Reading Response (art)

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USEFUL OBJECTS IN WARTIME Fifth Annual Exhibition of Useful Objects under $10.00

This year the USEFUL OBJECTS IN WARTIME exhibition could not be undertaken without considering our vital war needs. With these needs in mind, the exhibition has been divided into three sections. 1. Household objects made of non-priority materials, pp. 11-17 2. Articles asked for by men and women in the Army and Navy, pp. 18-19 3. Supplies necessary for adequate civilian defense, pp. 20-21

Men and women in the Services have responded eagerly to the Museum's queries about their needs. The various offices of civilian defense have supplied the information regarding the requirements for fire-fighting and protection. In these sections, a few items suggested by those in the Armed Services and the civilian defense agencies contain priority materials. When the present supply is ex- hausted, no more will be made.

The Conservation and Substitution Branch of the War Production Board has been most cooperative in making recommendations to the Museum as to what should be included or omitted. Although there are many household articles made of critical materials still for sale for civilian use, these have been left out.

This year no metals have been included, except gold. The supplies of nickel, copper, aluminum, tin, steel and other metals are inadequate for nmilitary and civilian needs.

No plastics are shown, except where they replace more critical materials. Lucite, plexiglass, nylon, bakelite, beetleware and crystallite plastics, among others, are all used in aeroplanes or other military equipment. Leather, accord- ing to Mr. Harvey A. Anderson, Chief of the Conservation and Substitution Branch, Conservation Division, War Production Board, is considered e'essential to the war program" and "a scarcity even of certaiii grades and types of lumber has developed."

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STEEL is critical.

CHROMIUM is required for the war: civilians must do without.

The Japanese now control the maj'or TIN deposits.

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ALUMINUM supplies are not ade- quate for military needs.

LU,CITE and PLEXIGLASS are urgently needed in aeroplane construc- tion. NYLON is used for parachutes.

Don't buy BEETLEWARE or BAKELITE-they are needed for war equipment.

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To quote further from a letter from Mr. Harvey A. Anderson, Chief of the Con- servation and Substitution Branch, Conservation Division, War Production Board, to the Museum's Acting Director of Industrial Design:

WAR PRODUCTION BOARD WASHINGTON, D. C.

CONSERVATION DIVISION November 17, 1942 1100 II STREET NW.

"The Conservation and Substitution Branch is in favor of any measure which will aid the war effort. This includes the policy of recommending transition to war usage of parts and materials stocks, fabricating capacity, and labor wherever feasible.

"The following metals are available for use in non-essential products intended for civilian use: Gold, Lead, Palladium (similar to Platinum), Osmium to a limited degree (similar to Iridium), Ferroboron and Ferromanganese.

"No foreign silver may now be diverted to non-essential uses. Silver is needed in the war effort: we have an acute shortage of copper, and since silver conducts electricity as well as copper, we can substitute silver for copper in many cases and use the copper thus saved for vital military applications. This is why we ask civilians to refrain from seeking products made of silver.

"Our conviction is that the men in America's Armed Forces would prefer to see used in their armaments many of the metals ordinarily used in gifts.... Nor do we believe that an aluminum or stainless steel alloy cocktail shaker is necessary to maintain the morale of the worker on the home front.... These are the con- victions you gain when you examine the casualty lists.

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"Every ounce of chromium, copper, nickel, tin, aluminum, lucite, etc., used in such items as program flashlights, chrome-plated jiggers, small lucite bowls, lucite salts and peppers, means in altogether too many cases another American casualty.

"It is our understanding that the Japanese nightclubs have been closed for five years. That dancing is forbidden even in the Japanese private homes. That one brand of shaving soap is sufficient for this need in Gerinany. That German women do not wear cosmetics. That large-scale spectator sports have been abandoned in Germany. If the Axis civilians can part with many peacetime luxuries, for the sake of their soldiers, we think American civilians can do that job better too.

"Thus the manufacturing of non-essentials, the wholesaling and retailing of them, the consumer's purchase of them, and the tacit recommendation (through exhi- bition of them) that they be purchased as a demonstration of 'doing your bit,' 'boosting morale,' etc., often come to be regarded as merely a convenient excuse for 'business as usual.'

"Further, the availability of such items deludes the purchaser with a false sense of security, encourages further purchases along the same line, encourages further demand for such articles and materials by consumer, retailer, wholesaler and manufacturer, and results in unfortunate pressure on the war agencies for diver- sion of materials vital to the armaments of our Armed Forces. We believe, finally, that the informed consumer, retailer, wholesaler, and manufacturer will patrioti- cally insist that every available ounce of these critical materials be used where they will serve America's fighting men best."

These recommendations have guided the selection of the materials chosen for this exhibition.

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This is the fifth annual exhibition of USEFUL OBJECTS to be presented by the Museum of Modern Art. The purpose of these exhibitions, held each year a few weeks before Christmas, has been to show inexpensive articles, readily avail- able and of good design.

The standards-originally used in selecting the objects have remained constant:

FUNCTION-"how it works" or "what it does" MATERIALS-their appropriate use TECHNIQUE or process of manufacture (whether by hand or machine) SYNTHESIS of the above in the expression of the designer

The minor articles and utensils in our surroundings may fulfill these require- ments just as well as mnore important machines and pieces of furniture.

In the past, there has been no limitation in materials. Metals, glass, china and pottery, leather, natural materials, wood and plastics were included. Metals and glass were the most numerous, and in the last two years plastics have been more abundant than previously. They are a relatively new material, going through a period of development and expansion.

Great strides have been made in the designing of glass during these years, whereas china has remained inferior. For years we have been a country of tool- makers, and many tools have been included in the metal category.

However, few appliances, such as toasters and coffee makers, have been shown. This is chiefly because designers and manufacturers have insisted on ornament- ing with stamped patterns or meaningless lines objects intended for utilitarian purposes. In other cases, static objects have been streamlined into grotesque forms or their shape has been hidden under a deformed covering. To look back at the MACHINE ART exhibition of 1934 makes one realize that all change is not progress.

Alice M. Carson Acting Director Department of Industrial Design

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ALL CHANGE IS NOT PROGRESS

Toaster, 1934. Shown by the Museum in its Machine Art ex- hibition of that year, this design is a forthright, clean and simple solution by comparison with the same manufacturer's *

Toaster of 1940 which is stream- lined as if it were intended to hurtle through the air at 200 miles an hour (an unhappy use for a breakfast-table utensil) and ornamented with trivial loops, bandings and flutings. This ob- ject has never been exhibited by the Museum. *

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WHY KILL A GOOD DESIGN? To those hunting for Useful Objects, the apology "there is nothing new this year" is often made, as if it were a sin to be caught offering the same design again. To find that a good design has been superseded by a new and often inferior "styling," or has been aban- doned, is discouraging evidence of the leconspicuous waste" for which Amieri- cans are noted.

Handbag watch, bakelite case. $2.95 des. De Vaulchier & Blow mfg. Westclox Division of General Time Instruments

Corp.

MACHINE ART 1934, USEFUL OBJECTS 1938, 1939, 1940 (not manufactured after 1939) *

Hi William.

GOOD DESIGNS HELD OVER FROM PREVIOUS SHOWS 17. Cocktail shaker

mfg. Heisey's USEFUL OBJECTS 1939,1940,1942

18. Pitcher mfg. Cambridge Glass Co. USEFUL OBJECTS 1938.1942

69. Pyrex sauce-.pan mfg. Corning Glass Works USEFUL OBJECTS 1938, 1939, 1942

70. Pyrex kettle mfg. Corning Glass Works USEFUL OBJECTS 1940, 1941,1942 (now in the Museum Collection)

86. Pottery plates, mug, bowls, etc. to des. & mfg. Rowantrees Kiln 89. USEFUL OBJECTS 1941,1942

105. One-handle baker mfg. Mexican USEFUL OBJECTS 1938, 1941, 1942 (now in the Museum Collection)

121. Soup bowl and saucer mfg. Josiah Wedgwood & Sons, England USEFUL OBJECTS 1939, 1942

122 Pottery plates, bowls, etc. to des. Russel Wright 125. mfg. Steubenville Pottery

USEFUL OBJECTS 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942

151. Braquette des. Nathan George Horwitt mfg. Braquette Inc. MACHINE ART 1934, USEFUL OBJECTS 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942 Material has changed from metal to plastic and now wood. (Plastic Braquette in the Museum

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USEFUL OBJECTS 1942 29. Bell. $1.75 des. Dorothy C. Thorpe mfg. for Frederik Lunning Inc. ret. Georg Jensen Inc.

49. Salt and pepper balls. $1.50 pr. mfg. Cambridge Glass Co. ret. Carole Stupell Ltd.

31. Double jigger. $.75 mfg. Seneca Glass Co. ret. Hammacher Schlemmer & Co. Inc.

11. Salt holder. $1.50 mfg. Libbey Glass Co. ret. Georg Jensen Inc.

35. Beer mug. $1.25 mfg. Seneca Glass Co. ret. The Waldrons

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62. Evaporating or crystallizing dishes, 80 mm. to 105 mm. and 150 mm. 64. $.35, .45 and $1.00 each

mfg. Corning Glass Works ret. Eimer & Amend

23. Martini mixer. $7.50 mfg. for Frederik Lunning Inc. ret. Georg Jensen Inc.

43. Lotion bottle. $3.00 des. Palme mfg. Czechoslovakian dist. Lenart Imports ret. Carole Stupell Ltd.

27. Bowl. $7.50 mfg. for Frederik Lunning Inc. ret. Georg Jensen Inc.

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83. Bowl, lava gray. $10.00 des. & mfg. Natzler Ceramics dist. Amberg-Hirth

*ret. Museum of Modern Art

70. Ashtray, oval, yellow. $2.50 des. & mfg. Natzler Ceramics dist. Amberg-Hirth

*ret. Museum of Modern Art

86. Beer mug, duckhead. $1.00 des. & mfg. Rowantrees Kiln ret. America House

125. Salad bowl, chartreuse. $2.85 des. Russel Wright mfg. Steubenville Pottery ret. Bloomingdale's

* The Natzler ceramics in the exhibition are individual pieces and may be purchased by applying at the front desk. Similar pieces are to be found at Artek-in-New York and Carole Stupell Ltd.

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WARTIME COOKING UTENSILS

During the war, it will be necessary to limit the amount of metals used in cooking utensils and housewares.

Glass and pottery have been used for some time and further developments are now being made to take the place of the aluminum, steel, copper, tin and enamelled iron formerly used for this purpose. Only a limited number of kinds and sizes of pots, pans, etc., may now be produced.

Pyrex cooking utensils mfg. Corning Glass Works ret. Department and hardware stores

68. Loaf pan. $.45 70. Kettle. $2.95

(from the Museum Collection) 71. Double boiler. $3.95

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POTTERY AND PAPER COOKING UTENSILS 117. Skillet. $.51

mfg. Redwing Potteries ret. R. H. Macy & Co.

119. Pot and cover. $2.11 mfg. Redwing Potteries ret. R. H. Macy & Co.

113. Double boiler. $3.00 mfg. Joaquin Pottery Co. ret. Lewis & Conger

136. Square baking pan, paper. 5 for $.10 mfg. Keyes Fibre Co. ret. F. W. Woolworth, S. H. Kress & Co.

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MORE WARTIME MATERIALS

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177. Leaf eyeglass case, felt. $1.00. Substitute for metal and leather des. Mrs. Margaret Ripin ret. H. L. Purdy

145. Compact, paper. Substitute for metal des. Nyden & F. N. Burt Co. mfg. F. N. Burt Co.

180. Sink stopper, plastic. Substitute for rubber mfg. Kampa Mfg. Co. dist. Celanese Celluloid Corp. ret. F. W. Woolworth

178. Matchbox cover, stripetex. $1.00. Substitute for leather des. Carl Froelich mfg. Froelich Leathercraft Co. ret.America House

163. Doormat, cornhusks. $3.50 dist. Mary Rodney ret. America House

154. Grocery carrier. $4.50 mfg. Leipzig & Lippe Inc. ret. Lewis & Conger

140. Paperboard toys. $1.50 box des. Barnes & Reinecke mfg. Container Corporation of America ret. Dennison Mfg. Co. *

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KNOCK DOWN FURNITURE DESIGNED FOR HOUSING PROJECTS

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165. Butterfly table, oak veneer. $7.50 des. Dan Cooper mfg. Drexel Furniture Co. ret. Abraham & Straits Inc.,

Blooming,dale's

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QUOTATIONS-LETTERS FROM MEN AND WOMEN IN THE ARMED FORCES

"Extra hangers."-ARMY & WAACS & WAVES

"The locker accommodations and regulations are meager and strict." Corp., Sig. Serv. Reg't

"Officers' quarters are so ill-supplied that what they actually need are items of basic usefulness."

Capt., Signal Corps

"Everything waterproof, if possible, and marked." Lieut., Field Artillery

"Clothespins--because we do most of our own laun. dry unless we are rich." WAAC

"What we all have to have and can't get along with- out are accessories like money belts that are water- proof (and therefore very practical), small leather travelling kits, sewing kits, etc. You see it's all very prosaic." Ens., U.S.N.R.

"Things small and unbreakable." "A small duffle-bag or satchel (of canvas) for fur- loughs!" Sgt., Camp Upton

"Simple luggage i.e.-the idea is to boil living and travelling space down so that if alone you went to an airplane you could carry your own and it wouldn't weigh too much." Lt. j.g., WAVES

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ARMY (AND WAACS) 237. Clothespins and string. $.10

ret. F. W. Woolworth, S. H. Kress & Co.

238. Dust cloth. $.10 ret. F. W. Woolworth

241. Handkerchief, linen. $.75 mfg. Block Freres ret. Saks Fifth Avenue

192 Pocket dictionaries, Italian-English, French- to English, German-English. $.75 each

193. mfg. David McKay Co. ret. Brentano's

236. Hunting knife. $3.75 mfg. Union Cutlery Co. Inc. ret. Parker & Battersby

188. Shoetrees. $4.00 mfg. MacKay ret. Saks Fifth Avenue

217. Wood shower scuffs. $1.00 mfg. Reece Wooden Sole Co. ret. B. Altman & Co.

189. Folding hangers. 3 for $.50 mfg. Birnbaum Co. ret. Lewis & Conger

NAVY (AND WAVES) 244. Bag, with zipper. $7.50

mfg. & ret. Hardy Luggage Co.

248. Picture holder, cloth. $3.50 mfg. & ret. Mark Cross

242. Writing case, cloth. $6.75 ret. Bergdorf Goodman 4

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SUPPLIES FOR CIVILIAN DEFENSE

274. Lantern. $1.50 mfg. Dietz ret. Lewis & Conger

267. Wooden sandpail, 15 qt. $.69 ret. R. H. Macy & Co.

266. Stirrup pump. $3.10 approved by N. Y. Fire Department unfg. Standard Container Corp. ret. Modell's Sporting Goods Co.

268. Green metal pail with cover. $.84 ret. R. H. Macy & Co.

278. First aid kit (Boy Scout). $.85 mfg. Bauer and Black ret. Bloomingdale's

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