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"Kensington Ware" Stratford Compote

Designed 1934
Designed by Lurelle Van Arsdale Guild (American, 1898–1985) Made by Kensington, Inc. (New Kensington, Pennsylvania, 1934–1965; a subsidiary of Alcoa, Pittsburgh, 1888-present)
Fusing the beneficial qualities of aluminum with avant-garde forms turned objects like the Stratford Compote into powerful symbols of modernity. American industrial designer Lurelle Guild crafted the Kensington Ware line in the elegant Art Deco style, creating a series of products that conformed to the idea of “casual living” while embodying the machine-age aesthetic. According to The Story of Kensington (1955), this line covered a wide spectrum of functions including “decorative pieces that sparkle with originality” and “drinking appurtenances having that look of tomorrow that is demanded by the discriminating lot.”

Object Details

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