| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | BOARD OF TRADE UTILITY FURNITURE 4' - 0" SIDEBOARD
(manufacturer's title) |
| Materials and techniques | |
| Brief description | Dye-line print of utility furniture made during 1941-1953 |
| Physical description | Dye-line print for utility furniture |
| Marks and inscriptions | - 'MODEL No. A/12 / ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT TO / SIDEBOARD No 6550/2/0' (Textual information; Bottom right; printing; ink)
- ' GENERAL SPECIFICATION / MATERIALS TO BE ALLOCATED BY THE / BOARD OF TRADE TO INDIVIDUAL / MANUFACTURERES. / ALL TIMBER TO BE SEASONED TO A / MOISTURE CONTENT OF BETWEEN 12% / AND 14% AND SELECTED, SO FAR AS / IS POSSIBLE, FREE FROM DEFECTS / DUE REGARD WILL BE PAID TO THE / SELECTION OF THE VARIOUS PARTS / OF EACH PIECE OF FURNITURE SO / AS TO ENSURE EVENLY MATCHED / SURFACES. / SOLID TIMBERS AND VENEERS, / WHOLELY OR PARTLY POLISHED, WILL / BE OF EXTERIOR QUALITY. / WHEN PLYWOOD IS VENEERED, BOTH / SIDES MUST BE VENEERED. THE / VENEERS USED FOR TOPS, DOORS AND / DRAWER FRONTS WILL BE SPECIALLY / SELECTED FOR GOOD FIGURE AND / WILL BE WELL MATCHED. THE GRAIN / OF VENEERS ON TOPS WILL RUN / FROM END TO END, ON DOORS AND / ENDS THE GRAIN OF VENEER WILL / RUN VERTICALLY UNLESS OTHERWISE / SHOWN ON DRAWING. THE GRAIN OF / PLYWOOD WHEN VENEERED WILL BE / AT RIGHT ANGLES WITH THE GRAIN / OF THE VENEER. /
- ' CONSTRUCTION: / ALL EXTERIOR SURFACES TO BE / POLISHED WILL BE SANDPAPERED TO / SECURE A SMOOTH FINISH. / ON EXTENDING DINING TABLES, UNDER- / -NEATH SURFACES OF TOPS AND ALL / SURFACES OF GUIDES TO BE SAND- / PAPERED SMOOTH AND FELT OR BAIZE / STRIPS WILL BE FITTED TO THE / UNDERSIDE OF THE CENTRE TOP RAILS / TO PREVENT DAMAGE TO THE LEAVES. / ALL PARTS, PARTICULARLY JOINTS, TO / BE CAREFULLY AND ACCURATELY / MACHINED, WELL FITTED AND WHERE / JOINTED TO BE WELL GLUED ON ALL / SURFACES AND CRAMPED INTO / POSITION. ALL PANELS WILL BE / PARTICULARLY WELL GLUED (AND / SCREWED WHERE SHOWN) TO STILES, / LINING PIECES AND FRAMES. INSIDE / DRAWERS, CUPBOARDS AND OUTSIDE / BACKS TO BE SANDPAPERED SMOOTH. / ALL ARRISES TO BE REMOVED. / FURNITURE GLIDES WILL BE FITTED. / FINISH: / ALL VISIBLE EXTERIOR SURFACES TO / HAVE GOOD QUALITY FINISH BASED / ON MATERIALS ALLOCATED INSIDE / OF ALL DOORS TO BE VENEERED AND / FINISHED AS EXTERIOR SURFACES. ALL / OTHER EXTERIOR PARTS TO BE STAINED / TO MATCH. COLOUR MAY BE TO / CUSTOMERS OWN REQUIREMENTS. / DUE REGARD MUST BE PAID TO / THE MATCHING OF ALL VISIBLE / SURFACES BOTH FOR COLOUR AND / FINISH. INSIDE OF ALL CARCASES, / CUPBOARDS, AND DRAWERS TO BE / LEFT CLEAN AND "IN THE WHITE." / INSPECTION: / THE MANUFACTURERS WILL BE / REQUIRED TO GIVE EVERY FACILITY / TO AUTHORISED BOARD OF TRADE / PRODUCTION OFFICERS FOR THE / EXAMINATION OF MATERIALS, COMPONENTS AND WORKMANSHIP. / STAMPING: / EACH ARTICLE TO BE STAMPED SO AS / TO GIVE A PERMANENT AND EASILY / LEGIBLE IMPRESSION / OF THE STAMP, 'CORRECT SIZE OF STAMP' / INCLUDING THE / DESIGNATION NUMBER, / DESIGNATION NO. / OF THE SIZE AND IN / THE POSITION SHOWN / ON DRAWING.' (Textual information; Down right side of design.; printing; ink)
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| Credit line | Given by Mr. O. Tybulewicz |
| Object history | 'With the outbreak of the Second World war in 1939, nearly all design and manufacture in Britain went towards the war effort. After two years, Britain experienced problems with materials supply, particularly wood from the USA. In 1941 the Government Board of Trade set up the Utility Furniture Scheme as a means of rationing production and consumption of furniture. The board introduced specifications for controlling the dimensions and materials of pieces of furniture for all over the home: from chairs, kitchen cupboards and wardrobes to babies' play-pens. The resulting furniture was straight edged, plain and unembellished, in which form very much followed function and construction. The restrictions went on until 1953, and although Utility furniture furnished many middle-and lower-class homes, it was seen as an austere necessity during the war, and was soon therefore rejected after the restrictions were lifted.'
Fiona Leslie Designs for 20th-century Interiors London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 2000, p.18. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Bibliographic references | - Denney, Matthew. Utility furniture and the myth of Utility 1943-1948. In: Judy Attfield, ed. Utility reassessed: the role of ethics in the practice of design. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1999, pp.110-124. ISBN 0749052777
- Leslie, Fiona. Designs for 20th-century Interiors. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 2000. ISBN 1851773223
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| Collection | |
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