Easy armchair
Morris & Co.
Category
Furniture
Date
circa 1890
Materials
Utrecht velvet, walnut, brass castors
Measurements
76 x 66 x 62 cm
Order this imageCollection
Standen House and Garden, West Sussex
NT 1213943
Summary
An upholstered easy armchair, retailed by Morris & Co., circa 1890. Covered in embossed Utrecht velvet, the curved rectangular back above flattened open arms with walnut underarm front supports, the rectangular seat raised on bulbous tapering walnut legs with castors. This chair is advertised as the 'Connaught Easy Chair' No.163, in an undated catalogue of 'Upholstered Furniture' issued by Morris & Co. Ltd. 149 Oxford Street, London W. and Merton Abbey, Surrey, p 157. Covered in 'Tulip' chintz at 3/- per yard, it is priced at £5-12-0. The Standen example, however, is covered in embossed Utrecht velvet at 9/- per yard so would have cost much more. This catalogue 'Specimens of Furniture, Upholstery and Interior Decoration' was probably issued in 1911 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Morris & Co. A copy is at Standen.
Full description
Morris & Co. Founded in 1861 as Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co., the firm was soon referred to as Morris & Co., although the name was not officially adopted until 1875 when William Morris (1834-1896) became sole proprietor. Responsibility for the design of almost all commissioned furniture passed to Philip Webb, whose influence was enormous, and (from 1880) his assistant George Jack, while Morris produced designs for glass, tapestries and any painted furniture. From 1871 wallpapers, designed by Morris, became an important part of the business. Show rooms in Oxford Street were acquired in 1877. Greater commercial success in the 1880s led to the opening of a shop in Manchester in 1883. Some of the well-known interior schemes undertaken by Morris include Rounton Grange in Yorkshire, Old Swan House in Chelsea, Great Tangley Manor in Surrey, Wightwick Manor, Bullers Wood and Standen.
Makers and roles
Morris & Co., maker
References
Morris & Co. (London, England), catalogue 'Specimens of Furniture, upholstery and Interior Decoration', p 157