Toast Rack
ca. 1880 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
Christopher Dresser's toast racks are among his most abstract designs. In this case, the motif of a separate straight handle attached by bridging struts to the body of a vessel (a common feature in Dresser's designs for metalwork) has become the overall governing principle of the design. This gives the impression of an almost modular object constructed from simple elements.
Design & Designing
Dresser's most innovative designs were for objects to be made in metal. Variations on this design incorporate shorter bases (of sheet metal in contrast to the open frame here) with radiating (rather than parallel) uprights. The design of this toast rack was registered by Hukin and Heath in May 1881 under the Designs Act (no. 2554).
People
Christopher Dresser is often regarded as the 'father of industrial design,' designing utilitarian objects for the general public while making full use of the latest mass production techniques. He was receptive to a wide range of influences, particularly from botanical sources and Japanese decorative art. Most of his truly radical designs for silver and electroplate followed his journey to Japan in 1876-1877, during which he exchanged contemporary British products for examples of Japanese work.
Christopher Dresser's toast racks are among his most abstract designs. In this case, the motif of a separate straight handle attached by bridging struts to the body of a vessel (a common feature in Dresser's designs for metalwork) has become the overall governing principle of the design. This gives the impression of an almost modular object constructed from simple elements.
Design & Designing
Dresser's most innovative designs were for objects to be made in metal. Variations on this design incorporate shorter bases (of sheet metal in contrast to the open frame here) with radiating (rather than parallel) uprights. The design of this toast rack was registered by Hukin and Heath in May 1881 under the Designs Act (no. 2554).
People
Christopher Dresser is often regarded as the 'father of industrial design,' designing utilitarian objects for the general public while making full use of the latest mass production techniques. He was receptive to a wide range of influences, particularly from botanical sources and Japanese decorative art. Most of his truly radical designs for silver and electroplate followed his journey to Japan in 1876-1877, during which he exchanged contemporary British products for examples of Japanese work.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Electroplated nickel silver |
| Brief description | Toast rack, probably designed by Christopher Dresser; manufactured by Hukin & Heath, Birmingham, about 1880. |
| Physical description | Toast rack, electroplated nickel silver, a tube construction on an arched frame with a stretcher extending from side to side, with a ball foot on each corner, penetrated by the tubes. Seven uprights rise from the frame along each side of the length of the piece. The four corner ones are soldered to the top of the ball feet, the others to the frame. At the top they pierce smaller spheres, to which are soldered cross bars creating the illusion of piercing each sphere. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | Marks: ' 2554' and H&H with a bird
|
| Gallery label | British Galleries:
TOAST RACKS AND CRUET SET Dresser designed domestic tablewares for leading manufacturers of electroplated silver in Sheffield and Birmingham, including Elkington & Co, Dixon & Sons and Hukin & Heath. His toast racks, which are among his most innovative and recognisable designs, use modular or repeating elements. He gave careful consideration to simple construction, use of inexpensive materials and to striking profiles which needed no surface decoration.(27/03/2003) |
| Object history | Probably designed by Christopher Dresser (born in Glasgow, Scotland, 1834, died in Mulhouse, France, 1904); manufactured by Hukin & Heath, Birmingham |
| Summary | Object Type Christopher Dresser's toast racks are among his most abstract designs. In this case, the motif of a separate straight handle attached by bridging struts to the body of a vessel (a common feature in Dresser's designs for metalwork) has become the overall governing principle of the design. This gives the impression of an almost modular object constructed from simple elements. Design & Designing Dresser's most innovative designs were for objects to be made in metal. Variations on this design incorporate shorter bases (of sheet metal in contrast to the open frame here) with radiating (rather than parallel) uprights. The design of this toast rack was registered by Hukin and Heath in May 1881 under the Designs Act (no. 2554). People Christopher Dresser is often regarded as the 'father of industrial design,' designing utilitarian objects for the general public while making full use of the latest mass production techniques. He was receptive to a wide range of influences, particularly from botanical sources and Japanese decorative art. Most of his truly radical designs for silver and electroplate followed his journey to Japan in 1876-1877, during which he exchanged contemporary British products for examples of Japanese work. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.31-1971 |
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| Record created | March 27, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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