This superb design of an eagle in a
natural spreadeagle pose perched on flowing
flower branches is full of life. The design
fills the tile without being burdensome, the
mark of a great designer. This tile was fitted
into a bespoke cast iron fireplace with brass
decoration marked in the casting verso "Designed
by W Scott Morton". The tiles bear a good
resemblance to tiles by Shrigley and Hunt with
whom Scott Morton was associated and are surely
a limited perhaps exclusive design unlikely to
be found again.
William Scott Morton was a well known figure
in architecture and design circles in the 1870s
and 1880s working for and with various companies
and noted designers including the noted tile
designer John Moyr Smith on the interior work of
Overtoun House at Dumbarton. It seems very
likely that he designed these tiles as well as
the fireplace that they were removed from and
that they were decorated in the Lancaster works
of Shrigley & Hunt or in Morton & Co's
own studios.
William Scott Morton (1840 - 1903) was a
prolific architect and designer and somewhat of
a prodigy as from the age of nineteen he was
successful in selling designs to carpet and lace
manufacturers, within a few years he obtained an
entrée to Royal Academy circles. He moved
from Carluke to London around 1859 where he
remained for about eight years before returning
to Scotland, in 1870 Scott Morton and his
younger brother John set up business in
Edinburgh as Morton & Co, William practising
as architect and designer and John in charge of
the workshops of the cabinet-making, wall-paper
manufacturing and interior design business. By
1881 Scott Morton had ceased to practice
architecture as such, in July of that year he
became the Scottish agent of Shrigley & Hunt
and was a stockist of Falkirk Iron Company
fireplaces and accessories,
On Maw & Co cream clay body from the
earlier Broseley works (pre 1885), similar in
style and characteristic colours of Shrigley and
Hunt.