Design
c.1920 (designed)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This is a design for a mat to be manufactured from coir, the coarse fibre found between the husk and the outer shell of the coconut. The raw material had been used for centuries in the East, but only in the late 19th century did it begin to established its presence in the West often as a household product such as a mat. Initially, European business men set up businesses in Kerala, India, centred around the town of Alleppey.
It is likely that this design was created in the 1920s or early 1930s possibly by a company set up by native entrepreneurs in Alleppey or possibly by European designers in London. The object draws on the Western styles of the period, using Art Deco motifs, and thus seems to have been designed for a European or an American market. At the same time, there is an overt Oriental influence. The group of designs to which it belongs makes frequent use of figurative botanical motifs, multiple wavy lines and flecks which differentiates it from classic Art Deco designs of the period.
It is likely that this design was created in the 1920s or early 1930s possibly by a company set up by native entrepreneurs in Alleppey or possibly by European designers in London. The object draws on the Western styles of the period, using Art Deco motifs, and thus seems to have been designed for a European or an American market. At the same time, there is an overt Oriental influence. The group of designs to which it belongs makes frequent use of figurative botanical motifs, multiple wavy lines and flecks which differentiates it from classic Art Deco designs of the period.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | watercolour on paper |
| Brief description | Design for a coir mat, possibly London or Kerala, India, c.1920 |
| Physical description | A rectangular piece of cream coloured card with a rectangular image bordered in brown. The cntre of the image depicts a grey diamond shape flecked with brown markings on top of which sits a rectangular shape bordered mainly in black with black unfilled square shapes on all four corners. The cenre of the rectangle shows a cream cross shape outlined in grey with two beige square either side of it with black, wavy lines. to the other edge of each beige square is a line created by red and black squares. The overall backgroun is a brown, black and coffee coloured section of almost chevron like lines. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | The front of the design is marke 'No.1181' in the bottom in the centre. It is stamped on the reverse 'Stavers and Anderson Ltd, 18-20 Creechurch Lane, Leadenhall Street, London EC3', but this seems to obscure a early stamp where the text 'S. India' is just visible. |
| Credit line | Given by the American Friends of the V&A through the generosity of Leslie, Judith and Gabri Schreyer and Alice Schreyer Batko. |
| Summary | This is a design for a mat to be manufactured from coir, the coarse fibre found between the husk and the outer shell of the coconut. The raw material had been used for centuries in the East, but only in the late 19th century did it begin to established its presence in the West often as a household product such as a mat. Initially, European business men set up businesses in Kerala, India, centred around the town of Alleppey. It is likely that this design was created in the 1920s or early 1930s possibly by a company set up by native entrepreneurs in Alleppey or possibly by European designers in London. The object draws on the Western styles of the period, using Art Deco motifs, and thus seems to have been designed for a European or an American market. At the same time, there is an overt Oriental influence. The group of designs to which it belongs makes frequent use of figurative botanical motifs, multiple wavy lines and flecks which differentiates it from classic Art Deco designs of the period. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.336-2012 |
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| Record created | November 26, 2009 |
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