Arthur Silver (1853–1896) was a British designer who specialized in textile and wallpaper designs during the Arts and Crafts movement. Notably he was the founder of the Silver Studio. He established the company in 1880 in Hammersmith, London and it designed and sold textiles to clients such as the famous Liberty Store, still trading successfully today in Regent Street, London.
The Saturn Press card Peacock Feather is inspired by Arthur Silver’s pattern, Peacock Feathers. This design was one of Silver Studio’s most recognizable ones, being widely used for furnishings such as curtains and upholstery. The peacock feather was very popular during the Arts and Crafts movement - used on fans, dresses, hung on walls and displayed in vases. The feather represented the height of elegance and beauty because of its vibrant colors, intricate patterns, and its air of exoticism.
The Silver Studio remained in business until 1963 by which time popular taste had moved on from the traditional and highly decorative patterns that the studio designed. In addition, manufacturing textiles in England was proving to be prohibitively expensive. Fortunately, the thousands of designs, drawings and patterns of the studio were preserved in a collection, which is today at the Middlesex University in London - where it continues to inspire new designers.
Closer to home, the Art Institute of Chicago has an important collection of items from the Arts and Crafts Movement including textile designs by Arthur Silver.
Below is another thing of beauty - another of Arthur Silver’s effervescent designs.
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