Drawer Pull c. 1936

Curator: Immediately I think "treasure"! Tiny treasure... Like something pulled from a dollhouse, not a regular house. Editor: That’s a fun association! Actually, what we're looking at is a design rendering for a “Drawer Pull” from around 1936 by Philip Johnson. The drawing combines pencil and colored pencil work. Curator: It has such a specific patina. I love the slight discolouration of the gold. You just know how it would feel to touch; slightly cool, smooth. Tell me, was Johnson thinking of mass production or bespoke elegance when he drew this? Editor: Great question. Well, during the 1930s, design—including things like drawer pulls—often considered both. Designers were keenly aware of the means of production. Was the intent here a single handcrafted piece, or for wider distribution via machine manufacture? The artist also uses different perspectives on this same model of a puller. That choice reflects their exploration and careful planning. Curator: The precision is fantastic. Those cross-sectional and orthogonal views make this so exact and specific. Did he actually use it himself, I wonder? In his "Glass House" maybe. A single decorative flourish amidst all that hard, cool glass! Or, wait, was it designed FOR the glass house? It looks to me like a botanical pattern cast in old gold, not modern and sleek at all. Editor: The piece does stand apart from much of Johnson’s architecture, although I would stress it shows a certain concern with industrial replication. But, given it predates the full realization of his minimalist style, it is difficult to ascertain whether it has indeed been mass produced. Its detailed depiction underscores that relationship between conception and materiality. Curator: That’s the delight in it! The hand in the industrial. So different from Johnson's hard steel and glass. A delicate moment amidst larger ideas. A touch. It is beautiful work. Editor: Yes. An intriguing design—particularly thinking of that intermingling between handicraft and factory that underpinned the artistic ambitions of this particular moment. Thank you for those thoughtful comments!