The Future of Morris & Co.
Printing at Merton Abbey c. 1890. (Photo: By Anonymous for Morris & Co. via Wikimedia Commons {{PD-US}})
The Morris & Co. design archives were later purchased by home furnishings manufacturer, Arthur Sanderson & Sons. Both company’s archives sit under the Style Library umbrella, part of the British furnishings company, Walker Greenbank.
Today, Morris & Co.’s traditional block-printed wallpaper is still available on request and costs upwards of $327 a roll. In contrast, the now machine-produced archive collections come in at a much lower price of around $50. Although affordable, it seems Morris’s life-long dream of handcrafted design for all is sadly yet to be fully achieved.
“Fruit (or Pomegranate)” wallpaper designed by William Morris. Via Wikimedia Commons
“Pink and Rose” 1890 via Wikimedia Commons
“Tulip and Willow” 1873 via Wikimedia Commons
“Tulip and Willow” printed on linen. Via Wikimedia Commons
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