PATTERNS
KEITH MURRAY PATTERNS
Keith Murray designed many patterns for Wedgwood, some of which were put into production from about 1934. The patterns were fairly simple, consisting of stylised plants and flowers and included : 'Weeping willow', 'Pink' & 'Red Pimpernel' and Iris. Murray also designed a number of border patterns including 'Radio'. Some of these designs were first exhibited at the Wedgwood Grafton galleries in a 1936.
'Weeping Willow' Pattern No.AL9679 |
The photographs (left and right) show the pattern 'Weeping Willow' or 'Green tree' as it is also known. The pattern depicts a stylised scene of a willow tree blowing gently in the |
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| breeze, standing on rolling hills with birds flying overhead. The outline of the hills, tree branches and birds are in platinum with the grass and leaves painted in green enamel. The edges of the plates, lids, handles, knobs etc.. are also hand painted with a band of platinum and green. The pattern number of this design is recorded as No.AL9679. The tureen shape is called 'Bow' (not designed by KM). The overall design has an oriental feel and was possibly inspired by the blue and white pattern, best known as 'Willow'. Weeping Willow complements the 'Bow' shape and the moonstone glaze beautifully as the dinnerware also appears to have a Japanese influence in it's shape. |
| The use of green and platinum enamelling was also used by Murray for 'Iris' (right). Again the outline of the plant is in platinum and the detail painted in green enamel. The borders, knobs and handles, as with 'Weeping Willow' were painted with bands in the same colours. but with a slight variation. Plates have a single line of platinum at the edge with a group of three green enamel bands placed just within the platinum band. |
'Iris.' Pattern No.A9613
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'Lotus' Silver&Green (No.S203) and Red&Bronze(S70)
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Another Murray pattern put into production was 'Lotus'. This pattern was applied to bone china wares, including this coffee set (left) which featured in a leaflet produced by Wedgwood in the 1930's. 'Lotus' was produced in two colourways -platinum & green,and bronze and red. |
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| The flower bud and leaves were painted in red or green whilst the flower stem and seed head were in bronze or platinum. The edges of plates and saucers, rims and feet of cups, creamers and tea & coffee pots and the sides of handles etc...were painted with a band of either the red or platinum. |
'Red Pimpernel' Pattern No.A9548 |
Unlike 'Weeping Willow', 'Lotus' and 'Iris', which have a fairly masculine feel to their design, 'Pink Pimpernel' and 'Red Pimpernel' are altogether more dainty. The pattern consists of single stemmed flower heads with two leaves. The flower heads are interspersed with spots and grouped within two bands of colours (as shown left). The flower heads were painted in either the pink or scarlet with the stems, spots and banding applied in bronze lustre. |
| Other patterns designed by Keith Murray include 'Pink Flower' end other floral motifs. Some designs consist of just a series of coloured bands. One such design, called 'Red and Black' is a border design of black and red banding. |
| MILLICENT
TAPLIN PATTERNS ON K.M. WARES Millicent Jane Taplin was a paintress, and later designer, for Wedgwood from about 1917. She worked with Alfred and Louise Powell before becoming a designer in the late 1920's. It is understood that there were four silver resist and two gold resist patterns used on Keith Murray mugs. Some of Miss Taplin's patterns were also applied to other Keith Murray shapes, such as 'Springtime', a floral design which was hand-painted in colours. |
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PATTERNS |
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