-Circa '70- Mixing spoon c. 1960

Curator: Oh, look at this – a drink mixer that oozes sophistication. It's -Circa '70- Mixing spoon, made around 1960 by Donald Colflesh. The sleek lines and mixed materials of metal and wood really capture the era. Editor: First impression? Elegant, almost absurdly so. It's like something out of a futuristic space age film set in the '60s. A bit too shiny to actually get my hands dirty, you know? More of a statement than something you would use to really mix a drink. Curator: Perhaps that’s the charm! Colflesh seems to be riffing on domesticity while elevating it into a kind of art object. The wooden handle and spoon, juxtaposed with the reflective metal pitcher, make a statement about mid-century aspirations, don't they? It really has an amazing feeling of sleek functionality! Editor: Sleek, definitely, but functional? I'm wondering about the labor that went into this. I wonder about the assembly line, the folks shaping the metal, and whether there was some kind of collaboration of handcrafts that’s often invisible. Who gets credited, and whose labor goes unnoticed? Curator: Well, seeing it displayed here removes it a little from the kitchen sink drama, don't you think? Makes it glow as an iconic form. But to bring in the making: It’s curious to consider how a design, supposedly conceived for everyday use, can transcend its original purpose and become a celebrated design object. Almost as if use-value transformed by skillful marketing or branding. Editor: I agree! And perhaps it even says something about aspirations toward luxury that went into consumer habits from that time period. Makes me wonder about accessibility—who could actually afford a mixer like this, and what does that imply about taste, class and social mobility. It's really the silent narratives, you see? Curator: Absolutely. It’s almost bittersweet, viewing it now. It serves both as a testament to forward thinking design as well as a moment where consumerism, class and access come sharply into focus. Editor: Agreed. I see a beautiful, though somewhat freighted, relic of design ambition, material labor, and class aspiration all poured together, metaphorically speaking, like ingredients waiting to be mixed.