createdDecember 13, 1997
Record URL
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