This past Christmas, Chris got me the DVD Teague – Design & Beauty (2014). Walter Dorwin Teague (1884 – 1960) would become a pioneer in industrial design. Today many of his designs are now in the collections of many prominent museums.
Poster designed by Ronald Paul Viernes and illustrated by Clement Gallois. Image from kickstarted.com.
Teague was produced, directed and written by Jason A. Morris, an industrial designer and professor. This was Morris’ third film, he previously made two shorts in 2009, Form Function and Hoima Bicycle.
Jason A. Morris at the 2014 San Diego Design Film Festival. Image from idsandbox.blogspot.com.
The film opens in 1926 with Teague at a professional crossroads. Then it flashes back to his childhood in Indiana. Teague’s ambition is to be an artist. The film then follows his life to New York. In New York he attends the Arts Student League and meets his first wife. After graduation he begins a very successful career as a commercial artist. His speciality is decorative borders. Borders such as these would become known as Teague borders, whether he designed them or not.
Typical Teague border for Japan Paper Company advertisement, 1913. Image from idsandbox.blogspot.com.
At the age of 41, Teague takes a year off to go to Europe for inspiration. Soon after his return to the United States, he sets himself up in a new field, industrial design. The majority of the film explores Teague’s corporate commissions. This is where Teague’s career takes off. He has a genuine talent for reimagining products. The film showcases the breadth of his design work, many of which are strikingly photographed. From cameras for Eastman Kodak –
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- 1930 Teague’s redesign of the Kodak Brownie Camera. Image from the DVD.
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- 1936 Kodak Bantam Special. Image from the DVD.
cars for the Marmon Motor Car Company –
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- The 1931 Marmon 16, designed by Walter Dorwin Teague, Jr. Image from the DVD.
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- 1931 Marmon 16 grill, headlight and hood detail. Image from the DVD.
glassware for Steuben –
Steuben Glass table setting by Teague, mid-1930’s. Image from DVD.
and radios for Sparton –
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- The Bluebird. Image from the DVD.
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- Model 557 or “Sled”. Image from the DVD.
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- The Nocturne. Image from the DVD.
And even streamline gas stations for Texaco.
Teague redesigned Texaco gas station, late 1930s. Image from the DVD.
The film also delves into Teague’s World’s Fairs commissions. Starting with the 1933-1934 Century of Progress in Chicago, then fairs in San Diego, California and Dallas, Texas. And culminating with the 1939 – 1940 New York World’s Fair, where Teague and his associates collaborated on seven exhibits.
Ford Exhibit at the 1933 Century of Progress, Chicago. Image from the DVD.
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- DuPont Exhibit at the 1939 New York World’s Fair. Image from the DVD.
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- Interior of the Kodak Pavillon at the 1939 New York World’s Fair. Image from the DVD.
The main focus of the film is on his career. But the film does delve into his personal life a little bit. Including his two marriages and especially his strained relationship with his son.
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- Cecilia, Teague’s first wife. Image from the DVD.
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- Teague with his second wife, Ruth. Image from the DVD.
Walter Jr. and Walter Sr. 1930s. Image from the DVD.
Morris uses various story telling techniques throughout the film. Much of Teague’s life story is told in simple but bold animation.
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- Animation from TEAGUE Design & Beauty, this shot depicts Teague at 41 and at a professional crossroads. Image from the DVD.
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- The Depiction of young Teague in Indiana. Image from the DVD.
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- Teague’s first glimpse of New York City, 1902. Image from the DVD.
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- Here is Teague making his way in New York. Image from the DVD.
There are the obligatory talking head interviews. Interviewees include curators, industrial designers and a few of Teague’s grandchildren. Although shot in a straight forward manner, they remain engaging and insightful.
Morris’ use of vintage film footage impressed me. Since the advent of widescreen televisions film footage is usually formatted to fill the entire screen, no matter what its original aspect ratio. Most pre-1953 film footage was almost square. So when these films film out the entire 16 x 9 screen the top and bottom of the image is cut off. Morris respects the footage that he uses, whether home movies or stock shots, to preserve their 4 x 3 aspect ratio.
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- 1930s stock footage window boxed (black bars on all four sides of the image) preserving its original aspect ratio. Image from DVD.
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- Home movie footage of Walter Dorwin Teague, Jr. Image from the DVD.
Teague’s industrial design contemporaries, Henry Dreyfuss, Raymond Loewy, John Vassos and Norman Bel Geddes are represented by at least one written biography. As of this February, 2021 Walter Dorwin Teague, surprisingly does not. So until the time comes when there is, this film is a great introduction to the one of founding fathers of the industrial design profession. I highly recommend it.
