Collection Highlights: From Sketch to Product
Many familiar designs began with an idea worked out on paper. Cooper Hewitt's collection includes many drawings that document the genesis of finished works of all kinds: textiles, wallpaper, furniture, mass-produced products for the office and home, decorative arts, and even fine art.
- Drawing, Design for "Triad" Chair
- marking pen on paper.
- Gift of Friedman Benda and Wendell Castle.
- 2013-34-1
- This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
- There are 2 images of this object.
- Triad Chair
- gilt fiberglass.
- Gift of Wendell Castle, Courtesy of Barry Friedman, Ltd..
- 2008-27-1
- This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
- There are 2 images of this object.
- Drawing, Design for a Painted Porcelain Cooler for Wine Bottle and Glasses
- pen and brown ink, brush and watercolor on cream laid paper.
- Museum purchase through gift of various donors and from Eleanor G. Hewitt Fund.
- 1938-88-8316
- This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
- There are 3 images of this object.
- Wine Glass and Bottle Cooler (Verrière et Seau à Liqueur; One of a Pair)...
- soft paste porcelain, vitreous enamel, gold.
- Museum purchase from Charles E. Sampson Memorial Fund.
- 1977-57-2
- This object was made by Sèvres Porcelain Manufactory.
- This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
- There are 2 images of this object.
- Collage, Textile Design: Ribbons, nos. 541-547
- colored tissue paper mounted on white tissue paper.
- Gift of Alexander H. Girard.
- 1969-165-256
- This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
- Sample, Ribbons
- 66% cotton, 34% linen.
- Gift of Alexander H. Girard.
- 1969-165-66
- This object was made by American Art Textile Printing Company, Inc. and Herman Miller Furniture Company.
- This object is part of the Textiles collection.
- There are 4 images of this object.
- Drawing, Assembly Perspective for Polaroid Automatic 100
- black, red crayon, pen and black ink, green pastel, blue ball point pen on....
- Gift of Henry Dreyfuss.
- 1972-88-357
- This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
- There are 3 images of this object.
- Swinger Model 20 Camera
- plastic, metalc.
- Museum purchase through gift of Neil Sellin.
- 1999-2-4
- This object was made by Polaroid Corporation.
- This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
- There are 3 images of this object.
- Drawing, Six Sketches for "Vivo in Typo" Poster with Rectangle Lower Left
- pen and black ink on white paper.
- Gift of Philippe Apeloig.
- 2014-34-3
- This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
- Drawing, Four Shaded Sketches for "Vivo in Typo" Poster
- pen and black ink, graphite on white paper.
- Gift of Philippe Apeloig.
- 2014-34-7
- This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
- Drawing, Layout Sketch for "Vivo in Typo" Poster with Text Block Upper Right
- pen and black ink on white paper.
- Gift of Philippe Apeloig.
- 2014-34-8
- This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
- Print, Sketch for Poster: Vivo in Typo
- digital print on paper.
- Gift of Philippe Apeloig.
- 2014-34-20
- This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
- Poster, Vivo in Typo, Affiches et alphabets
- screenprint on coated paper.
- Gift of Philippe Apeloig.
- 2013-16-2
- This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
- There are 2 images and 1 video of this object.
- Drawing, Tall Bee Vase
- graphite on stamped graph paper.
- Gift of Michael Izrael Galmer.
- 2015-38-11
- This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
- Drawing, Design for Tall Bee Vase
- graphite, brush and acrylic wash with metallic dust on white paper.
- Gift of Michael Izrael Galmer.
- 2015-38-10
- This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
- Tall Bee Vase Mold Mold
- molded rubber and plastic.
- Gift of Michael Izrael Galmer.
- 2015-38-3-a,b
- This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
- There are 2 images of this object.
- Vase with Bees and Flowers Vase
- silver, gold, amber, garnet, blue paua abalone shell.
- Gift of Michael Izrael Galmer.
- 2015-38-1
- This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
- Drawing, Design for an Ark Curtain, for Temple Rodef Sholom, San Rafael, CA
- brush and gouache on gold-patterned chinese paper.
- Gift of Mr. Eric and Mrs. Sylvia Elsesser, The Trude Guermonprez Archives.
- 1993-121-68
- This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
- There are 2 images of this object.
- Textile, Temple Rodef Shalom ark curtain trial
- silk, metalized plastic film wrapped around a viscose rayon core, and flat....
- Gift of Mr. Eric and Mrs. Sylvia Elsesser, The Trude Guermonprez Archives.
- 1993-121-5
- Drawing, Design for a Stereo Cabinet
- pen and black ink; black marker; brush and red-brown wash; graphite on white....
- Gift of Linda and Irwin R. Berman.
- 2005-9-2
- This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
- There are 2 images of this object.
- Chest For Stereo (USA)
- stack-laminated and carved walnut, metal, leather, stereo components.
- Gift of Linda and Irwin R. Berman.
- 2005-9-1-a/e
- This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
- There are 3 images of this object.
- Drawing, Design for Vegetal Chair
- photocopy, black marking pen on white wove paper.
- Museum purchase from General Acquisitions Endowment Fund.
- 2011-30-1
- This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
- There are 2 images of this object.
- Vegetal Chair Chair
- injection-molded polyamide.
- Gift of Vitra.
- 2010-41-2
- This object was made by Vitra AG.
- This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
- There are 4 images of this object.
- Drawing, Design for Egyptian Story Bangle Bracelet, for Gebrüder Hemmerle
- graphite, black ball point ink, crayon on off-white wove paper.
- Gift of Hemmerle.
- 2012-23-4
- This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
- There are 2 images of this object.
- Egyptian Story Bangle Bracelet
- carved pockwood, cut and polished turquoises and tsavorites, oxidized silver,....
- Gift of Fiona Druckenmiller.
- 2013-27-1
- This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
- Drawing, Design for Wineglass, 3rd Size
- graphite on tracing paper.
- Gift of Frederick G. Weisser.
- 1958-77-4
- This object was made by J. & L. Lobmeyr.
- This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
- There are 3 images of this object.
- Ambassador Sherry Glass
- mouth-blown crystal ("muslin glass").
- Museum purchase through gift of Georgiana L. McClellan.
- 1958-98-7
- This object was made by Karlsbader Kristallglasfabriken A.G. and J. & L. Lobmeyr.
- This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
- There are 3 images of this object.
- Drawing, Designs for Tall Flower Glasses, Ashtrays, Table Ornament
- graphite on tracing paper, lined.
- Gift of Frederick G. Weisser.
- 1958-77-1-a
- This object was made by J. & L. Lobmeyr.
- This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
- There are 2 images of this object.
- Ambassador Vase
- mouth-blown crystal ("muslin glass").
- Museum purchase through gift of Georgiana L. McClellan.
- 1958-98-9
- This object was made by Karlsbader Kristallglasfabriken A.G. and J. & L. Lobmeyr.
- This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
- There are 2 images of this object.
- Drawing, Preparatory Drawing for Botanica VI Vase
- graphite on paper.
- Gift of Studio Formafantasma.
- 6842.3.2014
- This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
- Drawing, Preparatory Drawing for Botanica VI Vase
- graphite on paper.
- Gift of Studio Formafantasma.
- 6842.4.2014
- This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
- Drawing, Preparatory Drawing for Botanica VI Vase
- graphite on paper.
- Gift of Studio Formafantasma.
- 6842.5.2014
- This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
- Botanica VI (Nepenthes Villosa) Vase
- dewaxed shellac, bois durci (sycamore wood and egg albumen), beeswax,....
- Museum purchase from General Acquisitions Endowment Fund.
- 2015-52-1
- This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
- Drawing, Design for Regulator
- graphite, yellow color pencil, pen and black ink on grayish paper stapled to....
- Gift of Honeywell, Inc..
- 1997-10-18
- This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
- Drawing, Design for Regulator Faceplate
- pen and black, blue ink, text printed and collaged on white paper on....
- Gift of Honeywell, Inc..
- 1997-10-23
- This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
- Drawing, Design for Regulator Faceplate
- pen and black ink, text printed and collaged on white paper, stapled, lined....
- Gift of Honeywell, Inc..
- 1997-10-25
- This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
- There are 3 images of this object.