Cutlery Set
late 20th century (designed)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Martyn Rowlands trained at the Central School in London. He specialised in plastics. He was one of the first trained industrial designers to work with British industry after the Second World War. He worked first for Bakelite Ltd, then set up the design department at Ekco Plastics, where his products won a number of design awards. In 1959 he left Ekco to work as an independent design consultant. This was at a time when the idea of the design consultancy in Britain was still in its infancy. One important commission in 1966 was the popular telephone known as the ‘Trimphone’, which won a Design Council Award.
Rowlands also designed disposable meal trays, cutlery and tableware for the transport industry - both British European Airways (BEA, 1967) and British Rail. This set of cutlery with paper napkin was also designed for transport use. It was probably to be used aboard aircraft.
Rowlands also designed disposable meal trays, cutlery and tableware for the transport industry - both British European Airways (BEA, 1967) and British Rail. This set of cutlery with paper napkin was also designed for transport use. It was probably to be used aboard aircraft.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 6 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Transparent moulded polypropylene |
| Brief description | Sealed clear plastic bag containing smokey grey-green transparent plastic knife, fork, two spoons, with paper napkin impressed with 'Deeko', designed by Martyn Rowlands, England, late 20th century |
| Physical description | Smokey grey-green transparent plastic (moulded polypropylene) knife, fork, two spoons, with paper napkin (impressed 'Deeko'), all in a clear sealed plastic bag. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Credit line | Given by the designer |
| Production | For transport use, probably aboard aircraft |
| Summary | Martyn Rowlands trained at the Central School in London. He specialised in plastics. He was one of the first trained industrial designers to work with British industry after the Second World War. He worked first for Bakelite Ltd, then set up the design department at Ekco Plastics, where his products won a number of design awards. In 1959 he left Ekco to work as an independent design consultant. This was at a time when the idea of the design consultancy in Britain was still in its infancy. One important commission in 1966 was the popular telephone known as the ‘Trimphone’, which won a Design Council Award. Rowlands also designed disposable meal trays, cutlery and tableware for the transport industry - both British European Airways (BEA, 1967) and British Rail. This set of cutlery with paper napkin was also designed for transport use. It was probably to be used aboard aircraft. |
| Bibliographic reference | Penny Sparke: "Consultant Design: The History and Practice of the Designer in Industry", Pembridge Press, 1983 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | C.109:1 to 6-2003 |
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| Record created | March 15, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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