Furnishing Textiles in the Archive of Art & Design

Page from fabric sample album from Heal's, 1922. Museum no. AAD/1978/2/198/2

The V&A's Archive of Art and Design holds the working papers of individual artists and designers, as well as the records of companies and associations involved in all aspects of applied art and design. The archives can be consulted by appointment at Blythe House, located near Olympia in West London.

Throughout the 20th century Britain produced distinctive and popular textile designs which influenced how we decorated our homes. The collections of the Archive of Art and Design allow us to see not only a wide variety of fabrics that were being sold in popular stores, but also the research and ideas of the individual designers.

The Heal's fabric sample books, for example, are an invaluable guide to a company renowned for promoting modern design in Britain, while the archives of prominent designers Lucienne Day and Jacqueline Groag contain designs immediately associated with the 1950s which are still popular today. Technical advances in textile production in the first quarter of the century are described in the diaries of James Morton, founder of Morton Sundour Fabrics Ltd, and later illustrated in the textile sample books of Calico Printers' Association.

For more details, please consult the Guide to the Archive of Art and Design, Victoria & Albert Museum by Elizabeth Lomas (a Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers / V&A Publications 2001) which lists the AAD archives and also identifies related material in the V&A Museum and other institutions. Most of the archives are also listed in the National Art Library Catalogue.

Design

• George F. Ainscow, textile designer: papers, 1930-c.1993.
  AAD/1993/12
• Pat Albeck, textile designer: papers, 1953-2004.
  AAD/2004/9
• O.M. Bayles, advertising artist and textile designer: textile designs, c.1938-50.
  AAD/1984/14
• Carpet, rug and wallpaper designs, c.1905-25.
  AAD/1984/12
• Lucienne and Robin Day, textile and wallpaper designer; industrial, interior and furniture designer: papers, c.1950-c.1990.
  AAD/2000/4
• T.A. Fennemore, pottery, textile and wallpaper designer: papers, 1924-58.
  AAD/1983/3
• Rita Gooday, textile designer: album, c.1920-35.
  AAD/1987/6
• Ronald Grierson, textile designer: papers, 1932-86.
  AAD/1989/1
• Jacqueline and Jacques Groag, textile and wallpaper designer; architect: papers, c.1929-85.
  AAD/1994/2, AAD/1995/17
• A. Haines & Son, textile designers: designs, c.1950-60.
  AAD/1986/2
• Heal and Son Holdings plc., bedding and furniture manufacturer and retailer: records, 1810-1995.
  AAD/1978/2, AAD/1986/1, AAD/1994/16, AAD/1996/8, AAD/1997/4, AAD/1997/13, AAD/1999/7 
• David Hicks, interior and textile designer: papers, c.1960-73.
  AAD/1986/4
• W. Gordon Hunton, textile designer: records, 1903-44.
  AAD/1987/4
• Morris & Co. Art Workers Ltd, decorative artists: embroidery patterns, c.1920-c.1939.
  AAD/1990/6
• James Morton, founder of Morton Sundour Fabrics Ltd: papers, c.1890-1990.
  AAD/1978/4, AAD/1991/3
• Trude Neu, textile designer: papers, c.1912-96.
  AAD/2000/7
• Bertha Sander, interior designer: papers, 1917-c.1963.
  AAD/1986/10, AAD/1988/3
• Helena Uglow, ceramic and textile designer: papers, 1970s-90s.
  AAD/1999/9
• Allan Walton, interior and textile designer: papers, c.1904-55.
  AAD/1980/6, AAD/1986/3

Production

• Calico Printers' Association Ltd: textile sample books, 1933-70.
  AAD/1988/9
• Courtaulds plc, textile manufacturers; design library: records, c.1780-1977
  AAD/2002/7
• Madame Crystal Ltd, glove maker and A. Tugendhat, yarn importer: records, 1928-90.
  AAD/1991/6
• Charles Holme, textile manufacturer, entrepreneur, founder of The Studio magazine: papers c.1873-c.1924.
  AAD/2003/10
• James Morton, founder of Morton Sundour Fabrics Ltd: papers, c.1890-90.
  AAD/1978/4, AAD/1991/3

Research

• Arthur Cecil and Clara Cary Edwards, oriental carpet researchers: papers, c.1940-57.
  AAD/1984/1

Upholstery

• Holland and Sons Ltd, cabinet makers and upholsterers: records, 1821-1968.
  AAD/1983/13, AAD/1998/1

Contact Details

Archive of Art and Design
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