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Jeffrey & Co's Artistic Wallpapers

Advertisement
ca. 1907 (printed)
Artist/Maker
Jeffrey & Co. (manufacturer)
Place of origin
London (printed)

The peacock was an established symbol of the Aesthetic movement (‘Art for art’s sake’) of the 1890s, and around 1900 Jeffrey & Co. adopted it as their logo to emphasise their association with the highest artistic standards in design. They had printed William Morris's wallpapers since 1864, and under the guidance of the sole proprietor, Metford Warner (from 1871), they employed some of the best designers of the day - including Walter Crane, Lewis F. Day, B. J. Talbert and C. F. A. Voysey. The firm's products regularly won medals and prizes at international exhibitions.

Object details

Categories
Advertising
Wall Coverings
Object type
Advertisement
TitleJeffrey & Co's Artistic Wallpapers (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Lithograph on paper
Brief description
One of three volumes containing bills (circa 1838), pamphlets, press-cuttings, price lists etc (circa 1848-1915) and account book (for 1869), all relating to wallpapers produced by Jeffrey & Co.; Page 52 is an advertisment for Jeffrey & Co. Artistic Wallpapers, featuring a peacock with 'Jeffrey & Co.' written in his feathers; Lithograph on paper.; England; ca. 1907.
Physical description
One of three volumes containing bills (circa 1838), pamphlets, press-cuttings, price lists etc (circa 1848-1915) and account book (for 1869), all relating to wallpapers produced by Jeffrey & Co.
Page 52 is an advertisment for Jeffrey & Co. Artistic Wallpapers, featuring a peacock with 'Jeffrey & Co.' written in his feathers; Lithograph on paper.
Dimensions
  • Height: 27.3cm
  • Width: 21cm
Styles
Arts and Crafts
Aesthetic Movement
Credit line
Given by Mrs Margaret Warner
Object history
Given by Mrs Margaret Warner.
Subject depicted
Peacock
Summary
The peacock was an established symbol of the Aesthetic movement (‘Art for art’s sake’) of the 1890s, and around 1900 Jeffrey & Co. adopted it as their logo to emphasise their association with the highest artistic standards in design. They had printed William Morris's wallpapers since 1864, and under the guidance of the sole proprietor, Metford Warner (from 1871), they employed some of the best designers of the day - including Walter Crane, Lewis F. Day, B. J. Talbert and C. F. A. Voysey. The firm's products regularly won medals and prizes at international exhibitions.
Bibliographic references
  • Oman, Charles C., and Hamilton, Jean. Wallpapers: a history and illustrated catalogue of the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. London: Sotheby Publications, in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1982.
  • Saunders, Gill. Wallpaper in Interior Decoration. V&A Publications. London. 2002. pp. 35, pl 28.
  • Victoria and Albert Museum, Department of Engraving, Illustration and Design and Department of Paintings, Accessions 1945, London: HMSO, 1956.
Collection
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number
E.42A/3-1945

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Record createdMarch 27, 2003
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O77330/jeffrey--cos-artistic-wallpapers-advertisement-jeffrey--co/
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