Music Cabinet

Ashbee was deeply influenced by the teachings of William Morris. The two reformers shared a belief that the hand-crafted objects benefited the craftsman and consumer alike. His workshop, the Guild of Handicraft, employed poor laborers as metalworkers and cabinetmakers, producing hand-crafted furniture pieces such as this music cabinet. As in many of Morris's early furniture designs, Ashbee's cabinet displays an emphasis on simplicity in construction and a straightforward use of natural materials.