Contact: Victoria Lupica, 215-937-5424, victoria.lupica@phl.org
For Immediate Release: July 28, 2010
Visitors May Recognize Grandmother's Iron
in Airport Exhibit
Nostalgic irons are on display at Philadelphia
International Airport
Philadelphia — For nearly three decades, Philadelphia area collector Jay Raymond has been fascinated by streamlined irons – he has collected and studied them since the 1980’s. In 2008, Raymond published Streamlined Irons, a book that surveys these uniquely designed clothes irons manufactured between the 1930’s and 1940’s. Many of these nostalgic irons featured in the book are now on display in an exhibit of the same title at Philadelphia International Airport on the C/D walkway, post-security.
"It is fascinating to see all of these different clothing irons from days gone by," said Airport CEO Mark Gale. "This exhibit offers an interesting perspective into the evolution of a common household item."
Like aircraft, streamlined irons were based on the principles of aerodynamics - they were shaped to enhance the flow of air around them, increasing their ability to move more efficiently. It is their purposeful design and resulting aesthetic that made streamlined irons different from irons that preceded them.
As Raymond wrote in his book, "Prior to the 1930's, there were definite design trends, but none yet figured in the design of irons. Electric iron manufacturers had so far virtually ignored the Art Nouveau, Arts and Crafts and Art Deco styles that heavily influenced other design areas such as furniture making. But this all began to change in 1934, when General Electric introduced the Moderne."
Although part Art Deco and part streamlined, the Moderne represented, for the first time, an iron that was designed to be visually appealing and reflective of modern aesthetics.
Clothing irons are useful tools that are often overlooked as ordinary. Today, streamlined irons are rare, many are one-of-a-kind. Raymond's book and this exhibition of selected streamlined irons pay homage to a short-lived design phenomenon within the electric iron industry where beauty, artistry, and function were equally considered.
Philadelphia International Airport is owned and operated by the City of Philadelphia. The Airport is a self-sustaining entity that operates without the use of local tax dollars. It is one of the largest economic engines in Pennsylvania, generating an estimated $14.4 billion in spending to the regional economy, and accounts for more than 141,000 jobs within the region.
Visit the official Philadelphia International Airport website at http://www.phl.org
Back to
the News section. |
