In 1881, the Art Furnishers' Alliance opened in London with the goal of supplying the modern middle-class home with "all kinds of house-furnishing material, including furniture, carpets, wall-decorations, hangings, pottery, table-glass, silversmiths' wares, hardware, and whatever is necessary to our household requirements," created by several manufacturers and marketed in one venue. The showroom walls were lined with innovative and affordable household objects, including a line of ebonized furniture designed by Dresser for the store; Benham & Froud metalwork; Sowerby glass; Linthorpe pottery; metalwork from Dixon and Hukin & Heath; wallpaper by Jeffrey & Co.; and import wares from Liberty & Co. and Dresser and Holme. Unlike other similar ventures, however, it was unique because Dresser acted as the sole arbiter of taste, approving the "art quality" of every item sold in the store. The Art Furnishers' Alliance was not a financial success, and closed in 1883 due in part to Dresser's poor health, which prevented him from effectively managing and overseeing the operations of the firm.