Christopher Dresser was a designer and design theorist; innovative and forward thinking, his ability to create domestic items of great aesthetic beauty and utility with modern materials and industrial manufacturing methods presaged the era of Modern Design.
Born in Glasgow in 1834, the son of a tax collector, he moved to London to study at the Government School of Design, where he was exposed to the ideas of leading design reformers of the day. From the start of his career, he began accumulating a deep yet eclectic visual language, which would inform a lifetime of design; fascinated by botanical science, a relatively new discipline, he undertook a PhD and spent innumerable hours studying ancient artefacts from around the world in the British Museum. He was also intrigued by Japan, and in 1876 was the first European designer to visit the country after it opened it’s borders to the Western world when he went as a representative of the V&A.
Christopher Dresser (1834-1904): Made by Hukin and Heath: An Electroplated Decanter, circa 1880 (estimate: £5,000-7,000 plus buyer’s premium), 20th Century Design Sale, 4th October
Despite working at the same time as William Morris, and both aiming to make beautiful objects accessible to all, the two men were diametrically opposed in their outlook: working in the age of mechanisation, Dresser strove to create aesthetically pleasing, utilitarian domestic ware that could be mass produced by new industrial processes, whereas Morris championed the individual craftsman, taking inspiration from the work of Medieval makers in his Arts and Crafts movement.
A Minton Porcelain Pedestal Jardiniere, designed by Christopher Dresser, Sold for £16,000
As the first independent industrial designer, Dresser designed for a great number of manufacturers, designing ceramics, silverware, metalware, furniture, textiles and more. His eclectic visual knowledge led to a breadth of styles being produced to his designs, from Anglo-Japanese, through to the Aesthetic Movement, bringing in botanical ornamentation, or starkly modern-looking, pared back metalware. However, through everything he did, he worked to the principle of good design – a synthesis of material, form and function, and if a piece perfectly fulfilled its purpose, it should need no ornamentation, which is particularly reflected in his metalware which are sleek and practical.
Christopher Dresser (Scottish, 1834-1904) for Linthorpe Pottery: A Sake Bottle, circa 1880, (estimate: £500-700 plus buyer’s premium), 20th Century Design Sale, 4th October
CHRISTOPHER DRESSER & LINTHORPE
In 1879, Dresser co-founded the Linthorpe Pottery in Middlesbrough, with local entrepreneur John Harrison; the men were keen to relieve high-levels of deprivation and unemployment in the area. For three years, Dresser was Superintendent of the pottery, designing innumerable pieces many of which drew on botany, Japanese influences and from ancient sources from Roman glass to Peruvian pottery. Linthorpe Pottery was greatly admired by critics, and proved popular with the masses. The simple designs and vivid glazes were designed to be beautiful, functional and economical.
However, it wasn’t long before difficulties sprang up; Dresser broke ties with the pottery in 1882, and the local clay became more difficult to excavate so more expensive white clay from Cornwall had to be shipped in. Despite initial success, financially, the company had never really found their feet. By the late 1880s, the problems escalated and 1889 saw the closure of Linthorpe Pottery.
Christopher Dresser (Scottish, 1834-1904) for Linthorpe Pottery: A Vase, shape No.180, Sold for £700
The Doctor John C Yule Linthorpe and Middlesbrough Pottery collection, Christopher Dresser (Scottish, 1834-1904) for Linthorpe Pottery: A Sake Bottle, circa 1880, Sold for £1,400
A James Dixon & Sons Electroplated Toastrack, circa 1879, designed by Dr Christopher Dresser (1834-1904), Sold for £2,600
An Ault Pottery Goat's Head Vase, designed by Christopher Dresser, circa 1893, Sold for £7,500
