my favorite set of dishes at home are some that i’ve wanted for a very long time, the Franciscan Starburst:
i DID finally manage to snag a huge, full set in a liquidation sale, and probably paid a third of what they were worth. very thankful for that.
BUT.
before that.
when i would just browse eBay and sigh, listlessly and dishlessly.
i found a more affordable set that was similar, the North Star line from Salem China:
i found an affordable set of 4 with some extras on eBay and bought it right away. in searching for additional pieces to fill out the set, i saw several posts included an odd name — Viktor Schreckengost — and nothing else really about him.
so i looked into it.
Viktor Schreckengost is a prolific artist from Ohio — potter, sculptor, designer, inventor… you name it. in fact, you likely have something he designed in your home, or something inspired by it (i.e., copying it). if you don’t now, you most certainly did growing up.
i won’t go into his whole development as an artist, but his story is incredibly fascinating. you can read about him in detail in these two books (which are often cheaper on eBay than on amazon): Viktor Schreckengost and 20th Century Design, and Viktor Schreckengost: American Da Vinci.
designs and inventions
Jazz bowl
he’s most known for the Jazz Bowl, an iconic and defining piece of art deco style. it was a punch bowl made on commission for a woman named Eleanor, who just so happened to be married to the President of the United States, as Viktor would later find out. she was thrilled with it, and it really put Viktor on the design map.
he designed many other high-end art deco pieces, such as these lamps on eBay currently for $895 and $1600.
sculpture
his art deco design and pottery experience gave us some beautifully styled sculptures. some meant for the home, some with political statement, and some so large they’ve become city landmarks for Cleveland, Ohio.
technical illustration
Viktor believed good design was about how something worked, which included what it looked like. existing things could be made sleeker, more attractive, safer, more efficient.
one example of this philosophy was his design of the first cab-over-engine semi truck. semis were restricted to a particular length from nose to rear. with the cab-over design, the storage area could extend up to the back of the cab, creating more storage space. over time, this extra space saved shipping costs and increased revenue, particularly on liquid tankers. not only that, it was a good looking truck.
here’s sketch of his concept, which quickly became the most widely used style semi for decades (you still see flat-front cabs like this in Europe):
not all his drawings were for industrial design purposes. you can still see his technical drawing skills at work, even in these artistic landscapes:
industrial design
Viktor was a gifted inventor, using his creativity to solve problems, maximize efficiency, and create delight in everyday situations. besides the cab-over-engine semi above, Viktor also improved a printing press design, developed a radar detector for the US Navy, and more.
but he also brought his delightful efficiency to homes all across America. Viktor had a philosophy that everyday things owned by thousands or millions of people could still be both beautiful and affordable. his many lines of dining ware are a result of this passion.
while working for Murray (of bicycle and lawnmower fame), Viktor designed the “Beverly Hills” lawn chair. who didn’t have one of these chairs in their backyard growing up?
many of these chairs still exist and are in daily use, not to mention the many knock-offs and reproductions.
Viktor molded the seat by laying out a slab of clay with plastic over it and asking fellow Murray employees to come sit on it for five or ten minutes. hundreds of people sat on the clay, each receiving a token for a drink from the company commissary. the diversity of derrière warmed the clay and gave it a generic shape over time. this was then used to mold the metal seats. he said it was designed “for bottoms, by bottoms!”
he also designed pedal cars, bicycles, and lawn mowers for Murray.
he made sure to design the pedal planes so that their wingspan was less than three feet — so kids could ride indoors and go through standard residential doorways! great for the kiddos, maybe not so much for mom.
about his bicycle designs, Viktor said he wanted a bike that looked like it was moving fast, even when it was standing still.
definitely America’s most beautiful bicycle. look at this:
i would love to have one of these in that condition.
if you want to see more of his work, just search for his name and click around. i highly recommend the two books mentioned above. here’s a great article with some nice summaries as well.
Viktor passed away in 2008 at 101 years old, but his legacy endures. you very likely have something in your home (or garage or yard or attic) that Viktor Schreckengost either designed himself or inspired. if you do, i’d love to see it! i know mom and dad have a Murray Mercury bicycle in the garage.
and of course i have the Salem North Star dishes. come over some time, and we’ll have coffee in them while we talk about Viktor, design, and the Creator of everything.
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