1994.7.a-b, Thermos (Model 549), Henry Dreyfuss (designer), The American Thermos Bottle Company (maker), 1936

Henry Dreyfuss's thermos is an accomplished example of streamlined design. The forms of the handle, jug, and lid are harmoniously integrated into a continuous shape that follows all the canons of streamlined design. The flat lid, neck, and bottom of the handle, along with the horizontal lines molded into the base, cleverly emphasize horizontality, while the gentle, downward curves of the body, echoed by the perfectly proportioned handle, give the unmistakable feeling of surfaces delicately sculpted by the flow of air around them.

This thermos (model no. 549) was available in several sizes and is typical of the new types of materials and streamlined designs introduced in the 1930s. The inner glass thermos bottle is enclosed in an aluminum and enameled steel shell. Some firms, like Gorham, had introduced lines of aluminum wares earlier, but it was in the 1930s that the metal was first used extensively. Here the material is given a "machine" aesthetic through bold geometric shaping and a brushed surface. After World War II, stamped and spun aluminum table ware became increasingly popular.

The presence of the designer's name in facsimile script on this object is important. Henry Dreyfuss (1903-1972) was one of this country's most famous industrial designers during the second quarter of the twentieth centruy. By marking its wares with his name, the manufacturer hoped to increase sales to consumers who desired "designer" products.

Dreyfuss_Henry: ULAN: 500059346

Norwich (Connecticut): TGN: 70014246

steel (alloy): AAT: 300133751

aluminum: AAT: 300011015

Bakelite (TM): AAT: 300014544

Streamlined Moderne: 300212738

About 1936: The American Thermos Bottle Company (manufacturer), Norwich, Connecticut 

Until 1994: David T. Owsley (collector), New York, New York [1]

From 1994: Dallas Museum of Art, gift of David T. Owsley (collector) via the Alconda-Owsley Foundation on 4/2/1994 [1]

[1] According to the following documents found in the DMA object file: DMA Acquisition considerations dated January 10, 1994, DMA Object receipt form dated January 14, 1994, DMA note on DMA letterhead dated March 24, 1994 addressed to David T. Owsley from Charles Venable (former chief curator of the DMA Decorative Arts and Design), DMA Acquisition Record dated March 16, 1994, and Deed of Gift signed by David T. Owsley dated April 2, 1994 

PBS American Experience~Read more about Industrial Designers and Streamliners

Henry Dreyfuss~Read more about American industrial designer, Henry Dreyfuss

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