Iconic Product Design

An Illustrated History of the World's Most Innovative Devices

Wolfgang Joensson

• Publisher: Skyhorse
• Year: 2020
• eBook ISBN: 9781510761629
• Topic: Design
• Subtopic: Fashion Design

You will undoubtedly recognize quite a few of the products featured in this book—the Coca-Cola bottle, the Wester & Co pocket knife, the Kitchen Aid mixer, the Le Creuset Dutch oven, the Weber grill, the Bic cristal pen, the Rolodex address file, Kikkoman soy sauce bottles, the Kodak Instamatic, the Polaroid SX-70, the SONY Walkman, the Apple MacIntosh, and the Dyson air-multiplier. Maybe they were part of your childhood or represent your ideal in design; certainly, they will evoke a sense of the familiar. Iconic Product Design is an engaging and accessible presentation of the history of product design, providing an extensive catalog of the most memorable product designs of the past 150 years. More than 130 remarkable product designs from all areas, including household appliances, everyday objects, furniture, entertainment technology and office equipment, are presented in this collection. Accompanying the images are well-researched and charming vignettes about each product, with amusing insights and fun tidbits of information about its time and place. Each one informs how design has been influenced by changes in technology, science, and society. While these products were considered innovative at their inception, all have withstood the test of time and many are still, remarkably, in use today. ? Iconic Product Design is a comprehensive collection of iconic product design objects, chronologically organized from the beginning of the Industrial Revolution to the present. Each spread of this richly illustrated book showcases the author's representation of the chosen design, expressing its essence and capturing its spirit. In the introductory text, he shares his concept of the term iconicity to help the reader understand what makes these products stand out and why they are considered icons today.

Iconic Product Design

One of the earliest examples of industrial design. Produced for centuries in Stoke-on-Trent, this British teapot combines remarkable functionality with an archetypical design. Made of Staffordshire clay, which is said to retain heat particularly well, it features a non-drip spout and a bulbous form that allows the tea leaves to swirl and steep properly. Every detail has proven for generations to produce the best possible tea, an intrinsic part of British lifestyle. The unchanging brown glaze serves to hide tea stains and looks good after generations of use. The designer of this plain but robust object, as well as its name’s origin, remain unknown.

Brown Betty Tea Pot

Great Britain 1695

Come hell or high water, these boots will keep your feet dry. The first Duke of Wellington had no idea what would happen when, in the early nineteenth century, he told his shoemaker to improve the boots worn by Hessian soldiers. Decades later, a businessman bought the rubber patent from the tire maker Charles Goodyear, made those boots waterproof, and opened a French company to manufacture Wellington Boots. The so-called “Wellies” were particularly appreciated by soldiers trying to prevent trench foot on the battlefields of World War I. Combining a rugged outdoor style and the cachet of adventure the Wellies continued their success around the world.

Rubber Boots

France 1852

Hiram Hutchinson (American-British)

How to make a curvaceous sculpture from a tree? Cut it into strips, lathe them, then bend those over steam around a form. The result is ingenious and an example of beauty and practicality. Unassembled, three dozen chairs fit into a single box. To allow spilled liquids to drain quickly, woven cane material was used for the seat. This made it perfect for Austrian coffee houses, hence its nickname Wiener Kaffeehausstuhl. At a time of mostly oneoff furniture, this one was notable for its serial production process. No other product better marks the beginning of industrial design.

THONET

Chair No. 14

Austria 1859

Michael Thonet (German-Austrian)

To contain fizzy liquid without losing pressure, you need a tight seal. In this bottle, a glass marble pushed up by the pressure of the carbonation does the trick. The red rubber ring and the glass intuitively express that function. To pop the top, you merely had to push down the marble with your thumb. Only problem was kids loved to smash the bottle and play with the marble.

HOPE GLASS WORKS

Mineral Water Bottle

United Kingdom 1873

Hiram Codd (English)

A bottle with dimples makes it easier to grasp when pouring a dram or two. This functional advantage also gave character and a strong image to this elegant form, so much so that the brand of whiskey sold in the bottle adopted Dimple as its own name. It is distinctive also as being the first bottle shape to be patented in the United States.

DIMPLE

Whiskey Bottle

Scotland 1890

unknown

Fold it away. That’s what you can do to reduce the risk of cutting yourself with an open knife blade. Add a corkscrew to open that bottle of wine, and you have a very practical and extremely versatile tool. A limitless variety of models has been launched, but the basic idea remains—a useful, handy, and quality utensil right there in your pocket.

WESTER & CO

Pocket Knife

Germany 1890

unknown

A pleasing ergonomic handle, sculpted from wood, a simple twist-lock, et voilà!—a tool so emblematic of French culture that it has become the generic name for any wooden-handled knife. Unchanged for more than a century, this vital utensil is found not only in many households, but also in workshops of craftsmen and artists. Even Pablo Picasso sculpted with it, proving that perfection can be truly inspiring.

OPINEL

No. 10 Knife

France 1897

Joseph Opinel (French)

The brush feels soft in the hand, and its smooth curve...

Table of contents

• Front Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Acknowledgments
• Design Creates Memories
• What Makes Products Iconic?
• Iconic Product Design
• About the Author
• List of Designers
• List of Manufacturers
• Bibliography / Sources