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The Historic Collection

Wallpaper
early 1990s (produced)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The V&A‘s collection of historic and contemporary wallpapers is extensive and internationally renowned. The collection has regularly been used by wallpaper manufacturers as a resource for reproductions and for new designs based on historic examples; V&A Enterprises have licensed collections issued by others and also produced their own collections.

This pattern book contains samples from a collection produced in the early 1990s by wallpaper specialists Osborne & Little; the designs are all slightly modified and re-coloured versions of anonymous 18th and 19th century wallpaper samples in the V&A collection. As such it is a interesting example of the influence of museum archives on the design and production of ‘heritage’ wallpapers. The papers are produced by surface printing, an automated print process which gives the effect of hand-block printing. The colours and colour combinations are authentic to the period.


Object details

Category
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 80 parts.
(Some alternative part names are also shown below)
  • Wallpaper
  • Pattern Book
  • Wallpaper
  • Pattern Book
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TitleThe Historic Collection (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Surface prints, bound in paper-covered boards with foil-blocked lettering, and silk rope handle
Brief description
Wallpaper, 'The Historic Collection', pattern book of wallpaper and border samples, made by Osborne & Little for the V&A, United Kingdom, early 1990s
Physical description
A pattern book bound in paper covered boards with samples of wallpapers and wallpaper borders.
Dimensions
  • Height: 39.5cm
  • Width: 52cm
  • Depth: 3.3cm
Marks and inscriptions
'The Historic Collection / V&A Museum/Osborne & Little' (Title, publisher/manufacturer. In gold on front cover.)
Historical context
The book contains eleven different patterns in various colourways: Antwerp, Sherringham, Pompadour, Strawberry House, Cordelova, Taulignan, Lanhydrock, Faversham, Domino, Corderier, Kensington. The names are mostly derived from the name of the house or place where the original sample was found, or after the names of types and styles of wallcovering.
Summary
The V&A‘s collection of historic and contemporary wallpapers is extensive and internationally renowned. The collection has regularly been used by wallpaper manufacturers as a resource for reproductions and for new designs based on historic examples; V&A Enterprises have licensed collections issued by others and also produced their own collections.

This pattern book contains samples from a collection produced in the early 1990s by wallpaper specialists Osborne & Little; the designs are all slightly modified and re-coloured versions of anonymous 18th and 19th century wallpaper samples in the V&A collection. As such it is a interesting example of the influence of museum archives on the design and production of ‘heritage’ wallpapers. The papers are produced by surface printing, an automated print process which gives the effect of hand-block printing. The colours and colour combinations are authentic to the period.
Collection
Accession number
E.657:1 to 80-2007

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Record createdAugust 16, 2007
Record URL
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