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A fine William Morris…
Sale Title:
Auction House:
Auction Location:
Melbourne
Date:
19-Sep-2023
Lot No.
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Description:
A fine William Morris Hammersmith carpet, after a design by William Morris and John Dearle, Merton Abbey Works, English, Circa 1889, enclosing stylised tulips extending into the field. A stylised vine and flower meander fills the the main sea-green border. This striking carpet, designed by William Morris and his chief assistant, John Henry Dearle, was one of three new designs for 'Bullers Wood House' in Chislehurst, Kent. The interior decoration of 'Bullers Wood' in 1889 was one of Morris & Co. 's most important commissions and probably the last decorative scheme that Morris supervised himself. The four large palmettes radiating from the central medallion derive from the 16th and 17th-century Mughal Indian and Safavid Persian carpets that Morris collected for himself and for the newly-formed South Kensington Museum, the forerunner of the Victoria & Albert Museum. These motifs combined with floral devices unmistakably of his own design, produce a carpet of great beauty, harmony and balance. Testimony to the success of this design was the fact that it was used again for another very important commission, the decoration of Stanmore Hall, Middlesex, between 1890 and 1896. One of the other carpets commissioned for 'Bullers Wood' is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum (exhibit T. 31 – 1923) and is regarded as the most accomplished and famous of Morris's carpet designs. Bullers Wood House was purchased by (Sir) John Sanderson in 1879, on his return to England after some successful years trading in the wool industry in Australia. It was a typically mid-Victorian house ideally situated for commuting to London and Sanderson decided to modernise and rebuild it to house his large family. The young architect Ernest Newton was employed for the exterior together with Morris & Co. for the interior. Newton had previously worked for Norman Shaw, a co-designer with Phillip Webb of Morris's 'The Red House' in Bexeley. The carpet remained in the house until 1921, when the house was sold. Some of the house contents were auctioned. This carpet with selected contents were kept by the family and installed in their West Australian residence, Lesmurdie House. It has passed by descent to the present owner. . Provenance: Mr John Sanderson, commissioned in 1889, Bullerswood House, Chislehurst, Kent. Mr Archibald Sanderson, Lesmurdie House, Western Australia, by descent from the above. Private Collection, Perth, by descent from the above. Literature: Pamela Todd, William Morris and The Arts and Crafts Home, San Francisco, 2005, p. 50. Pat Kirkham, 'The Firm: Morris & Company', in Diane Waggoner (ed. ), The Beauty of Life, William Morris & the Art of Design, (ex. cat. ), New York, 2003, p. 54. Linda Parry, William Morris, Phillip Wilson Publishers in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1996, p. 283. Ian Zaczek, William Morris, Paragon Books, London, 2001, p. 112. 'Bullerswood Brought Home – A Dream Come True', Cloudband Magazine, September 2001, pp. 2-4. John Henry Dearle and Morris & Co. In 1889 William Morris (1834 - 1896), reputedly, created his final carpet design for his firm Morris & Co. The following year John Henry Dearle (1860 - 1932) succeeded as principal designer for all carpets manufactured in Hammersmith and Merton Abbey. Dearle was designer of embroideries with May Morris from 1885 and had also been William's design assistant, however by his appointment in 1890 he had clearly developed his own style.. Dimensions: 530 x 353 cm
Estimate:
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Price:
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Category:
Unclassified