Pattern Book
1890s (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Printed velveteens became very fashionable in the 1870s and provided one of the most recognisable artistic furnishings of the period. In February 1877 Morris wrote to Thomas Wardle, 'We could have a trade in velvets and serges if we could get the colours good and fast.' Examples were exhibited by Morris & Co. at the first Arts and Crafts Exhibition in 1888 and the patterns included in their book were designed by Morris and Henry Dearle over a wide period from 1876. Velveteen fell from popularity some years before this book was offered to the Museum in February 1919. H C Marillier wrote 'I have found you after a long hunt an ancient pattern book of Morris's printed cotton velvets, which had a great vogue in their day. They are beautiful materials and I can't imagine why they ever lost popularity but they did.'
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Paper and board binding, with printed velveteen samples |
| Brief description | Sample book of 10 printed velveteens manufactured by Morris & Co., England, 1890s |
| Physical description | Sample book of ten printed velveteen samples. Coated fabric used as covering material, with three holes punched between the spine and the joints. A gently twisted red sewing thread going through the holes keeps all the samples and the cover together. On the upper cover the title and make of the company are impressed in golden colour. The paste downs of the Text-Block are made of a single leaf. There is one fly leaf. Designs include Acanthus, Cherwell, Florence, Wey, Severn and Mole. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | MORRIS AND COMPANY caution their friends against being misled by firms trading under the name of William Morris. The designs by the late Williams Morris, author of "The Earthy Paradise", and each of those by Sir Edward Burne-Jones as were expressly designed for them for stained glass & tapestry, can only be reproduced by Morris & Company, 449, Oxford Street W., and Merton Abbey, Surrey. (Makers's and designer's marks; English; Upper cover fly leaf) |
| Credit line | Given by the manufacturer |
| Summary | Printed velveteens became very fashionable in the 1870s and provided one of the most recognisable artistic furnishings of the period. In February 1877 Morris wrote to Thomas Wardle, 'We could have a trade in velvets and serges if we could get the colours good and fast.' Examples were exhibited by Morris & Co. at the first Arts and Crafts Exhibition in 1888 and the patterns included in their book were designed by Morris and Henry Dearle over a wide period from 1876. Velveteen fell from popularity some years before this book was offered to the Museum in February 1919. H C Marillier wrote 'I have found you after a long hunt an ancient pattern book of Morris's printed cotton velvets, which had a great vogue in their day. They are beautiful materials and I can't imagine why they ever lost popularity but they did.' |
| Bibliographic reference | Parry, Linda, ed. William Morris. London: Philip Wilson Publishers Limited, 1996.264 p., ill. ISBN 0856674419 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.660-1919 |
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| Record created | July 7, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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