Object Description
A 6 and ¼ inch antique heraldic lion tile designed by William De Morgan, impressed to the reverse with the rose mark of Sands End Pottery, Fulham.
Dating from the late 19th century, this tile is embossed with two passant lions in a glossy red-brown glaze. Another tile, near identical to this one, resides in the Smithsonian Design Museum, New York.
An excellent decorative piece for collectors of English ceramic history.
William De Morgan
English potter and tile designer, William De Morgan (1839-1917), is often remembered as friend to the world-famous textile designer, William Morris (1834-1896). However, De Morgan himself was one of the most innovative designers of his time, highly regarded for his ornamental painted tiles.
Such was his skill that De Morgan formally trained as a fine artist and went on to earn a place at London’s Royal Academy of Art in 1859.
In the 1860s, he began designing stained glass and furniture before moving to ceramics, opening his firm in Chelsea in 1872. Here, he experimented with firing techniques to create lustre glazes, designing tiles and ceramics for Morris & Co from 1863-1872.