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Morris and Co. Tiles from Textiles: Artichoke

William Morris Artichoke

Artichoke: That vegetable of which one has more at the finish than at the start of dinner. ~Lord Chesterfield

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William Morris Artichoke

William Morris Artichoke design

The Artichoke tile is taken from a larger embroidery designed by William Morris and worked on linen in 1877. It was subsequently available from Morris & Co.

History of an Aphrodisiac

Catherine de Medici is credited with bringing artichokes to France in the 16th century when she arrived from Florence at the age of fourteen to marry the future Henry II. She apparently ate a good many of them, scandalizing the court because artichokes had a reputation for making the diner more lusty. Henry VIII was also said to have been overly fond of artichokes.

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Morris Artichoke Border Tiles

Border tiles are seamless on the horizontal.

Designer: William Morris

Size: 4.25 inch tiles, 6 x 6 inch inch tiles

William Morris Artichoke border tile

Border Tile Pricing

4.25 inch square tiles: $58

6 inch square tiles: $67

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Morris Artichoke Backsplash

Four 4.25 tiles fit together in a set to form a complete artichoke. Sets of four can also be used as a border or to form a large backsplash.

Designer: William Morris

Size: 8.5 inches x 8.5 inches on four 4.25 inch tiles

William Morris Artichoke backsplash

Show are four artichoke backsplash sets (16 tiles) arranged to form a larger backsplash.

Backsplash Pricing

Four 4.25 inch square tiles: $300 first set, $285 each additional set

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Morris and Co. Artichoke by John Henry Dearle

Morris and Co. Artichoke Backsplash Tiles, blue and white

William Morris preferred tapestries and wallhangings, but their cost put them out of reach of most people. Morris & Co. began to produce wallpapers. Artichoke wallpaper was produced around the same time, and while it shows some meandering foliage design that Morris loved, it has millefleur details that are characteristic of John Henry Dearle and, like most designs for wallpaper produced by Morris & Co. is registered under his name.

Morris and Co. Artichoke Accent Tiles

single artichoke tile

The accent tile is only seamless on the vertical. For the backsplash, two tiles, one with the pattern reversed, are placed side-by-side to make them appear seamless on the horizontal.

Designer: Attributed to John Henry Dearle

Size: 4.25 inch tiles, 6 x 6 inch, 8 inch tiles

Morris and Co. Artichoke Accent Tiles, blue and white

Accent Tile Pricing

4.25 inch square tiles: $58

6 inch square tiles: $67

8 inch square tiles: $84

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Morris and Co. Artichoke Fireplace Tiles

Fireplace tiles are seamless on the vertical.

Designer: Attributed to John Henry Dearle

Size: 4.25 inch tiles, 6 x 6 inch, 8 inch tiles

Morris and Co. Artichoke Fireplace Tiles, blue and white

Fireplace Tile Pricing

4.25 inch square tiles: $54

6 inch square tiles: $63

8 inch square tiles: $81

How to Order Tile