{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1530574"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1530574/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021NB6156/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021NB6156/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2021NB6156","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021NB6157","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021NB0075","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021NB6155","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1530574","accessionNumber":"T.114-2021","objectType":"Curtain","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This fabric is an example of Heal's 'Calyx' in rayon sateen. The pattern was first printed onto linen fabric by Heal's. This rayon version illustrates how different qualities of printing and fibre technology could be used in creating products at different price ranges for different areas of the market.\n\r\n‘Calyx’ is considered the best-known work of one of Europe’s most prominent 20th-century textile designers, Lucienne Day (1917 – 2010). The design is important as it marks a watershed in the British furnishing industry as ‘middle England’ began to embrace modern design. ","physicalDescription":"Curtain of rayon sateen, lined with cotton fabric, gathered at the top. The printed design has a rust-coloured ground with a pattern of abstracted plant forms: cup shaped motifs in white, black, light blue and yellow, representing the calyx of the plant, sit on thin dotted and solid vertical and diagonal lines. The curtain is constructed of one and a half widths of the fabric sewn together along the selvedge. There is no manufacturer’s information on the selvedge. The fabric design of this curtain is entitled ‘Calyx’, which was sold by Heal’s as a furnishing fabric from 1951 onwards. ","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Lucienne Day","id":"A2110"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"rayon","id":"AAT14059"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"","categories":[{"text":"Textiles","id":"THES48885"},{"text":"Copies and Facsimiles","id":"THES253072"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&F","id":"THES48601"},"images":["2021NB6156","2021NB6157","2021NB0075","2021NB6155"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"008","id":"THES308998"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Furnishing textile","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":"The design for Calyx was purchased by Tom Worthington for Heals in November 1950, and the printing screens were begun to be made in early December of that year. By early February 1951, Heals had some lengths of fabric ready to show. The first public showing was at the Festival of Britain that year. The design was first produced on linen but subsequently on both spun rayon, cotton and satin for special contracts. The fabric was printed by Bernard Wardle & Co.Ltd, of Chinley, Cheshire under the instructions of Heals. (Information taken from letter dated 8th September, 1955, from Tom Worthington to Peter Floud, Keeper of the V&A Circulation department in V&A Circulation Department archival files.)"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Purchased from and with the support of Winchester branch of Oxfam","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"174","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"184","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"lower edge","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"110","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"gathered top","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"A short piece of white cotton tape is stitched to the back of curtain on the gathered top, on it is written 'Maure M40', indicating that the curtain was made for the Mauretania, run by the Cunard White Star Line. The 'M' refers to master cabin. \r\nOn one of the white areas of print is an inscription in black biro, largely indecipherable: 'Guy Li'????, over a heart pierced with an arrow, dripping blood into a small pool, over 'GILLIAN?'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"The design for 'Calyx' was created for a display within the Home Entertainment section at the Festival of Britain in 1951. Heal's sold the fabric subsequently. It sold unexpectedly well and soon won a Gold Medal at the Milan Triennale of 1951 and a Citation of Merit Award at International Design Award of the American Institute of Decorators. The commercial success of the design quickly led to other manufacturers attempting to copy or emulate it. Circ.14-1953, designed by Marian Mahler and produced in 1952 for David Whitehead Ltd., is an example of an original pattern that consciously seeks to adopt the spirit of ‘Calyx’. This design framework of stylised plant forms, hand-drawn lines and bold contrasting colours became very popular with the public in the years following the appearance of ‘Calyx’. \n\n","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Curtain made up from Heal's Calyx fabric, rayon sateen","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["T.114-2021"],"accessionNumberNum":"114","accessionNumberPrefix":"T","accessionYear":2021,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-11-25","recordCreationDate":"2020-02-11","availableToBook":true}}