Avon
Furnishing Fabric
1960 (made)
1960 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Edinburgh Weavers was founded in 1928 by the textile manufacturer James Morton (1867-1943) as an experimental design and marketing unit of Morton Sundour Fabrics. Originally based in Edinburgh, the firm merged with Morton Sundour Fabrics' weaving factory in Carlisle in 1931. They achieved success in the UK and US under the enlightened directorship of Alastair Morton (1910-1963), who commissioned freelance designers and artists to produce work for interpretation as printed and woven fabrics. Following Alastair Morton's death, Edinburgh Weavers was taken over by Courtaulds in 1963.
'Avon' was commissioned by the Ministry of Works for the new conference hall of the British Embassy in Washington. The design depicts characters from the plays of William Shakespeare.
'Avon' was commissioned by the Ministry of Works for the new conference hall of the British Embassy in Washington. The design depicts characters from the plays of William Shakespeare.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Avon (manufacturer's title) |
| Materials and techniques | Screen-printed cotton and rayon |
| Brief description | Furnishing fabric 'Avon' of screen-printed cotton and rayon, designed by Cecil Collins for Edinburgh Weavers, Carlisle, 1960 |
| Physical description | Furnishing fabric of screen-printed plain woven cotton and rayon. With a design consisting of eight large figures from Shakespeare's plays as line drawings in black on white ground. One repeat in the width. |
| Credit line | Given by Morton Sundour Fabrics |
| Literary reference | Shakespeare |
| Summary | Edinburgh Weavers was founded in 1928 by the textile manufacturer James Morton (1867-1943) as an experimental design and marketing unit of Morton Sundour Fabrics. Originally based in Edinburgh, the firm merged with Morton Sundour Fabrics' weaving factory in Carlisle in 1931. They achieved success in the UK and US under the enlightened directorship of Alastair Morton (1910-1963), who commissioned freelance designers and artists to produce work for interpretation as printed and woven fabrics. Following Alastair Morton's death, Edinburgh Weavers was taken over by Courtaulds in 1963. 'Avon' was commissioned by the Ministry of Works for the new conference hall of the British Embassy in Washington. The design depicts characters from the plays of William Shakespeare. |
| Associated object | T.42:2-2009 (Duplicate) |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | CIRC.685-1966 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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