This wallpaper was designed by George Gilbert Scott Jnr, son of the great Victorian architect Sir George Gilbert Scott. The design was originally thought to have been by William Morris and based on Indian designs for painted/embroidered furnishings, or adapted from an earlier 18th century wallpaper by Morris. However a reference in a letter (Victoria and Albert Museum, London: National Art Library) from the Morris & Co’s business manager, Warrington Taylor to Philip Webb in 1869, makes reference to ‘Scott’s “Indian”‘.
In 1874 Scott became one of the founders of Watts & Co. for the sale of textiles, furniture, wallpaper and other decorative goods. Some of the wallpapers issued by the Firm are in a similar style to ‘Indian’.
The pattern repeat of this example is 63.5 x 50.8 cm and was printed by Islington based Jeffrey & Co. for Morris & Co. It is labelled with the pattern number ‘Indian 14’ and was acquired from Morris & Co. in 1940 upon the firm’s closure.
