Portmeirion Malachite Framed Genuine Original Fabric.

Extraordinarily rare original Malachite satin fabric from the 1960's/70's - the exact same pattern as the curtain fabric once used in the Portmeirion Village hotel, designed by Susan Williams-Ellis in 1959 and now professionally framed as a museum-quality collectable.

This is not a reproduction. This is genuine vintage Malachite fabric, similar to the fabric that once graced the windows of the iconic Portmeirion Village hotel in North Wales - the architectural masterpiece created by Susan Williams-Ellis's father, the legendary Sir Clough Williams-Ellis. You are purchasing a tangible piece of Portmeirion history.

An Exceptional Provenance

When Susan Williams-Ellis designed her groundbreaking Malachite pattern in 1959, she didn't limit it to pottery. She commissioned Bernard Wardle to print the design onto luxurious satin furnishing fabric in limited quantities. True to her integrated design vision, Susan used this sumptuous fabric to furnish parts of the family hotel in Portmeirion Village - the same iconic Welsh destination that inspired the cult television series "The Prisoner."

For decades, Malachite fabric hung as window drapes in the hotel, witnessing the comings and goings of guests drawn to one of Britain's most extraordinary architectural environments. The fabric you're viewing is the same type as used in those original panels, carefully preserved and now offered as framed art.

Why This Fabric is So Rare

The Malachite fabric was produced in very limited quantities - even more restricted than the pottery. While Malachite ceramics are rare enough, finding the same design as the original fabric is exceptional. Most was used in the hotel and either wore out over the decades or was discarded during renovations. Very little survived.

Purely Portmeirion was fortunate to acquire a panel of this historic fabric when it became available, and we've chosen to preserve and share it with collectors who might never otherwise have the opportunity to own such an extraordinary piece of Portmeirion memorabilia.

The Design Legacy

Susan Williams-Ellis created the Malachite design in 1959 after studying specimens of the semi-precious mineral malachite in London's Natural History Museum. She was captivated by the stone's rich green swirls and organic banding patterns, which she translated into an opulent hand-painted design.

The complete Malachite range - including pottery, carpets, and textiles - was officially launched at Susan's Pont Street Portmeirion shop in London on 10th May 1960. The pottery featured hand-painted transfers applied over entire pieces, then enriched with heavy 22-carat gold lustre. The fabric carried that same luxurious aesthetic in textile form.

Malachite remains one of Susan's most ambitious and costly designs - labour-intensive, expensive to produce, and intended for display rather than everyday use. It was never produced for very long, making both the pottery and fabric highly sought-after by collectors today.

About Your Framed Piece

Each framed panel is professionally mounted with an authenticity label. The fabric is displayed in a quality wall or table frame designed to protect and showcase this historic textile.

Important: Because this fabric features a repeating pattern and each frame contains a different section of the original drape, the exact pattern placement varies between pieces. This makes each framed panel unique - no two are identical. Your piece will show a different "view" of the Malachite design, adding to its individual character.

Condition: This is genuine vintage fabric that served as window drapery for decades. It carries the patina and character appropriate to its age and history. The fabric shows the authentic ageing of a textile that lived through 60 years plus. 

Frame Dimensions

• 8.75 inches (22.5 cm) x 6.75 inches (17 cm)

Perfect For

• Serious Portmeirion collectors seeking unique memorabilia
• Fans of "The Prisoner" and Portmeirion Village
• Design enthusiasts who appreciate Susan Williams-Ellis's integrated vision
• Anyone who wants a piece of Welsh cultural history
• Textile and pattern collectors
• Those who appreciate mid-century British design

What Makes This Special

This isn't just fabric - it's a piece of living history:

• Similar to the fabric used in the legendary Portmeirion Village hotel
• Designed by Susan Williams-Ellis at the height of her creative powers
• Connected to Sir Clough Williams-Ellis's architectural masterpiece
• Rarer than Malachite pottery (which is already highly collectable)
• A tangible link to 1960's British design innovation
• Ready to display as wall art

While you can collect Malachite pottery, owning the same Malachite design fabric that hung in Portmeirion Village is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Only a handful of these framed pieces exist, sourced from the limited fabric panels Purely Portmeirion was able to acquire.

Malachite

This sumptuous and exotic Malachite range was designed by Susan Williams-Ellis in 1959 after she had spent time studying the semi-precious mineral in the Natural History Museum in London. She also applied her opulent design to carpets and textiles that were produced and used in her father's hotel in Portmeirion. Those same items along with her complete range of amazing Malachite pottery, including the extraordinary tureen and goblets were officially launched in her Pont Street Portmeirion shop, London on 10th May 1960. Susan's hand painted Malachite pattern was produced as sheet transfers and applied over the whole of the items. They were then heavily gilded with gold lustre where the transfers were tricky to apply satisfactorily. This range was incredibly labour intensive, very expensive to produce and meant for cabinet displays rather than usable items and was not produced for very long, making it one of THE pieces a collector searches for!