US Scholar "Unreal Experience" Visiting Dresser Collection at Dorman Museum

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A US scholar of a significant part of Middlesbrough’s history has hailed the “unreal experience” of the Dr Christopher Dresser collection at Dorman Museum.

Becca Goodrum, a curatorial associate at Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art in Denver, Colorado, recently visited Teesside having studied Dr Dresser’s work for a number of years.

As a result of her visit Becca now says she “can’t wait to continue our partnership from across the pond”.

Although Dresser was born in Glasgow in 1834, his family originated from North Yorkshire. After working and travelling across the globe he opened Linthorpe Art Pottery in Middlesbrough in 1879.

Dorman Museum boasts an extensive collection of Christopher Dresser’s designs and products with hundreds of pieces displayed in its first floor gallery.

Following her visit to Middlesbrough, Ms Goodrum wrote to Dorman Museum staff, saying: “I have been studying Dr Christopher Dresser for years now and couldn’t believe how incredible your collection is.

“I saw things I have only seen in books or on a computer screen. I touched pages from books that I have read or looked at 100 times. It was an unreal experience and I am so immensely grateful to have been privileged enough to experience it.

“Thank goodness Dorman Museum exists to keep and protect these treasures. I also want to compliment the design of the Christopher Dresser gallery, it was so well thought out and executed.

“Objects were highlighted in the most creative way and I really was blown away by the space. Louise Harrison gave us a fabulous tour and really knows everything there is to know about Linthorpe! I learned so much from her and can’t wait to continue our partnership from across the pond.

“Dr. Dresser is gaining fame in design circles and I think his star will continue to rise, and we have Dorman Museum staff to thank for that.

“I will never forget how kind the staff was and how incredible the experience. I hope to be back someday and visit the gallery again, I needed five full days in there!”

During their visit Becca and fellow Dresser fan Maya Wright were treated to an English afternoon tea at the museum and also taken to Acklam Hall for a parmo and visited the Dr Christopher Dresser “shrine” at the Swatter’s Carr pub on Linthorpe Road.

Middlesbrough’s Deputy Mayor, Cllr Philippa Storey, Executive Member for Education and Culture at Middlesbrough Council, said: “We are incredibly proud of the Dr Christopher Dresser collection held at Dorman Museum and it is a significant part of Middlesbrough’s history.

“Dresser is someone whose work here in Middlesbrough has changed the world – in his case in the field of design – and it’s wonderful to have that acknowledgement on a global level.

“We are pleased that Becca enjoyed her visit to the museum and she and anyone else from anywhere in the world who shares an interest or passion for design is more than welcome to the Dresser exhibition at Dorman Museum.”

Dresser visit 1.jpg
Dresser visit 1 – Becca Goodrum, (R), from Kirkland Museum of Fine
& Decorative Art in Denver, Colorado, and Maya Wright (L) enjoying an
English afternoon tea at Dorman Museum.

Dresser visit 2.jpg
Dresser visit 2 - Becca Goodrum, (C), from Kirkland Museum of Fine
& Decorative Art in Denver, Colorado, and Maya Wright (L) viewing the Dr
Christopher Dresser exhibition at Dorman Museum, alongside Sue Sedgwick
(R).
Dresser visit 3.jpg

Dresser visit 3 - Becca Goodrum, (L), from Kirkland Museum of Fine
& Decorative Art in Denver, Colorado, viewing Dr Christopher Dresser items
at Dorman Museum, alongside Sue Sedgwick (R).
 
I wonder if people realise that we have the world's top collection of designer Christopher Dresser in Dorman Museum, Middlesbrough. Dresser and William Morris were the two leading designers of Victorian Britain. While people constantly celebrate Morris arts and craft, Dresser was in many ways more a man of the people. The designer of Linthorpe Art Pottery embraced industrial production, so where else to come to put this into practice than in the child of industrial revolution, Middlesbrough. This meant his designs from pots, to wallpaper to kitchen utensils were affordable to the middle class, while Morris hand made stuff was only in the budget of the extremely wealthy. Completely at variance with his principles.
Anyway, Dorman Museum is free to enter and upstairs is an incredible collection of Christopher Dresser's ground breaking designs. Some of which regularly arrive at Antiques Roadshow and some of which are still produced by Italian company Alessi.
 
To add to Rob's lovely post - Chris Dressers' family were from near Northallerton. One of his distant relatives Tom Dresser won a Victoria Cross in WW1 and had a small shop in Middlesbrough.

Chris Dresser was famous before the Linthorpe Pottery but it increased his fame. CD was a designer for the Pottery but not based there. CD and the pottery developed a range of new techniques (for the UK) that made the work will ahead of its time. The museum display explains the new techniques. It is hard to believe the products were made in the 1880s in a part of Middlesbrough that was then farmland. In the past I remeber bidding (£100) for a Dresser Cruet set (salt and pepper holders) in stand. They went for £120! Whne you see some of his work you will say it was made in the 1930s or after and compare a photo of him in in clothes like Abe Lincoln - its hard to match up to the 2 images.

In contrast Hugh Bell (Teesside Ironmaster) was one of William Morris & Cos biggest customers - he bought a customised fireplace for £900 in 1909. My great granfather earned £2.50/week at the time in HB's Cargo Fleet - so the fireplace was about 8 years pay!
 
I was up at the Laing for the Essence of Nature exhibition the other day. Walking in to the gallery I looked at the first case, Linthorpe Pottery and Christopher Dresser items on display.
 
I visited the display a while back but haven’t seen it for a while. I often pop into the DM and use the cafe whilst waiting for the wife to finish her dental appointment. The cafe is great value and serves lovely scones. Well worth a visit if you are in the area.
 
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