Records of Stoddard International plc, Design Archive, Rigby/Spanish

A selection of patterns derived from designs created by the Rigbys or from a style collectively known as Spanish. All appear to be Templeton design patterns, excepting STOD/DES/45/38, which is clearly from Stoddard and is quite different from the rest. Many designs in this drawer feature pattern numbers in the form of 2 or 3 letters (eg. 'LEC' or similar), and as such, can potentially be cross-referenced with two design studio record books titled 'Letter Books' (Catalogue reference: STOD/201/8/5/1-2), often revealing further information such as dates and designers.

This description is part of the Design Archive  which is divided into the 142 sections, each with its own separate description.

One the lesser known yet successful British decorative artists of the late Arts & Crafts era was George (G.R.) Rigby, who initially trained in the family business of shoemaking, then held art teaching posts before founding a freelance studio for textile and wallpaper design in Uttoxeter around 1887. Known for his skill in the design of large and very complex stencils, possibly not unrelated to his early mastery of leather cutting, Rigby was also accomplished in designing stencils with more delicate and flowing lines, characteristics not often associated with his craft. In praise of his design prowess, designer W. G. Sutherland Jr. a contemporary of Rigby, was quoted as saying, "There is one thing he is supreme in and that is the beauty of line he gets with his figure stencils. I would not even except Walter Crane, who has not that purity of line and grace in his figures that characterises Mr. Rigby’s work." Being a skilled designer lead to commissions from several wallpaper manufacturers, particularly the giant Lightbown, Aspinall & Co. His younger brother, John Scarratt Rigby, won greater fame as a designer, working in the Arts and Crafts style.

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Reproduction subject to usual conditions: educational use and condition of documents

STOD/DES/142 - design sketches from a Drawer titled 'Rigby' a number of which have been converted into the patterns within this drawer

STOD/DES/139 - design sketches from a Drawer titled 'Spanish' a number of which may have been converted into the patterns within this drawer

Description compiled in line with the following international standards: International Council on Archives, ISAD(G) Second Edition, September 1999and National Council on Archives, Rules for the construction of personal, place and corporate names

Scotland is the location of all place names in the administrative/biographical history element, unless otherwise stated.

Descriptions completeted by Michelle Kaye, Project Assistant, June 2011.