The West of Scotland carpet industry was once thriving. Designs were drafted, colours were ground and then mixed for painting onto point paper, design sketches were translated into dyed yarns and manufactured into carpets using various production processes. For 150 years, the companies comprising Stoddard-Templeton were at the forefront of this industry. They designed and produced carpets for an array of highly prestigious interiors and carpeted millions of homes around the world. A wealth of visual material was purchased and collected for design inspiration. Stoddard-Templeton designers attended classes at The Glasgow School of Art (GSA). Within the Stoddard-Templeton design studios, GSA students undertook work placements and graduates were employed. Design competitions were held and bursaries awarded.

The Stoddard-Templeton Design Library
Duncan Chappell, Academic Liaison Librarian, GSA

Now held by GSA, the Stoddard-Templeton Design Library was carefully developed to support and inspire design thinking and skills within the companies. It was purposefully arranged to aid this process, with folios organised by theme or style. It is an arrangement that we maintain today. This paper discusses the collecting and organising strategies of this unique design resource, along with some of its highlights.

The Wider Stoddard-Templeton Archive
Michelle Kaye, Collections Development Officer, Archives and Collections, GSA

Aspects of the wider Stoddard-Templeton Collection are outlined including the Design and Corporate Archives now held by the University of Glasgow Archive Services. Design characteristics, in-house organisation and manufacturing processes are discussed in relation to a small selection of Stoddard-Templeton heritage carpets, which now form part of GSA’s Archives and Collections.

The Stoddard-Templeton Design Studios
Helena Britt, Lecturer, Department of Fashion and Textiles, GSA

Focusing on the workings of the Stoddard-Templeton design studios, this paper examines utilisation of the Design Library, other collected historical visual material and personal archives in the carpet design process. The importance of collecting to the design process is highlighted and areas for further investigation discussed.