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Design

ca. 1897 (made)
Artist/Maker
Webb, Philip (Speakman) (designer)
Place of origin
Great Britain (made)

Webb was a superb draughtsman. Some of his fellow designers thought his restrained designs were severe. This was unjust, as this design for a teapot shows. He has used some elements based on 18th century examples, but the shapes of the body and spout and the quirkiness of the handle show his originality. The brief but informative construction notes are accompanied by little sketches showing the details of the mouldings and the feet. This is typical of his work. Webb's drawings left nothing to chance and he always included as much detail as he could.


Object details

Category
Drawings
Object type
Design
Materials and techniques
Pen and ink
Brief description
Design for a silver teapot showing details, magnified sections of moulding and a quarter plan by Philip Webb
Physical description
Design for a silver teapot showing details, magnified by sections of moulding, and a quarter plan. Inscribed by the artist with notes.
Dimensions
  • Height: 36.8cm
  • Width: 42.2cm
Style
Victorian
Marks and inscriptions
(Inscribed by the artist with notes)
Gallery label
  • Philip Speakman Webb (1831-1915) Design for tea pot. About 1895-1900 Inscribed with notes Pencil, pen and ink The architect Philip Webb, the friend and associate of William Morris, designed for most branches of decorative arts including metalwork. By the end of his life he was deeply influenced by eighteenth century forms, as in this teapot. Also present here, however, are ideas from copper kettles (the spout) and Chinese porcelain (the handle and panels). Webb was a perfectionist who left nothing to chance; for this highly unconventional design he needed to show every moulding. A teapot made from the drawing is also shown here. E.1-1961
  • Philip Speakman Webb (1831-1915) Design for a tea pot British, about 1895-1900 Pencil and pen and ink Webb designed for most branches of the decorative arts, including furniture, glass stained glass, tapestry, jewellery, embroidery and silver. Webb met William Morris when they were both in the office of G.E. Street and many of his designs were for Morris's companies. An example of this silver teapot was commissioned by Webb's pupil Charles Winmill and made by Robert Catterson Smith in about 1925, some 25 years after it was designed, as a tribute to Webb. The drawing conveys a fully worked-up idea; it is simply to give detailed instructions to the silversmith. E:1-1961 Given by Joyce M. Winmill
Credit line
Given by Miss Joyce M. Winmill
Subject depicted
Teapot
Summary
Webb was a superb draughtsman. Some of his fellow designers thought his restrained designs were severe. This was unjust, as this design for a teapot shows. He has used some elements based on 18th century examples, but the shapes of the body and spout and the quirkiness of the handle show his originality. The brief but informative construction notes are accompanied by little sketches showing the details of the mouldings and the feet. This is typical of his work. Webb's drawings left nothing to chance and he always included as much detail as he could.
Associated object
CIRC.499-1956 (Object)
Bibliographic reference
Victoria and Albert Museum Department of Prints and Drawings and Department of Paintings Accessions 1960 and 1961 London: HMSO, 1964
Collection
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number
E.1-1961

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Record createdFebruary 19, 2003
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O74756/design-webb-philip-speakman/
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