Antique Art Nouveau Japanoise Textile with Lanterns: C1900/10 Foxtons, England

William Foxton Ltd: Founded in 1903, this British textile manufacturer was highly celebrated for producing some of the most innovative artist-designed fabrics of the early 20th century.

They commissioned elite designers and figures of the Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau movements-including Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Minnie McLeish, and Constance Irving.

This piece showcases a distinct Showa Retro Japanese-inspired aesthetic, depicting stylized lanterns, birdcages, and butterflies amidst elegant geometric structures and seasonal floral flourishes.

While a large portion of Foxton's company samples and pattern papers were tragically destroyed during a 1942 air raid, surviving textiles and designs remain highly collectible. Significant portions of their legacy are preserved today in the permanent archives of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

In Japan Tsurihina (Hanging Decorations). The stringed configurations with dangling tassels mirror the aesthetic of tsurihina, a traditional craft where small plush symbols are hung from cords for celebratory festivals.
Butterflies (Chocho): Playful, stylized butterflies are interspersed between the lanterns, symbolizing longevity, transformation, and springtime.

Measurements:
200cm long x 56cm wide