Darwin (c1760) represents one of the Whitworth Art Gallery’s most important re...Darwin (c1760) represents one of the Whitworth Art Gallery’s most important recent acquisitions and,with a twist in its story, this exemplary English piece was actually found intact in a house in Aix-en-Provence, France. The exotic scene accurately...more
‘Massingberd Blossom’ (Gunby Hall) c.1905 The wallpaper from which this design...‘Massingberd Blossom’ (Gunby Hall) c.1905 The wallpaper from which this design is drawn, is most likely of British Edwardian origin, but stylistically is very representative of the era’s passion for oriental design, which – in a time of pre-modern...more
In the late 18th Century, Erddig in Wales was the family home of Philip Yorke ...In the late 18th Century, Erddig in Wales was the family home of Philip Yorke and his wife Elizabeth. They would have selected this hand-painted Chinese wallpaper, lavishly decorated with exquisite birds and flowers, for guests staying in the...more
Very much a twentieth century design, this is a 1950’s English pattern found a...Very much a twentieth century design, this is a 1950’s English pattern found at the Whitworth Art Gallery in Manchester. A band of fine, single colour white stripes over flat ground(s), it’s in fact the space between stripes that creates the subtle...more
An early block print design, the original paper once adorned the walls of a gr...An early block print design, the original paper once adorned the walls of a ground floor room, most probablya dining room, in a historic house in Salisbury, Wiltshire. Its simple graphic elements are typical of a design thatwould have been cut from...more
Unlike most of the source material for LittleGreene wallpapers, this design i...Unlike most of the source material for Little Greene wallpapers, this design is not drawn from a conventional pattern but rather is a reinterpretation of a fine illustrative painting from the mid-20th century. It represents the high-society trend for...more
Zingara was the name given to this design in a John Line collection produced i...Zingara was the name given to this design in a John Line collection produced in 1960. The colourway Cerulean Sea is also completely faithful to the document found in the wallpaper archive at Manchester's Whitworth Art Gallery. The elegant freehand line...more
‘Tulip’ (Erddig) c.1898 Considered to be one of Britain’s finest country house...‘Tulip’ (Erddig) c.1898 Considered to be one of Britain’s finest country houses, Erddig, just outside Wrexham in North Wales, is home to an abundant collection of wallpapers. Some still adorn the walls of the state rooms, but many more have been found...more
An elegant, floral trail with sophisticated tonal variation - little is known ...An elegant, floral trail with sophisticated tonal variation - little is known about the history of this paper, but it is likely to originate from the Aesthetic movement in the late 19th Century. The pattern replicates a tiled mosaic, achieving a...more
Darwin (c1760) represents one of the Whitworth Art Gallery’s most important re...Darwin (c1760) represents one of the Whitworth Art Gallery’s most important recent acquisitions and,with a twist in its story, this exemplary English piece was actually found intact in a house in Aix-en-Provence, France. The exotic scene accurately...more
Mandalay’ (Bateman’s) c.1712 This tree of life design is drawn directly from t...Mandalay’ (Bateman’s) c.1712 This tree of life design is drawn directly from the leather wallcoverings in the dining room at Bateman’s, a Jacobean mansion in East Sussex. Elaborate designs such as these were inspired by 17th-century Indian chintzes,...more
The second paper in this collection taken from Brooke House in Hackney, East L...The second paper in this collection taken from Brooke House in Hackney, East London. For a long period, Brooke House was home to a private hospital and this design takes its name from one of its significant 19th century owners: a Dr John Monroe. The...more
An Arts & Crafts motif in the manner of Voysey, a leading light of the movemen...An Arts & Crafts motif in the manner of Voysey, a leading light of the movement who was perhaps more famous as an architect than as a wallpaper designer. Although this colourful wallpaper was removed from a 19th century house in Kensington, its actual...more
This classic Georgian design can be seen at Greyfriars, a medieval timber hous...This classic Georgian design can be seen at Greyfriars, a medieval timber house in Worcester. The property’s 20th Century owner, Elsie Moore, acquired some unused rolls from a rectory attic in nearby Pershore, and displayed sections of them as framed...more