Rare, unusual and interesting antique costumes and textiles; for museums and collectors looking for that extra special piece, for new and established collectors and for those with a modest budget who want to adorn their person or home.

SOLD

Walter Crane Flora's Retinue
1893

I am selling these individually because I do not have a set and some flowers are duplicated. Please see below for price. They would make a sweeet present and could be framed.



Walter Crane 1845-1915 best known as an illustrator of books was also an artist designer of wallpaper, stained glass, textiles, carpets, tiles and pottery and metalwork. He was a Principal of the Royal College of Art and lectured and published on theory of design. Founder member of The Art Workers Guild and first President of the Arts & Crafts Exhibition Society.  Crane's design fee for these mats was £36. Closely related to the group of Crane's flower books beginning with Flora's Feast (1889) and his later tile designs, also called Flora's Retinue.  A similar set was exhibited at the Arts & Crafts Exhibition Society in 1893 & the Chicago International Exporistion of the same year.


Cataloguing

by Walter Crane, each of the six doileys woven with the artist's monogram and Recd, depicting two Daisy, one ivory and one cream, Bluebell, Pink (Carnation), Lily and Poppy, each with attractive girls in flowing dresses of the particular flower surrounded by the flower, the flower name woven into a corner, machine woven in a cream and white silk and linen damask, floss silk fringed border, 7 in; 17 cm sq


Condition

Four are in very good condition.



Bluebell - ivory. Has three pinprick dark dots but these hardly notice £ 20 SOLD



Pink - Ivory. Very good condition. £25 SOLD



Daisy - Pale primrose. A slight slight pale rust mark. £ 20 SOLD



Daisy - Ivory. Very good condition. £ 25 SOLD



I have another three, Poppy, Lily and Pink, all ivory , all with some markings £ 10 & £12 each.



 


Comments

These doilies were manufactured and sold by retailers John Wilson & Sons, of Bond Street and later 188 Regent Street. Listed as household linen warehousemen the firm specialised in the sale of linen damasks. They commissioned damask designs from leading designers of the day including Christopher Dresser, Lewis F Day, and Walter Crane, which were woven by Irish companies, including Ireland Brothers & Co, Belfast. There would have been six doilies originally including Poppy, Lily and Rose. A similar set were exhibited at Walter Crane lWhitworth Museum, Manchester 2004.



Studio magazine 1904. Advertisement Supplement. Napery in the Home.



The Work of John Wilson's Successors, Ltd. 188 Regent Street  by Jordan, Christopher



Walter Crane London Open House 2001 at South London Gallery. Smith & Hyde



Walter Crane 1845-1915 Artist, Designer & Socialist 1989. Studio Magazine vol II 1893-4 p 28



Tessuuto Art Nouveau. Fanelli Florence 1986 fig 171/2



 Arts & Crafts Textiles in Britain. Galloway, Francesca. The Fine Art Society