Stratoware covered pitcher
- MAKER:
Designer
Eva Zeisel ( American, 1906 - 2011 )
Designer
Manufacturer
Universal Potteries, Inc. ( American, 1934 - 1976 )
Retailer
Sears Roebuck & Company ( American, 1886 )
- DATE:
- designed 1941
General Description
Created for sale through the Sears mail-order catalogue, Eva Zeisel's Stratoware line of earthenware, which included this pitcher, was designed for the middle class market, which demanded "beauty, utility, and economy." The handles were integrated with the body for ease of manufacture and durability. The 1942 Sears catalogue said: "S_tratoware_ is as in key with modern living as the newest TWA Stratoliners. Distinguished ware that is practical enough for everyday. Two beautifully blended colors on every piece. Four air-minded trim colors: Horizon Blue, Flare Yellow, Wing Brown, and Airport Green. Body is contrasting San Diego Sand color.... Design created exclusively for Sears by the Industrial Design Dept. of Pratt Institute."
Adapted from
Charles L. Venable, China and Glass in America 1880-1980 (Dallas, TX: Dallas Museum of Art: New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 2000), 427.
Fun Facts
In 1942, twenty-piece Stratoware service for four sold for $3.29.
Adapted from
Charles L. Venable, China and Glass in America 1880-1980 (Dallas, TX: Dallas Museum of Art: New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 2000), 427.
Web Resources
Boeing ~ Learn about the Boeing 307 Stratoliner, the aircraft that inspired Sears and Roebuck's Stratoware line.