William Morris Unfinished Designs Restored in UK-US Collaboration

A significant collection of unfinished designs by William Morris and his creative director John Henry Dearle, held at the Huntington Library in California since 1999, has been completed and brought to life through a new collaboration with Morris & Co., the original company founded by Morris. The project, titled The Unfinished Works, features 26 newly finished designs inspired by over 50 incomplete sketches and artworks discovered in the Huntington's archive, encompassing fabrics, wallpapers, tiles, and stained glass. Morris & Co.'s design team meticulously researched original inks, logbooks, and notes to ensure authenticity in color and style, blending historical accuracy with contemporary interpretation. This collaboration represents a bridging of time and geography, reconnecting the UK-based Morris & Co. with its 19th-century origins and reviving a vital part of British cultural heritage that had controversially left the country. The collection not only preserves Morris's legacy but also pushes boundaries in the spirit of innovation he championed. The project underscores Morris & Co.'s ongoing commitment to heritage craftsmanship and its role in introducing Morris's rich, floral, and ornately patterned designs to new generations.