| When we think of names like Augustus Welby | | | | blackened or ebonized beech. Other later examples |
| Northmore Pugin (1812-52) and William Morris | | | | by George Jack included a handmade oak dining table |
| (1834-1896) today, we think of these men as | | | | with herringbone design along the side, and eight |
| decorators - Pugin being responsible for the insides of | | | | hand carved and twisted legs with floral decorations |
| the Houses of Parliament, and perhaps rather | | | | inserted. |
| unkindly, Morris for wallpaper, tiles and place mats. | | | | Keeping to the idylls of the Arts and Crafts |
| However, both these men were ardent reformers of | | | | movement was difficult. Pugin exhausted himself in |
| their day and were in part responsible for the | | | | his attempts to recreate his Gothic Revival style in |
| beginnings of the Arts and Crafts Movement, which | | | | the Houses of Parliament and died soon after the |
| reacted against low quality mass produced furniture | | | | decorations were completed. Morris was fighting a |
| and other household items being manufactured during | | | | losing battle in his desire to compete with Victorian |
| the Victorian era. | | | | mass produced furniture which was much cheaper |
| Both these men wanted a return to simpler hand | | | | than his firm's hand created pieces. Ironically, Arts and |
| crafted forms of production. For Pugin it was the | | | | Crafts furniture that was made to champion the |
| medieval designs of Gothic furniture and honesty in | | | | handcraftsmanship of the artisan could only be |
| construction, where joints were shown on the | | | | afforded by the very wealthy. |
| surface of pieces. A famous design of his, an armoire | | | | After going into politics in 1883, Morris caved in to |
| made by J. G. Crace for the 1851 Great Exhibition, | | | | mass production somewhat by allowing furniture |
| was purchased directly by the Victoria and Albert | | | | from his firm to be made using machinery in part in |
| Museum where it remains today. | | | | order that pieces should be cheaper and more |
| Morris set up Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co. in 1861. | | | | generally affordable. In his idealised world, factories |
| Unlike Pugin, Morris did not design furniture but his | | | | were only open four hours a day and workers were |
| associates J P Seddon, William Burges and Philip | | | | able to wander around factory gardens and |
| Webb all produced the hand crafted simply styled | | | | appreciate pieces of sculpture on show, rather than |
| pieces so reminiscent of Arts and Crafts furniture. | | | | be chained to the wheel of Victorian mass |
| The 'Sussex' chair' by Webb was an example of a | | | | production. |
| traditionally styled rush seated chair made of | | | | |