Public domain policy
William Morris died in 1896. His designs now belong to everyone. This page explains what that means, what we add to each design, and what we do not claim.
Morris and his designs, in dates
- 1834 Born in Walthamstow, then a village on the edge of London.
- 1861 Co-founds Morris, Marshall, Faulkner and Co., a firm making furniture, glass and decoration.
- 1864 His first wallpaper, Trellis, goes on sale.
- 1875 Takes sole control of the firm and renames it Morris and Co.
- 1883 Strawberry Thief is printed, one of his best known patterns.
- 1891 Founds the Kelmscott Press to print books by hand.
- 1896 Dies in London on 3 October.
- 1967 His work is fully out of copyright under today's UK and EU rule of 70 years after death.
What public domain means here
Copyright does not last forever. In the UK and the EU it ends 70 years after the artist's death. In the US, work published before 1931 is free to use. Morris's patterns pass both rules by a wide margin.
So anyone may copy, print and sell his original designs, including us. When you buy from this shop you pay for the printing, the frame or canvas, and the work that goes into each file. You do not buy exclusive rights to the pattern, and you do not need them to hang it on your wall.
What we add to each design
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Finding the source
We start from images of original Morris wallpapers, textiles and drawings that public collections have released for anyone to use.
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Cleaning and repair
Old paper and cloth carry stains, creases, fading and printing faults. We remove them so the pattern reads clearly again.
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Preparing for print
Each file is sized and checked for every size we sell, from the smallest poster to the largest canvas.
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New colorways
Some designs come in colors Morris never used. The pattern stays his, the color choice is ours, and the colors are named in the product title.
How to read our product titles
Two kinds of design are sold here, and the title always tells you which one you are looking at.
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William Morris
The design is based on one of his original patterns, in its original colors or in a new colorway.
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Arts and Crafts, or William Morris style
A new design made in the spirit of the Arts and Crafts movement. It is inspired by Morris but is not a copy of one of his patterns.
What belongs to us
The public domain covers Morris's designs, not everything on this site. Our product photos, room images, written descriptions and any new designs we create are our own work. Please ask before reusing them.
Who we are not
We are an independent shop. We have no connection with Morris & Co., its owner Sanderson Design Group, the William Morris Society or the William Morris Gallery. Morris & Co. is a registered trademark of its owner, and we do not use it to sell our products.
Report a concern
If you believe an image on this site should not be here, email us with the product link and a short explanation. We read every message and reply as soon as we can.
Still have a question?
Delivery times and our returns rules each have their own page.