history of anaglypta for relief decoration

Whilst Lincrusta Walton in its earliest stages was creating for itself a deservedly popular market, it occurred to T. J. Palmer, at that time the London manager of that company, that there was room for another product which through its character and price would appeal to the ordinary householder, so he set himself to solve the problem of embossing paper pulp before it arrived at the stage of finished paper. Two inducements offered themselves, firstly, the cheapening and simplification of manufacture, and, secondly the fact that although the relief would have a hollow back, it would be almost equal to a solid relief, because as there would be no straining of the fibres, the tendency of such a material after having been pasted and pressed home to the surface to be covered, would not be to revert to a flatter form.

After many experiments covering a period of years, T. J. Palmer was at last able to take out patents in 1887, for embossing paper pulp on a paper-making machine. The name given to the material was ‘Anaglypta’ derived from the Greek words ‘Ana’ meaning ‘raised’, and ‘Glypta’ meaning ‘cameo.’ The first manufacture of this material was undertaken by Storey Bros., Queens Mill, Lancaster, in the year 1888, and was eagerly taken up by the decorating and furnishing trade because of its extreme lightness in weight, its durability of relief, and last, but not least, its moderate cost as compared with other materials, placed it within the reach of the masses. Placing it a good second to Lincrusta in many respects, and actually superseded it for ceiling work, on account of this lightness.

In 1894 the business was acquired by C. & J. G. Potter & Company and transferred to Darwen, T. J. Palmer continuing as manager. Out of the original patent arose a process of making a higher relief decoration by means of hydraulic pressure from plastic pulp, and this latter method had been so improved from time to time that the company was able to produce such bold relief ornament as to vie with much of the best modelled fibrous plaster work and at a fraction of the cost.This factor had enabled the Anaglypta works during the few years to cater so successfully for the ornamental work of public buildings, theatres, cinemas, etc., that examples may be found in most of these places throughout the world.

Manufacture was initially undertaken by Storey Brothers from their Queens Mill Factory at Lancaster from 1888. The business was later acquired by C & J.G. Potter & Company in 1894, transferring manufacture to Darwen, before being purchased by the Wallpaper Manufacturers Ltd. (WPM) in 1899, where Palmer remained as manager. Anaglypta was manufactured in competition to Lincrusta and appealed to a far greater audience as it was cheaper and offered a far greater range of designs by well-known Victorian designers such as C.F. Voysey, Dr Christopher Dresser, George Haité and Arthur Silver and continue to manufacture to this day.