The Pattern Books

These books contain watercolour paintings of tens of thousands of patterns made from about 1800 up to the end of production at the Church Street factory. Many are beautiful works of art in their own right; taken together, their importance rests in part in their completeness, but also as a historic document of changing design styles over two centuries. Georgian simplicity, Regency opulence, Victorian naturalism, sentimentality, Pre-Raphaelite styles, Japanese revival, Arts and Crafts, Art Deco, 1950s modernism and late 20th century designs are all there, including the originals of iconic patterns still in production, such as Christmas Tree, Woodland and Stafford Flowers.