LESLEY JACKSON

Edinburgh Weavers in business from 1931 to 1963 was one of the most important textile companies of the 20th century Alastair Morton the visionary art director of the company commissioned a remarkable series of textiles from leading British artists including Ben Nicholson Barbara Hepworth and Elisabeth Frink as well as artist designers such as Marion Dorn Ashley Havinden and Lucienne Day Morton was also a gifted artist textile designer and weaver in his own right This major work traces his wide ranging career and records the history of Edinburgh Weavers and the glorious textiles it produced Drawing on the V&A s extensive archive this impressive book features more than 500 images of artists textiles unparalleled in quality and scope

'contemporary' An exploration of the style that dominated 1950s architecture and design.Lesley Jackson The first book fully to explore the 'Contemporary' style that dominated architecture and design in the late 1940s and 1950s Surveys trends in taste and interior design at a time of economic regeneration and social renewal, when the positive spirit of the post-war era was reflected in the fresh, liberating expression of its buildings and home furnishings Illustrations depict key elements of 'Contemporary' style, from picture windows and open-plan interiors to vibrant fabric designs and patterned wallpapers, to streamlined kitchen appliances and Scandinavian and Italian furniture and light fixtures A lively appreciation of style both high and low This book is the first to explore fully the so-called 'contemporary' style that dominated architecture and design from the late 1940s to the end of the 1950s. It was an era of optimism and confidence, where new ideas in architecture and design flourished alongside the emergent consumer culture. Emanating mainly from the USA, the 'contemporary' style was fresh and liberating, manifesting itself in the picture window and the open plan, in new forms of furniture from Scandinavia and stylish light fittings from Italy, and most tellingly in the contemporary kitchen with its fitted units and mod-con appliances. This book examines the fresh and liberated design ideas of this buoyant era with an acute eye and open mind.