Arthur Lasenby Liberty

Arthur Lasenby Liberty (1843-1917), British dealer in fine furniture and other household goods, and the founder in 1875 of Liberty & Co., an Oriental emporium in Regent Street, London. He is associated especially with art nouveau and the Arts and Crafts Movement, and with Middle Eastern and Oriental goods. Liberty & Co. became a spearhead for the mass-production of progressive design, and in Italy the term stile Liberty (Liberty style) became synonymous with art nouveau.

Liberty & Co. initially stocked silks from Asia, Japanese porcelain, lacquerwares, folding screens, and fans, as well as metalwork from the Middle East and Asia. These imports were soon supplemented by artistic furniture, metalwork, ceramics, and, above all, textiles produced in Britain, often by top innovators in the design field. Original dress and upholstery fabrics were a Liberty & Co. staple, and have remained so. Innovative embroidery and carpet designs also became important products for the firm. In 1884 Liberty opened a costume department with a range of flowing and so-called hygienic clothing for aesthetes. Clutha glass, designed by Scotsman Christopher Dresser, was the brand name of Liberty's distinctive line of handblown glassware, which was often internally decorated with swirls of colors and metallic powders. In 1899 the first silver and jewelry specifically manufactured for Liberty was put on sale under the brand name Cymric, and in 1902 Tudric pewter, a line of Celtic-inspired designs for tableware, was added to the firm's range of products.

A Paris branch of Liberty & Co. was open from 1889 to 1931. The original London business is still in operation today.