The Article on ‘ Obsolete objects some time ago left me a lot to think about. I wondered why there are some objects that have disappeared, whereas others have survived throughout all eternity. And in some cases not exaggerating in saying that are used for centuries.
It may be that some objects are passed to a better life because we have changed our habits? It may be that is the fault of the evolution of man? Certainly we live in slow motion, Since we are in, but maybe all this change looks much the passage from the stone age to the bronze. How long is you don't write a letter to a friend or a postcard from the resort? How long is that it does't say “holiday resort (villeggiatura)“? :)
Another great example of cataloging for future memory objects become obsolete is the german Museum Of Obsolete Objects. Responsible for this project is the communications agency Jung Von Matt, established in Hamburg, as other has taken the trouble of cataloging and filming the objects that made history, with explanation about the origins and history, peppered with a beautiful minimalist graphics that makes you want to learn and to play on.
From 1860 with the Inkwell up a prediction on 2015 for the mouse… We'll see. Remain stationary points, at least for what I am concerned, type the book that continues to be one of those objects that, regardless of the content, involves vision and touch and olfaction returning so much.
What are objects that survived to the time and to the innovations and are released unharmed? The following list is composed of products that are born from experimentation conducted on the material dictated by necessity. The true rock star Immortals of design they resist to the simplicity of the realization or the choice of the most suitable material to ’ use and especially because they remain linked to dexterity, the constant need that man has to interact with objects to perform actions.
Safety pin
The most classic example of good design. Functional, economical and inspired by practical necessity. What better way to design? The original project is a New Yorker named Walter Hunt that sick of little strength of pins decided to invent a better system to fix the heavy fabrics. The original patent “dress-pins” included several forms, all very modern and very decorative occurrence. This ingenious invention decidedly evergreen all other declensions from jewel the vintage clasp diapers mothers and kilt.
For those wanting to learn more about inventor there is wikipedia.
Scissors
The first time I remember I saw a pair of scissors classic steel was at home of an aunt, in sewing Cabinet. Here's another example of an object that has changed over time often form, material, color and size, It is so perfect for its use, which is used in various fields from use Home, to tailoring. Regarding the history of this subject, we can say that the ancestors of the scissors modern are the shears and that the mechanism was completely different from modern object.
The earliest examples date back to the’Ptolemaic Egypt dating 300 a. c. and also from’Roman era and until 1761 have not changed much then. At least until English Robert Hincliffe that in 1761 founded the first factory at Sheffield launching large-scale production. Wikipedia.
The bottle opener
Which is the best friend of a French waiter? Obviously the corkscrew waiter’s friend or sommelier knife. Invented by the German Karl Wienke the project of 1882 remained nearly unchanged over time due to its convenience, perhaps the time has added a small retractable blade to cut the plastic that seals the bottle and the cap. In time this simple lever mechanism was copied from various companies who have studied different declensions in material as in functions added, but the original model continues to collect big successes not only among collectors and workers in the sector but also among household.
Puzzle
We believe? The puzzle comes in 1766 with the purpose of educating young minds to the knowledge of geography. The inventor is the London John Spilsbury from manufacturer of maps had the intuition to paste a map on a wooden board and then cut the individual countries along its borders with a hacksaw. At the dawn of the Great Depression the puzzle became a pastime for all ages and for all social classes with a wide variety of subjects from art to photography.
It's today? I don't know about you but I have a nice box of 5000 pieces on the table… with a nice map of the world hand drawn. The photo comes from here.
Clothespin
The Shaker are the inventors of many of the things we use every day, their design is so innovative that is widely distributed and loved by so many generations that still today You can find it in circulation. The success of the objects and furniture invented by Shakers is simplicity that becomes a form essential but perfectly useful for the purpose for which it was invented. The clothespin for the role is the same as the expression of this thought, with a spring in the middle to hold tight and tie wire.
Despite this presentation I will say that there are no reliable sources on the origin of this very subject since the patent was not recorded in the priorities of the religiosissima sect of Shakers. We know for sure that in the early 1850 in the United States were filed several patents with several variations on the theme. As regards the plastic We must thank the Italian Mario Maccaferri that in 1944, in full employment, have the time to register the patent.
Metro
In every house there is one, regardless of whether the children of workers o children of Architects all have a Pocket meter (or a meter in wood which bends zigzag). Wanting To today You can use laser gauges, they are certainly more accurate but equally expensive and not very versatile if you need to know how far a small mobile. In these cases the metro Pocket reigns unchallenged through the project of James Chesterman logged in 1821 and marketed for the first time in the United States in 1842.
The original design included a ribbon of fabric with printed measuring notches and a leather pouch with a coil springs for rolling. The photo comes from here.
Wooden blocks to learn to read
Maggie Simpson, and so we always play all the children of the world for several generations. Today, as then, all children Learn to recognize the letters or the numbers with these small colored wooden cubes with embossed images to stimulate touch as well as the view. The first company to produce educational cubes was the American Uncle Goose, the found here if you make a vintage gift to your children!
Whistle by referee
Croce e delizia of much of Italian women who each sunday, with occasional midweek round, are forced to sorbates the evil sound. This is just an example of how design remains unchanged in time, the original project is of 1884 and its inventor, John Hudson, He had already experimented in the making of the famous whistle British police and, given his great success in the field of security decided to try even in the field of sport. The sounds produced by these two types of whistle is very different because for two different uses performative .
Crown Cap
It is for the beer or ’water in glass bottle is always current and widely used, more durable than plastic. The history of the Crown Cap, or Crown Cork, starts in 1891 When they realized that the carbonated sodas were not long in time. Many bottles not sealed properly carbon dioxide lost or deteriorated when the liquid came into contact with the metal to quantitatively oxidize mercury and making inbevibile the content.
William Painter added the stopper to Crown a thin layer of Cork with a sealant coating making functional and then an immortal project simple both to produce and use. Americans in the years 60 invented a screw-on version that today we can see the work on import beer bottles.
Waribashi chopstick
Japanese chopsticks had already spoken in this article where he explored the possibility of intervention on the original project. When you go in a Japanese restaurant at your table you will find, in addition to tiny food, wooden chopsticks, a little’ anonymous without any decoration, wrapped in paper, perhaps with the restaurant's name printed above. The term waribashi, for those who know the Japanese already suggest the first action, means detachable and come in about 1970 during the period of Meiji Restoration. Again, for those who know the history of Japan, means a period of major renovation cultural and social, a time when the changes are almost on the agenda. For lovers of manga this historic moment can be summed up in the animated series Haikarasan ge Tooru author Waki Yamato ….
Although the history of chopsticks waribashi finds its roots even in scintois religiontto purity that places the center of its ideology (that's why disposable). Unfortunately when it comes to lie ahead for Japan waribashi dark moments, the challenge of the new generations will also solve the problem of excessive costs cheap but above all ecological due to the high consumption of wood and its relative disposal.
The Meccano
What if you tell me a story that English meat importer, Frank Hornby, has delighted generations of children and dad and future designer half world? In 1901 Hornby invent the Meccano for their children, moved from childhood passion to build something useful and fun at the same time. Today the Meccano is a game a bit dated, few know him and a few we have played but the generation of 50/60 years (my parents) even if you remember, and still remember the screams furious if a piece strayed.
The original package contained metal components such as screws, nuts and bolts to hold together and colored bars perforated sizes, the original name of the “Toy” was Mechanical engineering for all (Mechanics Made Easy) and I do not imagine a more appropriate name for this considering that approached the small (and not only) the principles of’mechanical engineering making it easy and natural l’learning of the same.
To learn more there is Wikipedia.
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