What could this be?

MoDiP has the kind of collection that you may think you are very familiar with. We have objects which we all use every day, and some pieces which are more unusual.

By looking at this distorted image are you able to guess what the object is? What do you think it could be used for?

Post your answer in the comments below or to find the answer click here and you will be taken to the MoDiP catalogue.

Louise Dennis (Assistant Curator)

BXL photographic archive #0112

In 2010, MoDiP was donated a large archive of images relating to a single company. Bakelite Xylonite Ltd, also known as British Xylonite Ltd or BXL, was possibly one of the first British firms to successfully manufacture a plastics material in commercial quantities. The company was established in 1875 and after a long history went into liquidation in the late 2000s. The images we have in the collection are concentrated around the 1960s through to the 1980s and show us glimpses of the manufacturing process, products and the company’s employees during this time. We plan to share an image each week to give a flavour of the archive. If you want to see more you can view the whole collection on our website.

This week’s image shows two fuel tanks.

To get a better view of the image and find out more have a look at it on our website http://www.modip.ac.uk/artefact/bxl--04411

We are still working on the documentation of the archive, some of the images we know more about than others. It would be fantastic if we could fill in some of the gaps in our knowledge, if you know anything about the company or specific images it would be good to hear from you.

Louise Dennis (Assistant Curator)

Did you know? #49

Did you know that all of our past exhibitions are available online?
Beastly designs

Animals have evolved over thousands of years to maximise the potential of their most defining characteristics, for example the long grasping fingers and arms of an ape, the coiling of a snake, the far reaching, curving neck of the brontosaurus, the streamlined aerodynamics of birds, and arguably, the poise, elegance and adaptability of the human form.

Plastics have become capable over the last hundred years of greater transformation in form, feel, strength and colour than any other material group.

This exhibition explores the near infinite transformability of plastics through ways in which designers working in plastics have exploited the distinctive features of animals to enhance the functionality of products. The objects are not simply creatures in miniature, but practical purposeful products. Either the entire animal or a part of it has been utilised in design to fulfil a useful function that enhances a product through association and often also brings an element of humour.

The exhibition also explores aspects of bio-mimetic design and demonstrates the potential of plastics to imitate luxury materials derived from animals and, thus, how plastics help to save endangered species.
 
Louise Dennis (Assisant Curator)

A different view #40

There are many ways to look at the objects in the MoDiP collection.  With this series of posts I want to highlight the interesting views of objects that we may ordinarily miss.  These include the underside of an object, the surface pattern, or traces of manufacturing processes.

Title: Vari-form Pyramid
Designer: Hilary Fisher Page
Manufacturer: Kiddicraft
Object number: AIBDC : 007278

Louise Dennis (Assistant Curator)

Guess the object

MoDiP has the kind of collection that you may think you are very familiar with. We have objects which we all use every day, and some pieces which are more unusual.

By looking at this distorted image are you able to guess what the object is? What do you think it could be used for?

Post your answer in the comments below or to find the answer click here and you will be taken to the MoDiP catalogue.

Louise Dennis (Assistant Curator)

BXL photographic archive #0111

In 2010, MoDiP was donated a large archive of images relating to a single company. Bakelite Xylonite Ltd, also known as British Xylonite Ltd or BXL, was possibly one of the first British firms to successfully manufacture a plastics material in commercial quantities. The company was established in 1875 and after a long history went into liquidation in the late 2000s. The images we have in the collection are concentrated around the 1960s through to the 1980s and show us glimpses of the manufacturing process, products and the company’s employees during this time. We plan to share an image each week to give a flavour of the archive. If you want to see more you can view the whole collection on our website.

This week’s image shows cereal packaging.

To get a better view of the image and find out more have a look at it on our website http://www.modip.ac.uk/artefact/bxl--0622

We are still working on the documentation of the archive, some of the images we know more about than others. It would be fantastic if we could fill in some of the gaps in our knowledge, if you know anything about the company or specific images it would be good to hear from you.
Louise Dennis (Assistant Curator)

Did you know? #48

Did you know that all of our past exhibitions are available online?


Plastics for gold 

Plastics are the most used group of materials in the world yet they are seldom given a second thought. This exhibition focuses on plastics in relation to the London Olympic and Paralympic Games. It explores how plastics can contribute to sporting achievement and the part they have played in aspects of London 2012’s sustainability agenda: especially the commitment to deliver a zero waste games, to foster multiculturalism, and to inspire people to take up sport and develop active and healthy lifestyles.

Louise Dennis (Assisant Curator)

A different view #39

There are many ways to look at the objects in the MoDiP collection.  With this series of posts I want to highlight the interesting views of objects that we may ordinarily miss.  These include the underside of an object, the surface pattern, or traces of manufacturing processes.

Title: Hurricane Grip clothes pegs
Designer: Ivor Langford
Manufacturer: Technical Moulded Systems
Object number: AIBDC : 004740

Louise Dennis (Assistant Curator)