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Teague – Design and Beauty: DVD review

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 –

 

 

cars for the Marmon Motor Car Company –

 

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 –

 

 

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.

 

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.

 

 

Senior and Junior Teague, 1930s.

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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)

Vanished New York City Art Deco: The Trylon and Perisphere – Part Two 1939 – 1941

Opening day, looking down Constitution Mall toward the Trylon and Perisphere.

April 30, 1939, Opening Day. Looking down Constitution Mall toward the George Washington Statue and the Trylon and Perisphere from the Court of Peace. (Photo by Fox Photos/Getty Images)

 

The Theme Center

A diagram detailing the different parts of the "Theme Center".

Diagram showing the different parts of the “Theme Center”. Image from NYPL Digital Collections.

 

The above diagram details all the parts that comprise the Theme Center.

1. The Perisphere; 2. The Trylon; 3. Entrance; 4. The escalators; 5. The two revolving platforms; 6. Democracity; 7. Bridge connecting the Perisphere to the Trylon; 8. The Helicline.

 

Entrance

Each day the Theme Center stayed open for 12 hours, 10:00 A.M. to 10:00 P.M. A door at the base of the Trylon lead to the Perisphere. Tickets could be purchased at booths near by. From there one passed through turnstiles into a very modern, aluminum lined lobby. Straight ahead the two largest escalators in the world (in 1939) carried visitors up to the Perisphere. When reaching the top one stepped onto the rotating platform that transported them around the Perisphere.

 

Ticket booth and Theme Center entrance.

Seen in the background is the ticket booth and entrance to the Theme Center. Samuel H. Gottscho photograph from the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection.

 

Turnstiles at the Theme Center.

Guard collecting tickets at the Theme Center turnstiles. Image from NYPL Digital Collections.

 

Theme Center lobby.

Theme Center lobby and escalators. The escalator on the left is for the upper platform of the Perisphere. Image from NYPL Digital Collections.

Democracity

Opening day and the Theme Center was ready to receive visitors. Once inside the Perisphere fair goers gazed down at Democracity as if floating in space.

 

Gazing at the future. Two models look down at Democracity.

Two fashion models look down at Democracity from the upper platform. Image from Vogue Magazine, May 1, 1939.

The souvenir program for the Theme Center, Your World of Tomorrow,  describes Democracity like this:

This isn’t “the city of the future.” It isn’t a blue print of a dictated city . . . It’s a symbol of a way of living – not meant to be followed in detail.

Yet you can start to build this city tomorrow morning . . . There are no trick materials, no imaginary machines.

“Here,” said the designer, Henry Dreyfuss, “is a center built in greenery, with a perfect traffic system – and surrounding it, separated by a green belt, are industrial and residential towns – and all these towns, with the businesses and social section at the center, together constitute Democracity.”

It’s hard to get used to the idea, because we think of cities stopping abruptly where the country begins. But Democracity only makes sense if you remember that it covers about 11,000 square miles – about 8 million acres – and is inhabited by a million and half people who live in 70 different towns. The farms, the residential towns, the industrial towns and the social and business center, each depending on all the others, all of them together are Democracity.

Your World of Tomorrow, Copyright, 1939, by Rogers-Kellogg-Stillson, Inc.

 

The front cover of the souvenir program Your World of Tomorrow, 1939. From the collection of the author.

One of the most memorable parts of the exhibit were the”living murals” projected on the dome inside the Perisphere. The Fair’s Special Project Director, Fred Waller, conceived the plan for these images. Multiple, synchronized Eastman Kodak projectors provided the seamless effect.  A decade later Waller invented the widescreen movie system Cinerama. R.C.A. provided the sound system. Famed radio newscaster, H. V. Kaltenborn read narration for the exhibit. The stirring music was composed by William Grant Still.

 

Artists drawing of the inside the Perisphere

Artist conception inside the Perisphere, showing Democracity and the projected visions and stars on the dome. Image from mcny.org

 

Wurts Bros. photo of the interior of the Perisphere.

The interior of the Perisphere. Photograph details of Democracity and the two rotating platforms. Wurts Bros. photo from mcny.org

 

The Fair Board of Directors anticipated that the Theme Center exhibit would be one of the most popular attractions. Each rotating platform inside the Perisphere had a maximum capacity of 4,000 people per hour. With this in mind their attention turned to crowd control. In an effort to stem the crowds they decided to charge an admission fee. Ten cents seemed too little to really keep the crowds away. So twenty-five cents became the price. Even with an admission fee, Democracity still proved a very popular attraction.

 

Exit & Helicline

Erecting barriers at the entrance / exit points of the platforms forced visitors to exit after one rotation. Upper platform visitors descended a staircase down to the connecting bridge. The lower platform exited directly onto it. Because this was one of the highest visitor vantage points at the fair, it provided great photo opportunities. Often the bridge and the Helicline were crowded with visitors.

 

Visitors exiting from the Perisphere to the connecting bridge.

Patrons exiting from the upper and lower platforms of the Perisphere to the connecting bridge. Image from RIBApix.

 

Lower platform exit to the connecting bridge.

Detail of the bridge connecting the Perisphere to the Trylon from the lower platform exit. Image from NYPL Digital Collections.

 

Crowds looking at the fair grounds from the "Theme Center's" connecting bridge.

Crowds gathered on the Trylon and Perisphere’s connecting bridge. Image from Getty Images Gendreau Collection.

 

Fairgoers looking up Constitution Mall from the Theme Center bridge.

Fairgoers looking up Constitution Mall from the Theme Center bridge. Visible in the background is the Washington statute and the Federal Building. Image from Library of Congress prints and photographs division.

 

After crossing the bridge, visitors passed through the Trylon to the Helicline. The Helicline’s gently curve and slope provided a pleasant stroll back to the ground.

 

Very dramatic photograph taken underneath the Helicline.

Dramatic photograph from under the highest point of the Helicline. Wurts Bros. photograph from the collection of mcny.org

 

Fair goers exiting the "Theme Center" on the Helicline.

Fair goers exiting the “Theme Center” on the Helicline. Photo by ¬© Peter Campbell/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images

 

Visitors leaving the "Theme Center" via the Heilicline.

Another view of the Helicline and visitors leaving the Trylon and Perisphere. Photo by © Peter Campbell/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images

 

Once back on the ground and if needing a guide book or a map, a futuristic information booth was conveniently located under the Helicline.

 

The information booth beneath the Helicline.

The futuristic information booth beneath the Helicline. Image from the DVD 1939 New York World’s Fair, Volume 2, from the Historical Archive Corporation.

 

Day Time

Because the Theme Center was painted pure white, the Trylon and Perisphere stood out in stark contrast against all the buildings on the fairgrounds. And because of their enormous size the Trylon and Perisphere could be seen for miles around.

 

The Trylon and Perisphere as seen from Manhattan.

The Trylon and Perisphere seen in the distance from Manhattan. (Photo by © Photo Collection Alexander Alland, Sr./CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)

 

On bright sunny days the gleaming structures provided a visual guide post for fairgoers. Heading towards the Trylon and Perisphere, would lead one back to the center of the fairgrounds.

 

The morning sun shines on the Trylon and Perisphere.

Looking south down Constitution Mall toward the Trylon and Perisphere, gleaming in the morning sun. Image from mcny.org

 

Perylon Hall lower right with the Trylon and Perisphere in the background.

Late morning light on the Trylon and Perisphere. The curved wall with the mural of Perylon Hall is in the lower right of the photo. Image from mcny.org

 

North Corona gate with the Trylon and Perisphere in the background.

The Trylon and Perisphere looming over the transportation zone. In the foreground is the North Corona entrance gate. George B. Bader photograph from the collection of mcny.org

 

The Trylon and Perisphere from the Court of Communications.

Looking east from the Court of Communications to the Trylon and Perisphere in mid-afternoon. Image from mcny.org

 

The Court of Power with the Trylon and Perisphere.

Looking west from the Court of Power. Modern florescent light stands in the foreground. Entrance at the base of the Trylon can be scene in the background. Image from mcny.org.

 

Looking at the Theme Center from the Plaza of Light.

Sunset at the Plaza of Light. The Perisphere will soon be flood lighted for nighttime. Image from mcny.org.

 

 

Night Time

If the Trylon and Perisphere were spectacular in daytime, at night they became magical. The Trylon’s only illumination came from a series of small, red airplane warning lights. Banks of floodlights carefully aimed at the Perisphere transformed it into a huge, blue “planet”. Onto the blue lights, swirling clouds patterns were projected, this gave the illusion that the Perisphere was slowly rotating.

 

Night time at the New York Worlds Fair. Perisphere flood lighted at night.

A view of the sculpture ‘Speed’ by Joseph Reiner and the Trylon and Perisphere lit up at night. Photo by Sherman Oaks Antique Mall/Getty Images)

 

Paul Manship's "Time and Fates of Man" silhouetted against the Perisphere.

A view of the Perisphere lit up at night with the sculpture ‘Time and Fates of Man’ by Paul Manship in the foreground at the 1939 New York World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows, Queens, New York City, New York. (Photo by Sherman Oaks Antique Mall/Getty Images)

 

For special occasions the lighting scheme matched the event.

 

The July 4th lighting scheme.

July the 4th and the Perisphere is turned into a giant red, white and blue ball. Photo by Sherman Oaks Antique Mall/Getty Images)

 

Closing day of the 1939 coincided with Halloween and the Perisphere became the world’s largest jack-o-lantern.

 

The Perisphere greeted visitors on opening night of the second season.

 

Perisphere greets visitors on the opening day of the second season.

May 11, 1940. The fair opens for the second season and the Perisphere welcomes visitors. Image from NYPL Digital Collections.

 

Attendance did not meet expectations in 1939. So the fair board decided to drop the admission price from 75 cents to 50 cents. And with Europe at war, the theme changed from “Building the World of Tomorrow” to “For Peace and Freedom”. To make the fair more popular to the average person, attractions were added to the amusement zone and highbrow themes were downplayed. This made the Theme Center feel somewhat out of step with the fair’s new outlook.

 

Night time at the World's Fair.

The Perisphere, Trylon and the Westinghouse building are illuminated at the 1939 New York World’s Fair. (Photo by © Peter Campbell/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)

 

Demolition

October 27, 1940 the New York World’s Fair closed for good. Despite all the efforts to entice more visitors to the fair, because of the huge cost to build and run the exposition the fair ended in bankruptcy. While demolition started the next day, the Trylon and Perisphere remained intact until December. The razing of the Theme Center began on December 10, 1940. Since these were never intended to be permanent, even before closing day, the gypsum covered tiles were falling off. Workmen began removing the outer covering exposing the red steelwork for the first time in two and half years.

 

The Theme Center being demolished.

December, 1940. The Helicline is being dismantled. The gypsum covering on the Perisphere is just starting to be removed. Photo from Getty Images.

 

January, 1941

 

 

The scrap steel of the Theme Center went to the defense effort as the United States prepared for the possibility of war. By the end of April, 1941 nothing remained of the Trylon and Perisphere. The Fairgrounds became Flushing Meadows Park and the home of the United Nations just after the Second World War. The U.N. moved to their permanent Manhattan location in 1950.

Flushing Meadow Park, 1946.

April 4, 1946. One of the only remaining buildings of the 1939-1940 New York World’s Fair is the New York City Building in the Foreground. This building housed the United Nations from 1946 – 1950. The circular area to the center right is where the Trylon and Perisphere stood. Image from the Associated Press.

The park never reached its potential and became a bit shabby. A second World’s Fair in 1964 – 1965 turned the tide for Flushing Meadow – Corona Park.

 

The Unisphere on the site of the Trylon and Perisphere.

Symbol of the 1964 New York World’s Fair, the Unisphere. Built on the site of the Trylon and Perisphere. (Photo by James P. Blair/National Geographic/Getty Images)

After the closing of the second world’s fair in 1965, Flushing Meadow became the park Robert Moses envisioned back in 1935. Today the New York City Building is the only remaining structure of the 1939 World’s Fair. Housed inside of it is the Queens Museum which displays souvenirs and artifacts from the fair. And that is the only way we can experience the 1939 New York World’s Fair and the Trylon and Perisphere.

 

Anthony & Chris.