A different view #15

Please note: MoDiP will be closed for the whole of June due to refurbishments in the library.
 
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:Juicy Salif juicer
Designer: Philippe Starck
Manufacturer: Alessi
Object number: AIBDC : 0_2355

Louise Dennis (Assistant Curator)

Did you know? #22

Please note: MoDiP will be closed for the whole of June due to refurbishments in the library.

Did you know that Airfix have been producing model kits since 1952?

The company was founded in 1939 by Nicholas Kove.  At this time he was manufacturing air filled rubber toys.  He switched to producing plastic combs after the Second World War. He was the fist manufacturer in the UK to introduce an injection moulding machine.

The first toy was a tractor, it was sold as a complete model, but over time the company realised that they could sell more toys and a cheaper price if they were sold in kit form with self-assembly instructions.

The famous Spitfire model was first introduced in 1953 and is still popular today.

This example in the MoDiP collection is from 2014.

Louise Dennis (Assistant Curator)

Art in the Garden

The other day I had a pleasant walk around Sir Harold Hillier Gardens in Hampshire.  It really is a fabulous garden with lots to see, especially at this time of year with the Art in the Garden exhibition.  This exhibition sees sculptures placed throughout the gardens including these two by Alison Berman, which caught my plastics spotting eye, made from fibre-glass and resin.

Rusty Deer, Alison Berman

Rusty Deer, Alison Berman

Twirling Dress I & II, Alison Berman

Louise Dennis (Assistant Curator)

BXL photographic archive #0086

Please note: MoDiP will be closed for the whole of June due to refurbishments in the library.
 
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 the GPO overseas mail office using sacks to protect parcels.

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--0154

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)

What is this?

Please note: MoDiP will be closed for the whole of June due to refurbishments in the library.

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)

Gas pipes

Please note: MoDiP will be closed for the whole of June due to refurbishments in the library.
 
I enjoy nothing more than plastics spotting on my way to work in the morning.  Due to new building works a gas pipe is being installed around the edge of the campus.  This process involves lots of plastics.  The gas pipe itself, the safety barriers, road cover, and one of the road signs in the image below are all made of plastics.

The yellow gas pipe is made of MDPE (medium density polyethylene).  This is a material which is lightweight, making it easy to manhandle and install, and non-corrosive, making it leak proof if installed correctly.

The safety barriers and road sign are made from HDPE (high density polyethylene) which mean that they are again lightweight and easy to put in place, they can also be recycled once they are no longer of use.

Lastly, the yellow cover allowing pedestrians to cross over the trench safely is made of (GRP) glass reinforced plastics a material which is lighter than a steel alternative, stronger than a wood plate, and with a anti-slip surface making it safer in the wet than both alternatives.

Louise Dennis (Assistant Curator)

A different view #14

Please note: MoDiP will be closed for the whole of June due to refurbishments in the library.
 
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: Mrs McGillvray's Scotch Apple Liqueur radio
Designer: Unknown
Manufacturer: Unknown
Object number: AIBDC : 0_2191

 Louise Dennis (Assistant Curator)