Books Received

by M.A.D. Staff

These are thumbnail reviews of books recently sent to us. We have included ordering information for publishers that accept mail, phone, or on-line orders. For other publishers, your local bookstore or mail-order house is the place to look.

Streamlined Irons by Jay Raymond (Streamline Press, 2008, 196 pp., hardbound, $70 from Streamline Press, [www.streamlinedirons.com] or [215] 887-5467).

Streamlined Irons is an art book about a 20th-century household appliance. Raymond makes a good case for streamlined irons as icons of the machine age. In terms of streamline design he puts them on a par with aircraft, locomotives, and automobiles.

Irons were ideal for streamlining. Industrial designers made them appear as if they would glide over fabric, removing wrinkles effortlessly. Ask any laundress, though, and she will tell you that was not always the case.

This book displays the beauty of the objects that Raymond spent 30 years collecting, but he has given us more than a picture book of seductive photographs by two artists, James B. Abbott and Jay Texter.* This is also a history book, documenting almost every streamlined iron made in the U.S. Raymond also includes a short picture history of the earliest electric irons "because they express worthy visual qualities of their own. And because they are ancestors of the streamlined generation (part of their genetic material, if you will), an understanding of streamlining is made richer by seeing them."

Raymond wrote this book after New Jersey collector Buck Carson agreed to buy Raymond's collection on the condition that he write a book about it. Knowing that the 200 irons that once filled all the shelves in his ranch house near Philadelphia would soon be transferred to the special gallery that Carson had built for his vast collection of 3000 irons from around the world, Raymond had the deadline he needed to accomplish what he had wanted to do for years.

After quickly recounting the evolution of the iron in the pre-electric era, Raymond shows the transition from early electric irons to the streamlined ones. He reminds us that the first use of electricity in residential settings was the light bulb and that the first electric irons were equipped with light bulb socket adapters. The light bulb had to be unscrewed and the iron screwed in, so all ironing had to be done in the daytime.

The problem was that before 1910 electric companies did not supply electricity to homes during daylight hours. The first electric iron listed for sale in a Sears catalog was in the fall of 1910, indicating that electric companies were catching on to the needs of housewives. Electric appliances were soon eagerly embraced.

Electric irons had a clear advantage over flat irons or sad irons ("sad" meaning dense or heavy) heated in the stove, and though they were much more expensive, they sold well. The market matured in the 1930's, and the design of the iron changed for good. Raymond writes that the transition from early nickel-plated electric irons to the chrome-plated classics with Bakelite handles "reflected a nexus of market forces, technological improvements and what was in the air…namely, streamlining."

Raymond analyzes streamlined irons the way a sculptor teaches an art class, applauding the sleek curves and grading every element of its streamlining: the body, the handle, and the control knob, all of which add to the sense of speed. He illustrates the two decades of Art Deco irons that preceded streamlining (1915-34)—the best known is General Electric's Moderne of 1934—then shows how other companies smoothed out the profiles for streamlined silhouettes. Each iron gets its own page.

The American Beauty, made by American Electrical Heater Company, Detroit, Michigan, did not change its design for 19 years from 1939 to 1958. The chrome Petipoint with Art Deco fins and a duck-like tail was made by the Edmilton Corporation, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from 1941 to 1947. The Universal, made at about the same time by Landers, Frary & Clark for Montgomery Ward, takes its place in the fashion show of irons that seems like watching so many ducks swimming down a river. According to Raymond, no firm matched the variety of designs produced by Knapp-Monarch, St. Louis, Missouri; most of its designs are distinctive, and some are among the very best.

The need to store water for steam changed the shape of irons, but some preserved the qualities of streamlining. The Steam-O-Matic Corporation made some notable examples with a hammered finish of cast aluminum and a handle that suggests smoke puffing from the stacks of a steamship. Some prewar steam irons appear to be postwar minimalist.

The collection represents virtually every streamlined iron made in the United States but not all of those made in Europe, Canada, and Australia. Raymond illustrates only a few non-U.S. models but shows that streamlining was indeed an international style. He calls one from Australia "the 1949 Cadillac Club Coupe Fastback of irons."

The index to irons at the back of the book gives the dates and designers of all the streamlined irons and their relative rarity. Raymond, who taught for a short time at the Barnes Foundation, has spent the last five years working hard to keep it in Merion, Pennsylvania, as a historic house devoted to one man's way of looking at the art in the first half of the 20th century. Barnes called his book The Art in Painting. Raymond, using his Barnes Foundation approach to teaching, has written the book that explores the art in streamlined irons.

L.S-C.

* Texter and Abbott have made large-format art prints suitable for framing. Some of the prints were exhibited in March at Silicon Gallery in Philadelphia, and they are available from the gallery for $300 to $600, depending on size. See (www.silicongallery.org) or call (215) 238-6062.

Leon Kelly: An American Surrealist, with essay by Martica Sawin (Francis M. Naumann Fine Art, LLC, 2008, 102 pp., hardbound, $45 from Gratz Gallery & Conservation Studio, [215] 862-4300 or [www.gratzgallery.com]).

This book was compiled to accompany two concurrent exhibitions of the works of Leon Kelly, one held at Gratz Gallery and Conservation Studio in New Hope, Pennsylvania, and the other at Francis M. Naumann Fine Art, Ltd. in New York City (see exhibitions column in May 2009 M.A.D. for more information). Martica Sawin's essay provides a scholarly look at an artistic life that because of a "reclusive disposition" ended in "comparative obscurity." Sawin discusses the artists and circumstances that influenced Kelly's surrealistic style, which often featured insects, birds, nudes, and extraterrestrial beings.

One section of this catalog contains his full-color paintings, and another features his drawings. A detailed chronology of Kelly's life written by Francis M. Naumann concludes the book. Photographs from Kelly's life provide insight into his personal and professional life.

Antiques at Auction in America by Dorothy Hammond (Antique Collectors' Club, 2009, 288 pp., softbound, $25 from Antique Collectors' Club, [413] 529-0861 or [www.antique-acc.com]).

This is the 26th edition of Dorothy Hammond's guide to auction prices. This year the book has a new name, but the format will look familiar. It includes over 4000 items (and color photographs) from 23 auction houses during a 12-month period (the precise dates of the sales are not included). The auction houses are listed in the front with contact information, and just the auction house names are listed with the items, along with actual prices and brief descriptions. Categories include all the major areas of antiques that you would expect to find in M.A.D., plus a large catchall chapter at the end. Each chapter has a brief introduction, and the glass and pottery sections begin with reference guides to company names and terminology. As with all auction price guides, it is important to remember that the circumstances of the auction can greatly affect prices.

Vintage Smoking Stands: Uncovering an American Folk Art Treasure by Cheryl Alpert, Claire Savitt, and Joel Neuschatz (Xlibris, 2009, 159 pp., softbound, $48.99 from Xlibris, [www.xlibris.com] or [888] 795-4274).

In March 2006 Joel Neuschatz ran an ad in M.A.D. (reproduced in this book) with a photo of three "silent butlers" or smoking stands and a headline asking "Who Are These Guys?" The ad brought together the authors of this book, who combined their resources to put together this publication. In the introduction they explain that they want smoking stands to be recognized as "true examples of artistic creation, falling somewhere in the spectrum of Folk Art, Outsider Art, and Americana."

The authors' quest for more information about these quaint pieces of woodworking generated a few interesting stories of men and children making them in their garages or woodworking classes. Examples of patterns and patents for making the stands are included, as are over 100 photos of various stands. The authors hope to continue their research on smoking stands and to generate a greater awareness of them.

The Mosaics of Louis Comfort Tiffany by Edith Crouch (Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 2009, 308 pp., hardbound, $99.99 from Schiffer Publishing, [www.schifferbooks.com] or [610] 593-1777).

The author begins this book with a look at the life and creative enterprise of Louis Comfort Tiffany. Then she discusses the mosaics that influenced Tiffany's designs and techniques and gives background information on how many pieces came to be created. Brief biographies of Tiffany Studio artists are accompanied by photos of their work. Subsequent chapters highlight Tiffany mosaics as installed on location in private residences and in public and religious institutions, and the final chapter shows Tiffany-designed decorative objects such as lamps, jewelry, and panels.

Richly illustrated with color and vintage black-and-white photographs, the book includes a chronology of Tiffany's life, appendices listing the locations of Tiffany mosaics and Tiffany's New York studios, a glossary of mosaic and glass terms, endnotes, a bibliography and list of references, and an index.

Steel- and Toolmaking Strategies and Techniques before 1870 by H.G. Brack (Pennywheel Press, 2008, 145 pp., softbound, $22 from Pennywheel Press, [www.davistownmuseum.org] or [207] 288-5126).

Using a large body of documented sources, H.G. "Skip" Brack explores the world of steel- and toolmaking beginning in ancient times in northern Turkey and along the Black Sea circa 1900 B.C. He follows the development of the European and Chinese iron ages, shows the evolution from medieval to modern times, and discusses the technical innovations that led to the Industrial Revolution in England and the U.S. Included is a time line of events that pertain to this survey and an extensive bibliography. Other books in the "Hand Tools in History" series are available on the Davistown Museum's Web site, as is a complete bibliography from each volume.

Small Arms of the British Forces in America: 1664-1815 by De Witt Bailey, Ph.D. (Mowbray Publishing, 2009, 376 pp., hardbound, $59.99 from Mowbray Publishing, [www.manatarmsbooks.com] or [800] 999-4697).

Those who are interested in the small arms used by British forces in North America during the French and Indian Wars, the American Revolution, and the War of 1812 now have a new resource at their disposal. This comprehensive guide contains information gathered during more than 40 years of researching the records of the Board of Ordnance, the War Office, and the Colonial Office. The foreword was written by Alan J. Guy, director of the National Army Museum in London. Weapon descriptions are accompanied by black-and-white photographs of the guns and inset details of marks and mechanisms. The 20 chapters discuss various aspects of weapon manufacture and use and are followed by 18 appendices that cover a variety of information, a glossary of terms, a bibliography, and an index.

Popular Fiction Periodicals: A Collectors' Guide to Vintage Pulps, Digests, and Magazines by Jeff Canja (Glenmoor Publishing, 2009, 380 pp., softbound, $29.95).

This revised second edition (the first was published in 2005) begins with brief histories of the different genres of American popular fiction periodicals, followed by a chapter with valuation tips and a black-and-white gallery of cover art arranged alphabetically by artist. A price list for specific issues is arranged in alphabetical order and includes both black-and-white and color illustrations and other pertinent information for determining value, based on actual retail sales. Four appendices contain lists of author pseudonyms, resources, titles, and illustrations. The book also features a bibliography, an author index, a cover artist index, and an illustrator index.

The American Fraternal Sword: A Reference Guide Illustrated by the Joseph Marino & James Kaplan Fraternal Sword Collections by John D. Hamilton, Joseph Marino, and James Kaplan (Mowbray Publishing, 2008, 247 pp., hardbound, $79.99 from Mowbray Publishing, [www.manatarmsbooks.com] or [800] 999-4697).

American fraternal societies have used swords in their ceremonies since the 18th century. This guide, arranged by fraternal organization, illustrates in color nearly 600 swords along with closeup photos of details. The swords come from the collections of two of the authors. Seven appendices offer information ranging from society mottoes to sword nomenclature. The book includes a directory of makers, organizations, and insignia.

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