The Journal

The William De Morgan Tiles That Reward a Second Look

A blue zebra, a fish that keeps swimming and the clue hidden at the edge. See how William De Morgan made a picture out of one tile or an entire wall.

By Resin Society November 15, 2026 4 min read

William De Morgan’s blue zebra tile with two birds, Cooper Hewitt collection

The blue zebra made me stop. Then I saw the two birds. One has its beak up, like it’s about to ask the zebra what on earth it’s doing there. I’d give that tile a spot by the fire.

Blue zebra and two birds inside the edges of one glazed tile — William De Morgan’s blue zebra tile (1953-104-2). Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum · CC0.

Blue zebra tile with two birds as the center of a cream tile fireplace in an oak-trimmed living room — One blue zebra above the fire, with plain tiles all around it. Room mockup based on the museum tile.

I’m in good company. Lewis Carroll had a soft spot for De Morgan’s beasts, too. The author of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland wrote in his diary that he chose red tiles for the common room at Christ Church, Oxford. An old photo shows De Morgan’s tiles around the fire. I’d love to know which beast he picked first. De Morgan Foundation · The story of Carroll’s tiles

Take one more look at the blue zebra. Its nose and tail both fit on the tile. There’s room for the birds, too. You get the whole scene in one square. In other De Morgan designs, the picture keeps going past the edge. That’s where the fun starts.

Some tiles have the whole joke in one square

In the room above, there’s just one tile with a picture. I like that you can spot the flash of blue from the sofa. You have to get closer to see what the birds are up to.

The blue flower by the kettle is a different kind of find. Look at the leaves at the edge. I want to know where they go. The museum says this square was part of a bigger design.

You can see what that feels like in De Morgan’s Fish and Waves. The fish swim along a row of tiles. The panel may have been made to sit around a fire. De Morgan Foundation · Fish and Waves

Pale flower and turquoise leaves arranged diagonally on a royal blue tile — William De Morgan, *Tile* (1953-104-4), part of a larger design. Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum · CC0.

Blue and green William De Morgan flower design as a single accent tile above a wood kitchen counter — One blue flower tile by the kettle. Room mockup based on the museum tile.

Follow the fish across the line

The line between two tiles is called a join. Put your finger on the big fish below. Slide it across the join. The fish keeps going. Now try that with one of the small fish. You can trace the whole thing without crossing a line.

One complete fish on each of four tiles beside a single large fish crossing all four tile seams — Same four tiles on both sides. On the right, one fish crosses the lines.

Back at the fire, look at the row of blue fish. From the sofa they look like a set. Up close, one has spots and one has stripes. I’m partial to the spotty one. It looks like it’s late for something.

Oak fireplace with small hand painted blue fish motifs on cream tiles — One fish fits on each tile around this hearth. The room and its tile designs are illustrations.

One more trick. Look at the tile with yellow flowers below. Those blue lines look like joins at first. Then you see the edge of the tile. The blue lines are part of the paint.

Watch what happens when the light hits

Look at the two raised flowers. Tilt a tile like this in the light and the shine can shift. That shine is called lustre. It can look like metal when the light hits it. De Morgan’s team also used thin paper to move a painted design onto a tile. Then they added a clear coat. I like that the work shows up in bits as you look. First the shine, then the flower. V&A · How the tiles were made

Raised twisted stems and two flowers painted in yellow lustre on a pale tile — William De Morgan, *Tile* (1953-104-10), with raised flowers and yellow lustre. Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum · CC0.

Two yellow flowers painted diagonally over blue lines on a white tile — William De Morgan, *Tile* (1953-104-6). The blue lines are painted inside the square. Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum · CC0.

A wall made by many hands

At Leighton House in London, a gap in a wall of old tiles was part of the job. Frederic Leighton had brought tiles from the Middle East for his Arab Hall. De Morgan helped put them up and made new tiles to fill gaps. He also made the bright blue tiles for the room next door. Imagine having to make one new piece fit among all those old ones. I’d stand back and try to spot where one maker’s work meets the next. Leighton House · The Arab Hall

Six Ottoman tiles assembled into a panel of blue grape leaves and wavy vines — *Tile Panel with Wavy-vine Design*, 16th–17th century, probably Damascus. This panel from the Met shows how the vines carry across the tiles. The Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public domain.

If I found a tile that made me laugh like that zebra did, I’d give it a spot by the keys. I want to see the good bits on a dull Tuesday when I’m rushing out the door. Art & Wall Decor story on Aesthetic Movement interiors

Questions about William De Morgan tiles

What are William De Morgan tiles known for?

De Morgan painted birds, beasts, ships and plants. Some pictures fit on one tile. Others fill a group of tiles. Some tiles shine like metal when they catch the light.

How can you tell if one tile belongs to a panel?

See if a stem, tail or other shape runs off the edge. Then look for a photo of the tiles next to it. If the shape picks up on the next square, you can see how the pieces fit.

Did William Morris and William De Morgan both make tiles?

Yes. Both made tile designs in the 1800s. A museum record can tell you who made or drew the tile you’re looking at.

Where can I see De Morgan tiles in a room?

You can see De Morgan tiles at Leighton House in London. The house has tiles he made and older tiles from the Middle East.

I still want that zebra by the fire. But I’d spend longer with the fish. Open De Morgan’s Fish and Waves panel and pick one. See how far you can follow it before you have to lift your finger.

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