Thursday 04 Dec 2014 @ 10:10
National Archives
Printable version

AHRC launches online design gallery

A new online gallery, researched and presented by Julie Halls from Advice and Records Knowledge, has been published on theArts and Humanities Research Council's (AHRC) website.

'Design in the Archives: taste, copyright and the decorative arts' brings together a unique collection of images featuring ornamental designs for textiles and wallpapers from the 19th century.

The gallery includes designs by arts and crafts icon William Morris and pioneering decorative arts designer AWN Pugin. The 15 featured designs range from floral to oriental patterns, and from fairytales to peacock feathers.

All the designs were submitted as part of the copyright application process, following a watershed moment in 1839 which allowed all ornamental designs to be subject to copyright for the first time in history. The designs are from theDesigns Registry, part of the Board of Trade, and are now held here at The National Archives.

 

Channel website: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/

Share this article

Latest News from
National Archives

Rare chance to see Jane Austen’s will in Love Letters exhibition

10/12/2025 09:15:00

Two hundred and fifty years after her birth on 16 December 1775, Jane Austen fans will have a rare chance to see her will in The National Archives’ Love Letters exhibition, opening on 24 January.

Bosie’s passionate plea for lover Oscar Wilde in Love Letters exhibition

09/12/2025 12:15:00

A passionate plea for clemency from Oscar Wilde’s lover Lord Alfred Douglas goes on show in The National Archives’ Love Letters exhibition, opening in January.

The National Archives Updates Service Fees

02/12/2025 14:15:00

From 2 February 2026, The National Archives will increase fees for some services as we bring charges in line with current delivery costs.

Unlocking stories through cataloguing collections: Archives Revealed

02/12/2025 09:15:00

In this blog, Jessica Hogg explores how Archives Revealed projects are connecting communities and celebrating diversity and identity.

Introducing the European Holocaust Research Infrastructure UK (EHRI-UK)

30/10/2025 14:15:00

Read about our work as part of the European Holocaust Research Infrastructure UK, a national body representing Holocaust-related collections in the UK.

Exhibition to explore the making of America to feature rare Declaration of Independence

21/10/2025 14:15:00

We can today announce a major exhibition exploring the birth of the United States of America to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on 4 July 2026.

Cataloguing Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service records from the Second World War

08/10/2025 09:15:00

In February 2023, the Ministry of Defence began the monumental task of transferring ten million personal records to The National Archives for permanent preservation.

Snapshot of Tudor England in Henry VIII’s ‘Domesday’

07/10/2025 14:15:00

The National Archives is helping make accessible a financial survey of the Church ordered by Henry VIII after his break with Rome.

Developing an enhanced dataset for the history of photography

06/10/2025 14:15:00

Researchers Giorgia Tolfo and Katherine Howells reflect on their recent project focusing on the metadata in our photographic copyright collections. They look at the opportunities and challenges of collaborative digital experimentation.

Setting the standard for RESPONSIBLE AI: A GUIDE FOR MODERN RECRUITERS