Christopher Dresser 1834-1904 (2001)

This volume is an illustrated anthology of 300 pieces surveying the work of Christopher Dresser, known as “the father of modern design.” Like William Morris he believed that beautiful design should be available to everyone, unlike Morris, he thought that mass production was the best way to achieve that, and this dichotomy neatly represents his place as a bridge between the Arts & Crafts movement and industrial design. This book looks at all aspects of Dresser’s career including wallpaper design, a wide variety of metalwork (most notably tableware and teapots), textile design, pottery, and glassware. His fascination with Japanese art and design gave his metalwork in particular a clean, minimalist look that seems to anticipate much of modern design from Bauhaus to Michael Graves. Well known and respected in his lifetime, his reputation suffered in the years after his death, and it is only in the last few decades that interest in his work has been revived. As a result, his pieces can be found in the collections of art museums nationwide and continue to sell well at auction. A long overdue look at one of design’s most influential figures, this book will be a welcome addition to any design lover’s library. Condition: very light creasing to top left corner of dust-wrapper’s front panel, otherwise very good.