Textiles

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Details / Notes

Since its opening in 1845, The Glasgow School of Art has been connected to textile design and production.

During the 19th and early 20th centuries the School aimed to train local designers to produce patterns for the textile industry in Glasgow and the West of Scotland. In the 1890s, the School's embroidery department was established and soon became famous for the Glasgow Style pieces its staff and students produced (examples of such work are housed in the School's collections).

Jessie Newbery (1864-1948), the first head of this department, encouraged her students to study historical designs and textiles in order to understand different embroidery techniques and to use these items as a source of inspiration for the development of new original work. This teaching ethos continued to be used in the 20th century during which time the School also developed courses in textile printing, weave and knit.

A large number of the items in the School's collection are related to The Needlework Development Scheme (1934-1962). This scheme, sponsored by J & P Coats of Paisley, collected examples of embroidery from a variety of geographical and historical areas and made them available for use by educational institutions and embroidery groups. The scheme aimed to encouraging greater interest in needlework, and to improve the standard of embroidery techniques and designs. When the scheme ended, its collections were disseminated to a variety of organisations. The Glasgow School of Art received 125 items dating from 1652-1961 and originating from Britain, Europe and Asia.

Amongst other items of note in the School's collections are weave sample books from Donald Brothers Ltd, Dundee and examples of work by Kath Whyte (1909-1996), GSA's former Head of Embroidery, and her students.

Related publications:

Liz Arthur, Textile Treasures at the Glasgow School of Art;

Liz Arthur, The Unbroken Thread: A Century of Embroidery at Glasgow School of Art;

Thomasina Beck, Glasgow Girls: Women in Art and Design 1880-1920;

Kathleen Whyte, Design in Embroidery;

R.Oddy. Embroideries from Needlework development scheme;

J. Taylor, The Glasgow School of Embroidery in 'The Studio';

Needlework development scheme, Contemporary Embroideries;

Margaret Swanson, Needlecraft in School;

Margaret Swanson; Needle craft for Older Girls;

Margaret Swanson, Needle craft and Psychology;

Margaret Swanson and Ann Macbeth, Educational Needle craft.

Code

S2

Scope note(s)

Source note(s)

Hierarchical terms

Textiles

Equivalent terms

Textiles

Associated terms

Textiles

43 Archival description results for Textiles

43 results directly related Exclude narrower terms

Cosgrove 3rd Textiles

Glasgow School of art Third Year Printed Textiles sketchbook labelled 'Botanic Gardens 1969'. Abstract designs.

Cosgrove, James

Examples of Mackintosh Fabric

  • DC 020
  • Collection
  • c1900-1986
  • Trimming of mauve linen, pre-1914
  • Original cover of Charles Rennie Mackintosh Willow Tea Rooms settle
  • 4 samples of horse hair fabric
  • ample of purple fabric used to re-upholster Charles Rennie Mackintosh yellow settle
  • Letter from GSA Curator regarding 2 of the fabric samples, dated January 1986

Poster for 'A Craft Exhibition of Patchwork Quilts by Alice Barnes', Glasgow

Poster for 'A Craft Exhibition of Patchwork Quilts by Alice Barnes', Third Eye Centre, Glasgow. The date of the exhibition is 18 Jan-17 Feb, no year is given on the poster but it is understood to be 1980 based on the sources below.

Sources: https://reader.exacteditions.com/issues/40443/page/38; https://reader.exacteditions.com/issues/40443/spread/38

Not available / given

Poster for 'A Craft Exhibition of Patchwork Quilts by Alice Barnes', Glasgow

Poster for 'A Craft Exhibition of Patchwork Quilts by Alice Barnes', Third Eye Centre, Glasgow. The date of the exhibition is 18 Jan-17 Feb, no year is given on the poster but it is understood to be 1980 based on the sources below.

Sources: https://reader.exacteditions.com/issues/40443/page/38; https://reader.exacteditions.com/issues/40443/spread/38

Not available / given

Poster for a lecture by Gerry Taylor

This poster advertised a lecture given by Gerry Taylor, a designer who worked for Scottsass Associati and Memphis in Milan. This was a design consultancy run by Ettore Scottsass which specialised in large scale architectural projects reflecting the style of the Memphis artistic movement which was prevalant at that time. Scottsass employed a number of designers from different backgrounds of which Gerry Taylor was one. The lecture was held in the Mackintosh Lecture Theatre on Monday the 16th of May.

*Not available / given

Poster for a lecture by Ian Dury

This poster advertised a lecture given by musician, artist and actor Ian Dury who is most famously known for being the lead singer of Ian Dury and the Blockheads. The lecture was held in the Bourdon Hall in the Bourdon building on The Glasgow School Of Art campus.

*Not available / given

Poster for a retrospective exhibition of work by Hannah Frew Paterson

This poster promoted an exhibition held in the Newbery Gallery on The Glasgow School of Art's campus from the 12th April to the 4th May 1990. The exhibition showcased the embroidery work of Hannah Frew Paterson who taught embroidery at GSA. The exhibition was funded by the Ian MacTaggart Trust, Glasgow District Council Festivals Budget and Anchor Dairy.

Murray, Jimmy

Poster for an exhibition of embroidery work from 1894 to 1920

This poster, designed by Pat MacKenzie, advertised an exhibition of embroidery examples from 1894 to 1920. The exhibition was held between The Glasgow School Of Art's Mackintosh Museum and Kelvingrove Museum from the 6th of June to the 17th of August 1980. The image used on the front of the poster is an embroidery piece by Ann Macbeth who became the head of needlework and embroidery at The Glasgow School of Art in 1909, and is heavily associated with the "Glasgow Style".

Mackenzie, Pat

Poster for the embroidered and woven textiles degree show

This poster advertised the work of graduating embroidered and woven textiles students which was showcased in The Glasgow School Of Art degree show from the 14th to the 19th of June 1985. It was held in the Newbery Tower which housed the design departments within The Glasgow School Of Art before it was later replaced by the Reid Building.

*Not available / given

Poster for the embroidered and woven textiles degree show

This poster advertised the work of graduating students from the embroidered and woven textiles department who were exhibiting as part of The Glasgow School Of Art degree show in 1994. The exhibition was held in the Newbery Gallery in the Newbery Tower at The Glasgow School Of Art where the textiles department was based at that time. It was open from the 25th of June to the 1st July 1994.

*Not available / given

Poster for the embroidered and woven textiles degree show

This poster advertised an exhibition of work by graduating students from the embroidered and woven textiles department as part of The Glasgow School Of Art's annual degree show in 1983. The exhibition was held in the Newbery Tower from the 11th to the 21st of June.The image on the front of the poster shows the exhibiting students standing in the Loggia space at the top of the Mackintosh Building. The reverse of the poster is annotated with 'Sarah son'.

*Not available / given

Poster for the embroidered and woven textiles degree show

This poster advertised the work of graduating students from The Glasgow School Of Art's embroidered and woven textiles department which was exhibited at the 1987 degree show. The exhibition ran from the 13th to the 18th of June and was held between The Glasgow School Of Art's Mackintosh Building and Newbery Tower.

*Not available / given

Poster for The Glasgow School Of Art Cassina exhibition in Milan

This poster advertised an exhibtion which showcased the work of design students from The Glasgow School Of Art in the Cassina Gallery in Milan. The exhibition took place as a result of the connections between Cassina Design in Italy and The Glasgow School Of Art. The poster was designed by Gordon Huntly who was the head of graphic design at The Glasgow School Of Art at that time. It was printed in the Foulis Building on an offset lithography printing press. The information on the poster translates as: "Design from Glasgow School Of Art: Cassina in Milan, March 23rd to April 6th. Ceramics. Embroidery and fabrics. Design for furniture, furnishings and industrial products. Jewellery and Silverware. Art Graphics, Illustration. Printed Fabrics".

Huntly, Gordon F

Poster for The Glasgow School Of Art Fashion Show entitled 'Follow This Pattern'

This poster advertised the 2005 Glasgow School Of Art Fashion show. The event was held in the Mackintosh Lecture Theatre on The Glasgow School Of Art campus with performances running daily from the 1st to the 5th of March. Tickets for the event were priced at £5 with a discounted offer of £3 for concessions.

*Not available / given

Poster for the printed textiles degree show

This poster advertised the work of graduating printed textile students exhibiting as part of The Glasgow School Of Art's annual degree show. The exhibition was entitled '13 Printed Textile Designers' and was held in the second floor of the Assembly building between the 7th and 18th of June. This item was damaged in the fire in GSA's Mackintosh Building on 23rd May 2014. Textile conservation was completed in 2019.

*Not available / given

Records of the Glasgow School of Art Modern Embroidery Group, alumni society, Glasgow, Scotland

  • DC 035
  • Collection
  • 1959-1979

Includes:

  • Newsletters and circulars, 1959-1978
  • Membership records, 1960-1974
  • Exhibition records including catalogues, invites, visitors' books, price lists and related correspondence, 1959-1979
  • Press cuttings and notes, 1959-1976.

This material may contain sensitive information about individuals that is protected by the Data Protection Act. Until this material has been checked for sensitive information, it will not be available for researchers. Once this Data Protection work is complete the collection will be open for access, however any sensitive information will be closed and inaccessible for 75 years from the date of creation.

Glasgow School of Art Modern Embroidery Group

Records relating to Dugald Cameron

  • DC 091
  • Collection
  • c1960-2013

This collection comprises predominantly student work undertaken by Dugald Cameron whilst studying at The Glasgow School of Art between 1957-1963.

In addition it contains the following publications:

  • Dugald Cameron Industrial Designer
  • No. 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force
  • From the Karoo to the Kelvin
  • Personal Passions (exhibition catalogue)

Please note that this material is not yet fully catalogued and therefore some items may not be accessible to researchers.

Cameron, Dugald

Stoddard-Templeton Carpet and Textile Collection

  • DC 077
  • Collection
  • c1840s-1960s

A collection of carpets and textiles manufactured by James Templeton & Co Ltd, A F Stoddard & Co Ltd or subsidiary companies (which in 1998 together became known as Stoddard International plc), dating from c1840s-1960s. Designs include pictorial scenes, art deco designs, and floral, chintz or medallion-centred designs. The collection also includes a mid-19th century Paisley shawl.

Stoddard International plc

Trimming of mauve linen

A fabric trimming from a cushion cover, embroidered before the First World War. The cover has pink roses and green foliage embroidered on authentic 'Mackintosh' mauve linen fabric.It is possible that both design and fabric were purchased from Brown and Beveridge, Bath Street, Glasgow.

*Not available / given