In this colorfully illustrated exploration of modern American dining, design historian Stephen Harrison delves into the diverse mix of foreign and domestic design influences that guided American consumer choice throughout the 20th century. From Lenox to Noritake, Limoges to Waterford and Wedgwood, “The British Are Coming” tells the story of the enduring popularity of British design in American domestic settings against a backdrop of two world wars, countless world’s fairs and expositions, and the constant push and pull of supply and demand.
Royal Doulton Porcelain Sauceboat-on-Stand and Plate in the 'Desert Star' Pattern, England, 1955. Designed by an American designer and sold exclusively in America. Photo: Courtesy, Dallas Museum of Art.
Stephen Harrison is the Director and Chief Curator of the Munson Museum of Art in Utica, New York, where he is responsible for all curatorial, interpretive, and exhibition related operations. Since coming to Munson, Mr. Harrison has initiated a complete reinstallation of the Museum of Art galleries, initiated landmark acquisitions, and curated numerous exhibitions.
Mr. Harrison joined Munson after a distinguished career as curator of decorative art and design at the Cleveland Museum of Art, where he oversaw a premier collection of American and European design from 1500 to the present. He was also a member of the Landmarks Commission for the City of Cleveland. Before coming to Cleveland, Stephen held similar curatorial positions in New Orleans, Dallas, and Atlanta.
He is the co-author of numerous scholarly publications, including From Table-top to TV Tray: Ceramics and Glass in America, 1800–1880; the award-winning Artistic Luxury: Fabergé, Tiffany, Lalique, and more recently, The Jazz Age: American Style in the 1920s. A former features contributor to Better Homes and Gardens, Mr. Harrison lectures widely on the subject of decorative arts and historic interiors around the world.
A graduate of the University of Virginia, where he was a Jefferson Scholar, Mr. Harrison holds advanced degrees in historic preservation from the University of Pennsylvania and American material culture from the Winterthur Museum Program at the University of Delaware.
Midwinter Pottery, Burslem, England, 1970, 'Flowersong' Pattern teapot, teacup and saucer and two plates, designed by Jessie Tait. Used in "The Partridge Family" television show (1970-74) on the kitchen table, and consequently became very popular with young American families. Photo: Courtesy, Dallas Museum of Art.