Furnishing Scotland and the World: Morris & Co., Glasgow, 1945–65

Abstract

Although many British furniture manufacturers were increasingly aware of design innovation throughout the 1930s, and several even began to employ simpler forms and produce items in steel or plywood, the majority remained faithful to conservative styles. Efforts to educate the public about modern design went some way towards introducing greater levels of understanding – among producers and consumers both – but for many it was easier to play safe and continue along well-worn paths. During the post-war years, when a break with tradition and a culture more open to the Scandinavian aesthetic tentatively developed, the Glasgow firm Morris & Co. were one of those who embraced most fully these new ideas and who made a significant contribution to design innovation. Drawing business and design history together, this article discusses the ways in which the company championed the contemporary styles emanating from Europe and North America, how it positioned itself within the wider British manufacturing industry, and the ways in which its director, Neil Morris, envisaged for both his products and his firm a truly global reputation.