Morris & Co Anniversary

RNS Number : 1435C

Walker Greenbank PLC

02 March 2011

 



For immediate release

2 March 2011

RNS REACH

WALKER GREENBANK PLC

("Walker Greenbank" or "the Company")

Morris & Co's 150^th Anniversary

Walker Greenbank PLC (AIM: WGB), the luxury interior furnishings group whose brands include Sanderson, Morris & Co, Harlequin and Zoffany, is pleased to announce product launches, exhibitions and a new book to celebrate the 150^th anniversary of Morris & Co, the highly influential furnishings brand founded by the pioneer of the Arts & Crafts movement, William Morris.

The exhibitions will take place at National Trust houses that have a close association with William Morris and Morris & Co. The first will open today at Wightwick Manor, Wolverhampton, which features many original wallpapers, fabrics and furnishings by William Morris. An exhibition will also take place at Standen, West Sussex, in June and July and products will be showcased at Red House, Kent, in April.

To coincide with the exhibition at Wightwick Manor, Morris & Co is launching a beautifully illustrated book, A Revolution in Decoration, which catalogues the achievements and lasting legacy of Morris & Co, which was managed by William Morris for 35 years. The book will be available directly from Morris & Co, from most Morris & Co stockists and from some National Trust shops.

Morris & Co is also launching four new collections which have been designed specifically to celebrate the 150^th anniversary of the brand by representing the broadest selection of furnishing fabrics and wallpapers offered over several decades. The four collections - Archive Prints, Archive Wallpapers, Archive Weaves and Archive Embroideries - revisit some of the most celebrated William Morris designs and take inspiration from the Morris Archive and other source material.

Walker Greenbank acquired Morris & Co in 2003. The acquisition included the Morris Archive, comprising an extensive collection of William Morris's original printing blocks and other artefacts.

The four new collections can be viewed at www.william-morris.co.uk.

John Sach, Walker Greenbank's Chief Executive, said:"We are delighted to celebrate the 150^th anniversary of Morris & Co and are honoured to be the custodian of this hugely influential brand founded by William Morris. Our ambition for the brand is to remain true to the ethos of William Morris whose work is synonymous with excellence of design." 

Enquiries: 

Walker Greenbank PLC	[phone]
John Sach, Group Chief Executive
Alan Dix, Finance Director
Arden Partners plc	[phone]
Chris Hardie / Adrian Trimmings
Buchanan Communications	[phone]
Mark Court / Suzanne Brocks

 

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