Football!

On the 7^th July I went to my first ever football match.  Many members of my family have been regular supporters of our local team, and others, over generations but I am not a fan of ball sports preferring those with wheels and often engines too.  However, the Women’s Euros are on, and a number of matches have been hosted at St Mary’s Stadium, the Southampton FC ground so I decided to go with my Mum and sister to see what all the fuss is about. 

St Mary’s Stadium. Image credit: Louise Dennis.

The match was Norway vs Northern Ireland and despite the stadium being a third full the atmosphere was fantastic not least because the ‘Green and White Army’ supporters were full of excitement that the Northern Ireland team were playing their first ever match in a major tournament.

 The Northern Ireland supporters.  Image credit: Louise Dennis.

Of course, as Curator of MoDiP I felt it my duty to do some ‘plastics spotting’ whilst I was there.  The first thing that struck me was the sea of red stadium seating.  (I explored stadium seating in a previous blog post which I wrote after enjoying the Le Mans 24hourrace).  

A panoramic view of a sea of red stadium seats.  Image credit: Louise Dennis.

This time instead of fixed seat pads, the stadium is filled with flip up seats which are made up of a separate seat pad and back rest mounted on a spring-loaded metal frame.  This allows the seat pads to rise to the vertical position, providing more space when spectators are standing or passing each other, and to offer a drier surface as the rain doesn’t pool on the chair.  It is likely these chairs are made of polypropylene; MoDiP has a different kind of stadium seat in the collection also made of this material and is the same type as that used at the London 2012 Olympic games.

A close look at the seats. Image credit: Louise Dennis.

As with many venues we were not allowed to take in our own food and drink.  I was looking forward to the traditional ‘pie and a pint’ but it was a hot evening so opted for a soft drink instead.  On purchase the bottle cap was removed.  This happens for a few reasons, often falling under health and safety protocols.  A full bottle with its cap on can make a heavy and dangerous projectile which could be thrown a distance and potentially cause injury to players or spectators.  Without its lid, liquid will leave the bottle on being thrown, it will lose momentum and weight during its journey, making it less of a threat if it were to hit someone.  Alternatively, if a lidded bottle is dropped on the floor, it will maintain its shape as its liquid or air contents cannot leave.  The rolling bottle could then become a slip hazard if anyone were to stand on it.  Without the lid, the PET bottle will be squashed under foot and will not roll, it is therefore much safer.  The museum has a lamp in the collection made with discarded bottle tops from a football stadium.

A lidless bottle. Image credit: Louise Dennis.

Interestingly, we were handed flags and clappers made from natural materials such as paper, card, and wood rather than single use plastics which is sensible as it will reduce the plastics waste (but not the overall waste) generated by the tournament.  However, my Mum waved her flag with such enthusiasm it didn’t even last the whole match as it started to tear along the stick end.  The flag flying outside Southampton’s Civic Centre, probably made of polyester or nylon, was luckily faring better in the breeze.

Two flags. Image credit: Louise Dennis.

I did enjoy the game which had a final score of Norway 4 – Northern Ireland 1.  Most of the goals were scored at our end, so we saw a lot of the action.  I don’t know if I will go to another football match, but I certainly have a new appreciation for the game.

MoDiP has lots of objects which relate to football, including kits, balls, and shoes all of which can be found on our website.

Louise Dennis, Curator of MoDiP

Revisit the 80s in Memphis: Plastic Field

A new exhibition at the MK Gallery in Milton Keynes (02/12/20 – 12/09/21) explores work from the influential 1980s design movement, Memphis.

Memphis designers with Masanori Umeda's Tawaraya Bed, 1981.  
Image credit: Studio Azzurro. Courtesy Memphis Post Design Gallery.

The Memphis Group was founded in December 1980 by Italian designer and architect Ettore Sottsass. It brought together a group of young, international designers, united in their desire to inject humour into the design world and challenge contemporary notions of functionality and taste. Their work was colourful and geometric, drawing inspiration from the Pop Art, Bauhaus and Art Deco movements to create an entirely new aesthetic. 

'Carlton' by Ettore Sottsass, 1981. Memphis Milano Collection. Bookshelf in plastic laminate. 
Image credit: Aldo Ballo, Guido Cegani, Peter Ogilvie. Courtesy Memphis Srl. 

Prioritising the sensory quality of an object over its function, they used materials like plastic laminate, traditionally used in kitchens and bathrooms, to produce high-end furniture such as ‘Carlton’, a bookshelf room divider designed by Sottsass in 1981 (seen in the image above), and ‘Lido’, a sofa designed by Michele De Lucchi in 1982 (below).

'Lido' by Michele De Lucchi 1982. Memphis Milano Collection. Sofa in plastic laminate.  
Image credit: Studio Azzurro. Courtesy Memphis Srl.

Whilst their designs experienced limited commercial success at the time and were often derided by critics, the collective’s influence has had a lasting cultural impact despite only being active for eight years. Only ever intended to be a deliberate, passing fad, Memphis disbanded in 1988 with many of the group going on to become established names within the field of international design. MoDiP has examples represented within the collection from the former members Michael Graves, Alessandro Mendini and George Sowden, as well as objects inspired by the movement, which can all be viewed on request. My favourite, which I think captures the essence of the Memphis style, is this Zolo toy building set dated to 1998.

Zolo creative building set, AIBDC : 001325.  
Image credit: MoDiP

The Memphis: Plastic Field exhibition celebrates a revolutionary moment in the history of design and features over 150 lovely objects. Apparently, some of the group’s early laminate pieces occasionally contain mosquitoes, which had unfortunately become embedded within the composite material during manufacture at Lake Como, Italy. When I visit, I might just take a magnifying glass with me to go bug hunting as well as plastics spotting!

Katherine Pell, Collections Officer.

My plastics at home: part 3

Another year, another lockdown so obviously time for another My plastics at home blog!

I was thinking about the last blog we had written in this series where each member of the museum team had chosen a plastics object from home that was important to them in some way. It suddenly occurred to me that there is another object that I use on an almost daily basis that has proven invaluable over the years, but being so familiar I had not recognised its significance until today. It is my trusty travel mug – see image below.

My Aladdin travel mug
(image credit: Katherine Pell)

It was purchased for a few pounds at a local discount shop, about sixteen years ago when my first child was born. I heeded the advice given to me by my maternal grandmother that you should get out of the house at least once every day with young children, regardless of the weather. For me, as much as for my daughters, each morning I would pack up the pushchair for an adventure. As well as the nappies, wipes, milk and snacks (once they had started weaning), I always made sure I had my coffee ready to go in this amazing, totally leak-proof cup. Being so impressed by it, I went on to purchase an additional one in blue for my husband.

Mine and his

(image credit: Katherine Pell)

Made of injection moulded polypropylene, the insulated double wall construction is designed with silicone banding running all the way around the exterior for grip, alleviating the need for a handle. The lid has a repeated pattern of two indented circles to assist with screwing and unscrewing and contains two (yes, two) rubber seals that ensure this mug is 100% reliable.

Unwashed mug and lid!

(image credit: Katherine Pell)

Although they are a bit battered now, these mugs are still going strong and have accompanied us on our many travels around the country, as well as the daily (sometimes twice daily) dog walk, the school run and the (pre-covid lockdown) commute to work. By reusing them we do not have to buy a drink whilst out and about; saving us money and reducing our impact on the environment. They have never failed us and I have yet to find their equal despite acquiring many alternatives that, despite claims to the contrary, all end up leaking. Usually in my bag.

Perhaps best of all, my fabulous plastics travel mug reminds me of a stylised stormtrooper! Or is that just me?

Katherine Pell
Collections Officer

Material value – Christmas tree

As Curator of MoDiP, I find myself talking a lot about the understanding of the material value of plastics. That is to say, showing that the material family is not made up of ‘cheap’ materials that do not matter, or that are made into inconsequential objects that can be thrown away without thought. We hear so much about the disposability of single-use plastics and how they are bad for the environment but we do not hear so much about how objects are reused. The reuse of plastics objects that are designed to have a long life is vital to make sure that their material value is realised.

At this time of year many families will be debating the environmental difference between a real Christmas tree and an artificial one. According to an Independent article from last year:

• A natural two-metre Christmas tree that does not have roots and is disposed of into a landfill after Christmas produces a carbon footprint of around 16kg of CO2.
• A two-metre tree that has roots and is properly disposed of after its use — by burning it on a bonfire, planting it or having it chipped — has a carbon footprint of around 3.5kg of CO2, four and a half times less.
• On the other hand, a two-metre Christmas tree made from plastic has a carbon footprint measuring at around 40kg of CO2, more than 10 times greater than a properly disposed of real tree.

Therefore, if you have an artificial tree, you would need to use it for at least 10 years in order for its environmental impact to equal that of a responsibly-disposed natural tree.​ That is, if it has been built to last that long. (Barr 2019)

There are many artificial trees that will not last very long because their construction or the materials that are used to create them are not robust enough to withstand being put up and taken down multiple times. My Mum’s tree, on the other hand, has been going strong for at least 35 years, if not more, this is the only tree that I remember. By continue to use it, my Mum has certainly got her money’s worth, and more than the materials’ environmental spend was worth out of this plastics object.

The four feet slot into a central core which has a hole in the middle for the trunk. The trunk itself is in two pieces and has a metal sheet curled round to give strength. It is finally topped off with a cone shape of mini branches.

I love the moulded detail at points where it will be seen e.g. the base of the finial, at the branching points, and the base of the trunk. Where the trunk is less visible the detail of bark is less sophisticated.

The branches each have a letter denoting into which branching layer they should be placed.

The tops of the branches have more ‘needles’ than the underside and each of the ‘needles’ are like a mini tree in themselves with a two-tone green effect giving depth to the branches. Going up the tree the branches get smaller to create a lovely, smooth, conical shape.

The finished article is a handsome tree with enough space between each layer of branches for baubles, lights and tinsel.

Like many families, the decorations on the tree have personal meaning. My Mum’s tree will always have this little polystyrene spaceship and lorry. They may not seem very Christmassy on first glance but I believe they represent the toys you might find under the tree. They have always been there and would be sadly missed if they were not there.

From a material value point of view, this 1980s tree has proved its worth by being taken apart and put away safely each year, only to come out the next year to be put back together. It has had dogs’ tails wagged against it, cats have been up it, and house rabbits have nibbled it and yet it still looks as if it has many years of life left in it. It would be great to hear your stories of your family’s artificial tree. Do you have an older tree? Or even the same tree? What about other decorations that come out each year?

All images very kindly taken by my sister, Sarah Dennis, as I haven’t been able to visit the old tree… I mean my Mum recently.

Louise Dennis, Curator of MoDiP

Reference

Barr, S., 2019. Are artificial or real Christmas trees better for the environment? [online]. The Independent. Available from: https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/christmas/christmas-tree-real-living-artificial-plastic-environment-carbon-footprint-a9235551.html [Accessed 30 Nov 2020].

 

My plastics at home: part 2.

As we are now in the second coronavirus lockdown, I thought it would be interesting to re-visit the My plastics at home blog series. The MoDiP team are all working from home for some, if not all, of the week (staff involved in tasks that require access to the collections continue to come onto campus), so I decided to ask everyone to contribute. The brief was to send me a picture of a favourite plastics object from home, with a brief description of what the object is and why they chose it. This is what we came up with:

Professor Susan Lambert, MoDiP’s Chief Curator

I have known this little swan all my life. It is a soap dish that floated in my bath when I was a small child in the late 1940s. I re-met it when I was clearing out my mother’s house some fifteen years ago and now it puts a smile on my face every day. It appeals to me because it provides such a succinct lesson in plastics manufacture. It was made in England for Gantoy and is a relatively early example of injection moulding. The gate – the point at which the plastics enter the moulding tool – can be seen clearly on the back of the swan’s head. And, manufactured in three parts with the wings snap-fitted to the body, it demonstrates an early example of a form of fixing unique to the plastics materials group.

Doctor Louise Dennis, MoDiP’s Curator

My object is an acrylic desk sign given to me by my colleagues. The sign is made up of three sections: a base with a stepped slot cut into it, a wide opaque black back panel, and a smaller clear front panel. The front panel has the words ‘Dr. Louise Dennis, Museum of Design in Plastics’ laser etched into it so that the semi-translucent, almost white letters stand out against the black back drop. The sign means a lot to me because it represents a long journey and a lot of hard work, which all came to a conclusion during lockdown when I have not been able to celebrate my achievement. Being called Dr. makes me giggle every time, it seems so surreal, I must learn to get used to it and this sign will help me do just that.

Pam Langdown, MoDiP’s Documentation Officer

During lockdown, in particular, I seem to have spent quite a lot of time in the kitchen, trying to come up with something interesting for dinner. One of the things I use almost daily is this green colander, made from injection moulded polypropylene by Mepra of Italy. I bought it some years ago and I have the feeling that it will be one of those kitchen tools that will be with me for many years to come. I have three colanders in my kitchen cupboard but this is the one I prefer. I like it for its simple, uncomplicated design. It is the one I pick up in preference to the others. The choice of material means that it doesn’t require ribs for strength, so there are no nooks and crannies created in moulding that hold onto stray soap bubbles and make it difficult to dry after washing, and the drain holes are small enough that strands of spaghetti don’t sneak through. Its’ tripod arrangement of feet means that it is stable and, coincidentally, they are spaced just the right distance apart that it fits into the half sink and stays put without toppling over when I drain vegetables or pasta. It has frequently been used to transport freshly picked tomatoes, raspberries, herbs, and salad leaves etc. from the garden to the kitchen. And, inverted, I think it has even been used for kid’s dressing up as some sort of head gear. I predict that it will be in my kitchen cupboard long after other things have fallen by the wayside, and all for the price of a couple of cups of coffee. What a bargain.

Julia Pulman, MoDiP’s Digital Communications Officer

This Elizabethan collar (the cone of shame) that my dog is seen wearing in this picture is made from low-density polyethylene. It is flexible enough for him to lay his head down and sleep whilst being stiff enough to restrict his range of movement so that he is unable to worry his bandaged foot. It has air holes to help with ventilation, is transparent to aid vision and navigation and wipe-clean for hygiene purposes (especially useful after meals!). Despite the fact that my dog looks a little unhappy wearing this plastics object, it really did help with his recovery and he has now returned to his normal self.

And, as for me…

Katherine Pell, MoDiP’s Collections Officer

As Bakelite was once marketed as the material of a thousand uses, I feel this object should be promoted as one that will save a thousand arguments. Certainly in my house anyway. I bought this Tangle Teezer hairbrush for my daughter about ten years ago and it is still going strong, albeit a little battered. The soft polyester ‘teeth’ are arranged in alternate rows of longer and shorter lengths, which bend and flex to detangle the hair without pulling or tugging (or screaming!). The injection moulded, polypropylene body is ergonomically shaped to fit comfortably in the palm of the hand. It was designed by a British hairdresser, is made in the UK and has won numerous awards since its launch in 2007. I have calculated that ours has so far been used over 7000 times!

Katherine Pell, Collections Officer, MoDiP.

My plastics at home: part 1.

Inspired by a blog written by Carla Flack, Sculpture and Installation Art Conservator, Tate, I decided to investigate some of my own plastics at home, to see if I could identify what materials they are made from and (hopefully) find out more about their history. For my first object, I selected this toy piano and stool (see image below), both pieces from a collection of doll’s house furniture originally owned by my Aunt. 

Image ref: A doll’s house piano and stool.
Image credit: K. Pell

I started by examining MoDiP’s online guide to Identifying Plastics. I find this a really useful resource that provides a list of potential materials based on the answers to a series of questions. You can narrow down the possibilities by considering things like when the object was made, what it looks and feels like and whether it has any distinguishing marks.

Image ref: Ejector pin marks (created when the warm moulding was released from its mould) on the bottom of the piano.

My original guess of 1950s polystyrene seemed to bear out: the piano is extremely lightweight, brittle, creates a ‘metallic’ sound when tapped and has visible injection moulding marks underneath (see image below).

It is also possible to see the gate (where the molten plastic entered the mould) and how the material flowed – excuse the colour discrepancies in my photography!

Image ref: (left) the injection moulding ‘gate’, (right) the gate is at the bottom of the photo and you can see how the material flowed into the mould.
Image credit: K.Pell

Next, I wanted to find out more about who had made the object and, rather conveniently, they had signed their name on the sheet music (see image below). An online search resulted in my finding an article written about Kleeware by Percy Reboul, published in the Plastiquarian, the journal of the Plastics Historical Society.

Image ref: The piano was made by Kleeware.
Image credit: K.Pell

I was able to ascertain that this company was founded in 1938, initially producing cellulose acetate combs and phenol and urea formaldehyde ashtrays using the trade name Kabroloid and later, Kleeware. They made radio components for the Ministry of Defence during WWII and afterwards expanded their range to include small toys and dolls which were sold to Woolworths and exported around the world. In 1959, the company was sold to Rosedale Plastics, a rival toy manufacturer.

I also found some great advertisements including these two below, referencing the actual plastics materials used in the production of these toys.

Image ref: (left) 1949 advert for Kleeware doll's house furniture, (right) 1952 advert for the British Industries' Fair
Image credit: https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/O._and_M._Kleemann and https://www.planetdiecast.com/index.php?option=com_myblog&show=kleeware-in-pictureshtml&Itemid=2435

It seems that plagiarism was common amongst toy manufacturers in the immediate post-war years and many, including Kleeware, were known to have ‘borrowed’ designs from other companies. That makes it particularly difficult to try and identify information when they did not brand their products. I am so glad my Aunt looked after her toys so well, preserving the paper sheet music that could so easily have become detached and which provided a vital clue.

If you would like to try and find out some more about your own plastics objects, why not start with MoDiP’s curator’s guide, which explains what plastics are and how to go about identifying them. We’d love to hear how you get on. 

Katherine Pell, Museum Collections Officer.

 

References:

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Y95laWk98uoC&pg=PA206&lpg=PA206&dq=the+kleeware+story&source=bl&ots=VN8nVjN8Ip&sig=ACfU3U1GzUYo33KrQw4VQ7o1Uc3Bb2NJIw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiwmJiY-sTpAhUHXMAKHe2gAK4Q6AEwBnoECAoQAQ#v=onepage&q=the%20kleeware%20story&f=false

http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1158797/doll-kleeware/

https://www.dollshousespastandpresent.co.uk/Magazine/Issue-21-June-2014/Page-8

https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/O._and_M._Kleemann

https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Rosedale_Associated_Manufacturers

https://icon.org.uk/groups/modern-materials-network/icon-mmn-blogs

https://www.modip.ac.uk/projects/curators-guide/identifying-plastics

http://www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/671193.6.1

https://www.planetdiecast.com/index.php?option=com_myblog&show=kleeware-in-pictureshtml&Itemid=2435

http://plastiquarian.com/

https://www.usdimestore.com/