William Watt (c. 1860 to c. 1889) was a London furniture manufacturer and retailer whose Grafton Street showroom showcased innovative Aesthetic and early Arts and Crafts designs. He collaborated with notable designers such as Charles Bevan, Bruce James Talbert, and E. W. Godwin, translating their drawings into finely made furniture distinguished by robust construction, crisp carving, and geometric inlay. Crafted mainly in walnut or ebonised hardwood, his pieces blended Gothic, Renaissance, and Japanese influences while remaining practical and elegant. Through illustrated catalogues and international exhibitions, Watt helped bring progressive design to a wider middle-class clientele. Although his firm closed near the end of the nineteenth century, surviving pieces are prized today for their quality, inventive style, and contribution to Victorian Britain’s evolution toward modern design ideals.
