The Arts and Crafts Movement developed in England in the second half of the 19th century and became an international phenomenon. ‘Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful,’ advised William Morris. The movement had been born of distaste over Victorian historicism and extravagance, was a rejection of the working conditions created by the Industrial Revolution, and championed social, moral and political causes.
Architects such as Philip Webb, CFA Voysey, Mackay Hugh Baillie-Scott and Charles Rennie Mackintosh in Great Britain, and Frank Lloyd Wright in America, conceived both the exterior and interiors as complete works of art. While building styles and details varied greatly, handcraftsmanship and honesty of production were always present. Local woods were favoured, oak and walnut particularly, and furniture was designed with the overriding aim of making a piece ‘fit for purpose’.
Today, the work of the Arts and Crafts Movement designers and artisans is highly sought after. Metalwork by Archibald Knox, Charles Robert Ashbee, and Omar & Ramsden; ceramics by the Martin Brothers, the Ruskin Pottery and Burmantofts to name a few. Our ever-changing collection has found followers from around the globe who appreciate the subtle nuances of this remarkable design movement.