1995.126, Silver Streak (Model No. 1038) iron, Corning Glass Works (manufacturer), c. 1938-1940

Giving objects, even stationary ones, streamlined shapes was seen as a sign of progress and dynamism in the Depression years of the 1930s. Thanks to the emerging profession of industrial design and the need to enhance slumping sales figures, streamlined silhouettes were given to everything from buildings to buses and from cocktail shakers to vacuum cleaners. Furthermore, the modernity of these products was often enhanced through the use of new materials, including plywood, plastic, chromed steel, and aluminum. The end result was fashionable yet relatively inexpensive products that could be consumed on a mass scale and were not restricted to the wealthy upper class.

This iron, manufactured by Corning Glass Works in Corning, New York, both pure and sleek in form, was inspired by the Burlington Railroad's passenger train. It's overall aerodynamic appearance combined with the use of new materials, like plastic, are noticeable influences that the Machine Age aesthetic had on every day household products.

Charles Venable, Art Deco and Streamlined Modern Design, 1920-1950, label text 1996.27, 11/18/2001 to 5/20/2002

Corning Inc.: ULAN: 500331593

Corning (New York): TGN: 7013653

glass (material): AAT: 300010797

steel (alloy): AAT: 300133751

plastic (material): AAT: 300014570

Streamlined Moderne: 300212738

About 1940: Corning Glass Works (manufacturer), Corning, New York

Until 1995: Carole Krohn, Machine Age curatorial services (dealer), Summerland, California [1]

From 1995: Dallas Museum of Art, purchased from Carole Krohn, Machine Age curatorial services (dealer) on 6/28/1995 [1]

[1] According to the following documents found in the DMA object file: Note from Carole Krohn on Carole Krohn letterhead (dated June 15, 1995) addressed to Charles Venable (former chief curator of the DMA Decorative Arts and Design), DMA Check #4726 (dated June 28, 1995), DMA Acquisitions Committee record (dated September 14, 1995), DMA Object receipt (dated September 29, 1995)

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