Fragment of lino created by famous Victorian designer on display in Fife town

A rare fragment of linoleum created by a famous Victorian designer – saved from being discarded in a skip – is to be exhibited at a Scottish museum.

The lino, designed by William Morris (1834–1896), was saved from being thrown out in the 1970s during a home clearance in London, and will feature in Kirkcaldy Galleries’ Flooring the World exhibition.

The marigold-patterned floor covering, registered on June 7, 1875, was his first design as a floor covering – predating the development of his famous woven carpets after 1878.

The lino was printed in two different colour combinations: green and yellow, like the sample displayed in Kirkcaldy, and another colour which remains a mystery as the catalogue was printed in black and white.

The William Morris Society donated the fragment to charity OnFife, which runs Kirkcaldy Galleries.

Curators are hopeful they can find out where the fragment on display was made.

The exhibition opens on November 15 and also showcases an array of objects linked to Scotland’s various industrial success stories.

Other displays include products made in Kirkcaldy and the nearby villages of Falkland and Newburgh.

Exhibition curator Lily Barnes said: “Flooring the World has been an incredible opportunity to develop OnFife’s amazing linoleum collection, and we can’t wait to share the work we’ve been doing.”

The exhibition runs from November 15 to February 25 next year.