Walter Dorwin Teague Archives

This past Christmas, Chris got me the DVD Teague – Design & Beauty (2014). Walter Dorwin Teague (1884 – 1960) would become a pioneer in industrial design. Today many of his designs are now in the collections of many prominent museums.

Poster art for the film Teague design & beauty, 2014.

Poster designed by Ronald Paul Viernes and illustrated by Clement Gallois. Image from kickstarted.com.

Teague was produced, directed and written by Jason A. Morris, an industrial designer and professor. This was Morris’ third film, he previously made two shorts in 2009, Form Function and Hoima Bicycle.

Industrial designer, professor and Filmmaker Jason A. Morris at the 2014 San Diego Design Film Festival.

Jason A. Morris at the 2014 San Diego Design Film Festival. Image from idsandbox.blogspot.com.

The film opens in 1926 with Teague at a professional crossroads. Then it flashes back to his childhood in Indiana. Teague’s ambition is to be an artist. The film then follows his life to New York. In New York he attends the Arts Student League and meets his first wife. After graduation he begins a very successful career as a commercial artist. His speciality is decorative borders. Borders such as these would become known as Teague borders, whether he designed them or not.

1913 advertisement for the Japan Paper Company, featuring a typical Teague border.

Typical Teague border for Japan Paper Company advertisement, 1913. Image from idsandbox.blogspot.com.

At the age of 41, Teague takes a year off to go to Europe for inspiration. Soon after his return to the United States, he sets himself up in a new field, industrial design. The majority of the film explores Teague’s corporate commissions. This is where Teague’s career takes off. He has a genuine talent for reimagining products. The film showcases the breadth of his design work, many of which are strikingly photographed. From cameras for Eastman Kodak –

: 1930 Teague’s redesign of the Kodak Brownie Camera. Image from the DVD.

: 1936 Kodak Bantam Special. Image from the DVD.

cars for the Marmon Motor Car Company –

: The 1931 Marmon 16, designed by Walter Dorwin Teague, Jr. Image from the DVD.

: 1931 Marmon 16 grill, headlight and hood detail. Image from the DVD.

glassware for Steuben –

Mid-1930's Steuben glass table service by Teague.

Steuben Glass table setting by Teague, mid-1930’s. Image from DVD.

and radios for Sparton –

: The Bluebird. Image from the DVD.

: Model 557 or “Sled”. Image from the DVD.

: The Nocturne. Image from the DVD.

And even streamline gas stations for Texaco.

Late 1930s Teague redesigned Texaco station.

Teague redesigned Texaco gas station, late 1930s. Image from the DVD.

The film also delves into Teague’s World’s Fairs commissions. Starting with the 1933-1934 Century of Progress in Chicago, then fairs in San Diego, California and Dallas, Texas. And culminating with the 1939 – 1940 New York World’s Fair, where Teague and his associates collaborated on seven exhibits.

Ford Exhibit at the Century of Progress Exposition, 1933-1934.

Ford Exhibit at the 1933 Century of Progress, Chicago. Image from the DVD.

: DuPont Exhibit at the 1939 New York World’s Fair. Image from the DVD.

: Interior of the Kodak Pavillon at the 1939 New York World’s Fair. Image from the DVD.

The main focus of the film is on his career. But the film does delve into his personal life a little bit. Including his two marriages and especially his strained relationship with his son.

: Cecilia, Teague’s first wife. Image from the DVD.

: Teague with his second wife, Ruth. Image from the DVD.

Walter Jr. and Walter Sr. 1930s. Image from the DVD.

Morris uses various story telling techniques throughout the film. Much of Teague’s life story is told in simple but bold animation.

: Animation from TEAGUE Design & Beauty, this shot depicts Teague at 41 and at a professional crossroads. Image from the DVD.

: The Depiction of young Teague in Indiana. Image from the DVD.

: Teague’s first glimpse of New York City, 1902. Image from the DVD.

: Here is Teague making his way in New York. Image from the DVD.

There are the obligatory talking head interviews. Interviewees include curators, industrial designers and a few of Teague’s grandchildren. Although shot in a straight forward manner, they remain engaging and insightful.

Morris’ use of vintage film footage impressed me. Since the advent of widescreen televisions film footage is usually formatted to fill the entire screen, no matter what its original aspect ratio. Most pre-1953 film footage was almost square. So when these films film out the entire 16 x 9 screen the top and bottom of the image is cut off. Morris respects the footage that he uses, whether home movies or stock shots, to preserve their 4 x 3 aspect ratio.

: 1930s stock footage window boxed (black bars on all four sides of the image) preserving its original aspect ratio. Image from DVD.

: Home movie footage of Walter Dorwin Teague, Jr. Image from the DVD.

Teague’s industrial design contemporaries, Henry Dreyfuss, Raymond Loewy, John Vassos and Norman Bel Geddes are represented by at least one written biography. As of this February, 2021 Walter Dorwin Teague, surprisingly does not. So until the time comes when there is, this film is a great introduction to the one of founding fathers of the industrial design profession. I highly recommend it.

Anthony (one of the Freakin’, Tiquen’ Guys)

Walter Dorwin Teague, circa 1939. Image from idsa.org.

December 18th marks the 135th year since the birth of Walter Dorwin Teague. This latest Reference Library update comes from the January, 1939 House Beautiful. The brief article features Teague’s interior design for his apartment in Manhattan’s exclusive River House. River House (designed by the firm of Bottomley, Wagner & White, 1931) is located at the end of East 52nd Street. When it opened, it was at the end of a street of tenement houses. It was the inspiration for Sidney Kingsley’s 1935 play, Dead End.

River House, December 15, 1931. Samuel H. Gottscho photograph from the mcny.org

Born in Pendleton, Indiana, Teague aspired to become an artist while still in high school. At the age of 19 he moved to New York City to study at the Art Students League of New York. Between 1908 and the mid-1920’s Teague worked in advertising, typography and graphic design. Creating frames for ads based on Baroque and Renaissance designs became his signature style. In time these frames would become known by the generic term “Teague Borders”, even if they were not designed by him.

1922 Arrow Collar Ad. — 1922 J. C. Leyendecker Arrow Collar illustration with frame by Walter Dorwin Teague. Image from Pinterest.

Teague left commercial advertising work in the mid-1920’s. He set off for Europe to study the new modern styles. While there, Teague became familiar with the work of the Bauhaus at an exposition in Italy. From this point forward his work would be influenced by Le Corbusier and the Bauhaus. After returning to the United States, Teague entered the industrial design field. His first major commission came from the Eastman Kodak Company. Teague designed a number of cameras for Kodak. The Bauhaus style is very evident in the Kodak 1A Gift Camera (1930) and the less expensive Beau Brownies (1930 – 1933).

Kodak Beau Brownies. — Kodak Beau Brownie No 2A in shades of brown and No 2 in black and maroon (1930 -1933). From the collection of the author.

Teague continued designing for Kodak into the mid-1930’s. His crowning achievement for the company came with the exceptionally designed Kodak Bantam Special of 1936.

The Kodak Bantam Special, 1936, with its original box. Image from http://kodak.digitalfx.tv.

By the early 1930’s Teague became one of the top industrial designers in the United States. This put him in the ranks with Norman Bel Geddes, Raymond Loewy and Henry Dreyfuss. During this period some of his other clients included Sparton Radio and Texaco.

Walter Dorwin Teague’s 566 “Bluebird” radio for Sparton, 1936. This model is in the collection at the Corning Museum of Glass. Author’s photo.

Teague rendering for the prototype Texaco service station, 1936. Image from NC University.

He began exhibition work with the Ford Pavilion at Chicago’s 1933-1934 Century of Progress Exposition.

Roof of Safety exhibit inside the Ford Building, Century of Progress 1933 – 1934. Image from https://chicagology.com

Globe in the Court of the World, Ford Exhibit at the Century of Progress. Image from https://chicagology.com

As a result of his work in Chicago, Teague continued his association with Ford. He created their exhibit at the 1935 California Pacific International Exposition in San Diego. The following year, his Texaco exhibit proved to be a popular attraction at Dallas’s Texas Centennial Exposition. For the New York World’s Fair Teague’s exhibit work included commissions from Ford, United States Steel and National Cash Register.

Teague’s Ford Cyclorama at the 1939 New York World’s Fair.Image from https://designhistorylab.com

Working in collaboration with Edwin Fuerst for Libbey Glass they created the Embassy pattern. The glasses engraved with an eagle and stars were used at the Federal Building at the New York World’s Fair. Glasses without the engraving were sold to the public. These are very collectible today.

Walter Dorwin Teague and Edwin Fuerst glass in the Embassy pattern for the 1939 New York World’s Fair. This glass is in the collection at the Corning Museum of Glass. Author’s photo.

While Teague was busy putting the final touches on several exhibits at the 1939 New York World’s Fair, House Beautiful honored him with a feature on his apartment. To read the article click on the magazine cover below.

January, 1939 issue of House Beautiful.

Driving for Deco

We will drive anywhere to find great Art Deco.

Category Archives: Walter Dorwin Teague