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Serving Platter, Residential Pattern?

Decorative Arts and Design

Because of its low cost and easy care, plastic attracted both consumer and designer in the postwar era. Russel Wright worked with the chemical company American Cyanamid to develop a line of dinnerware from its patented plastic, Melamine. Although that venture was not successful, Wright soon found other companies to produce his designs for plastic dinnerware. Originally intended for institutional use, plastic dinnerware also found a place at home, and by 1957 Wright’s Residential line, produced by Northern Industrial Chemical, had door-to-door sales of $4 million.
MEDIUM Molded plastic
DATES ca.1953
DIMENSIONS oval: 1 7/8 x 9 x 11 1/2 in. (4.8 x 22.9 x 28.5 cm)  (show scale)
MARKINGS On bottom, raised and molded: "DESIGNED BY;" "Russel Wright" (in script); "FOR HOME DECORATORS, INC:" 'NEWARK;" "NEW YORK STATE".
SIGNATURE no signature
INSCRIPTIONS no inscriptions
ACCESSION NUMBER 83.108.104
CREDIT LINE Gift of Paul F. Walter
MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view
CAPTION Russel Wright (American, 1904–1976). Serving Platter, Residential Pattern?, ca.1953. Molded plastic, oval: 1 7/8 x 9 x 11 1/2 in. (4.8 x 22.9 x 28.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Paul F. Walter, 83.108.104. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 1994.165.61_83.108.104_1999.29.48_83.108.104_83.108.91a-b_83.108.103_83.108.107.jpg)
IMAGE group, 1994.165.61_83.108.104_1999.29.48_83.108.104_83.108.91a-b_83.108.103_83.108.107.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph
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RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY
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Russel Wright (American, 1904–1976). <em>Serving Platter, Residential Pattern?</em>, ca.1953. Molded plastic, oval: 1 7/8 x 9 x 11 1/2 in. (4.8 x 22.9 x 28.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Paul F. Walter, 83.108.104. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 1994.165.61_83.108.104_1999.29.48_83.108.104_83.108.91a-b_83.108.103_83.108.107.jpg)