Farenheitor Bottle Cooler c. 1961

Curator: Here we have the "Farenheitor Bottle Cooler" designed around 1961 by Peter Schlumbohm. It's made of glass, cork, and wood and is a piece that resides here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Editor: Instantly, I'm getting a sense of relaxed mid-century cool. The shape feels ergonomic, almost begging to be held. What kind of story do you read in those materials, the glass and cork meeting so harmoniously? Curator: The materials themselves carry inherent symbolic weight. The glass offers transparency, vulnerability almost, and in many cultures signifies purity, whereas the cork and wood imply organic stability, something grounded. Combined, you get the essence of leisure. The glass presents the pleasure of what is inside - presumably something delicious to drink- protected by the rugged practicality of the cork. It’s quite symbolic of postwar American lifestyles blending practicality and optimism, in the Space Age era, that were expressed at parties and get-togethers.. Editor: Space Age but grounded, that's a great take. It's got those simple lines and practical feel, yet you could imagine it fitting perfectly on a Mad Men set, couldn't you? Do you see that playing into a wider design ethos from that time? Curator: Precisely. Post-war American design trends, for example, frequently used simple, honest lines, and naturally found materials—like these to communicate unpretentious, honest, values, which were understood across many American sub-cultures. Here the cooler isn’t hiding its construction. You are invited to behold its unadorned essence, its materials presented quite nakedly! You may think back to what was going on with design and culture: industrial innovation and folks who valued practical sensibilities. The era was defined by rapid cultural expansion with increased consumption coupled to material realities after years of restraint, something Schlumbohm certainly echoes through the glass meeting a protective skin that allows a little pleasure to breathe! Editor: Well, you've made me thirsty for the social dynamics and aspirational design. Now, all this talk of cork and function is making me think this should go on my own dining table! Curator: Right? In design the useful object gains importance that extends well beyond merely its utilitarian properties to become a mirror that allows an expression of one's social aspirations, something for our consideration.