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RW Syracuse Archives Research

 

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In November of 2007, I traveled to Syracuse, New York to research the Russel Wright Collection, which is housed in the Special Collections Research Center in the Syracuse University Library. The purpose of this research was to gather information on Russel, which would primarily used to develop content for an exhibition that I am co-curating on Russel's designs for the San Francisco Airport Museum. The working title for the exhibition, "The Dialog of Dinnerware: Selected Designs of Russel Wright-1928 to 1965" is slated to open in March 2009. For months prior to my visit, I worked closely with Nicolette Dobrowolski, Reference and Access Services Librarian, to compile my request to access specific boxes from the collection, which was needed for my research.

 

My objective to focus on dinnerware designs which I had a number of questions that had been unanswered. Some of these questions were proposed in some of the books written by the late author Ann Kerr who has done an admirable job of publishing a number of collector's guides on Russel Wright. With only three days to perform this research, I looked forward with great anticipation in seeing the thought process, personal notes, and unpublished works of this great American industrial designer. The results of some of my research can be found on this page.

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The Russel Wright Collection:

Overview of the Collection

 

Creator:    Wright, Russel, 1904-1976.

Title:      Russel Wright Papers

Inclusive Dates:    1931-1965

Quantity:     60.0 linear ft.

Abstract:     Papers of the American industrial designer. Business records (1931-1964) pertaining to clients including American Cyanamid Corporation, Casein Company of America, Cornwall Corporation, and General Electric Company; architectural drawings, articles, lectures, book manuscripts, photographs, consumer and trade surveys, 1943-1959; clay, plaster, and paper models; and scrapbooks of clippings.

Language:     English

Repository:     Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Library

 

The Russel Wright Collection

 

 

Sample of Images from the collection

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Ideas, Features, Requests:

 

Casual China:

 

Butter Dish Movie Concept:

Follow Up Research Items

1. Look for additional/cross references for Yamato Glassware (Try to determine if Yamato orSchmidt outsourced the manufacturing)
2. Try to find copy of Circus animal brochure
3. Look for lady of the future, 1939 World's Fairs picture showing RW designed bracelet.
4. Follow up on Familyware design.

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