Silver to Steel

de Rachel Delphia, Jewel Stern

"This comprehensive book examines the work of celebrated modernist industrial designer Peter Muller-Munk, an international leader in his field during the mid-twentieth century. This groundbreaking book situates Peter Muller-Munk (1904-1967), a German émigré to the U.S., among the most influential designers of his generation. It presents the untold story of a man who rose from anonymity as a young silversmith at Tiffany & Co. to become a crucial postwar designer, promoting the practice of industrial design across the globe through one of the top design consultancies in America: Peter Muller-Munk Associates (PMMA). This generously illustrated book begins with Muller-Munk's remarkable Art Deco silver and provides new context for his best-known designs: the streamlined Normandie pitcher and Waring waterfall blender. But the revelation comes in his previously undocumented work: memorable products like cameras, radios, cocktail shakers, power tools, and refrigerators; and total environments for gas stations, international expositions, and mass-transit vehicles. Muller-Munk's prestigious clients included Bell & Howell, Westinghouse, U.S. Steel, Texaco, and Schick. This compelling overview of Muller-Munk's life and impressive legacy is punctuated by colorful case studies of his firm's contributions to wide-ranging aspects of mid-century life"--