"Silver Streak" Iron
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Object Label
Although Pyrex glass, able to resist high levels of heat, had been invented as long ago as 1915, the Silver Streak iron put it to a new use. Metal shortages during World War II led to experiments not only with new materials, but also with new uses of old materials. Pyrex seemed the perfect replacement for metal in a household iron. Moreover, moldable glass allowed the handle of the Silver Streak to conform to the user’s hand, illustrating again the interest in ergonomics—the study of the way things work with the body—among designers of this time. Unfortunately, although Pyrex stood up well to heat, the bright colors inside did not, and the Silver Streak was not produced for very long.
Caption
Saunders Corporation ca. 1858–1946. "Silver Streak" Iron, ca. 1946. Pyrex glass, metal, cloth and plastic, 5 1/2 x 9 1/4 x 3 7/8 in. (14.0 x 23.5 x 9.9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Donald F. Wilkes, 1992.167. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.1992.167.jpg)
Gallery
Collection
Gallery
Collection
Manufacturer
Title
"Silver Streak" Iron
Date
ca. 1946
Geography
Place manufactured: Yonkers, New York, United States
Medium
Pyrex glass, metal, cloth and plastic
Classification
Dimensions
5 1/2 x 9 1/4 x 3 7/8 in. (14.0 x 23.5 x 9.9 cm)
Markings
(1) Impressed on top side of metal heel: [in script] "Silver Streak" (2) Impressed on bottom side of metal heel: "SAUNDERS SINCE 1858 / MODEL 1038 / 1000 WATTS / 110-120 VOLTS A.C. ONLY" (3) Molded in Pyrex below handle: "PYREX"
Credit Line
Gift of Donald F. Wilkes
Accession Number
1992.167
Rights
Creative Commons-BY
You may download and use Brooklyn Museum images of this three-dimensional work in accordance with a Creative Commons license. Fair use, as understood under the United States Copyright Act, may also apply. Please include caption information from this page and credit the Brooklyn Museum. If you need a high resolution file, please fill out our online application form (charges apply). For further information about copyright, we recommend resources at the United States Library of Congress, Cornell University, Copyright and Cultural Institutions: Guidelines for U.S. Libraries, Archives, and Museums, and Copyright Watch. For more information about the Museum's rights project, including how rights types are assigned, please see our blog posts on copyright. If you have any information regarding this work and rights to it, please contact copyright@brooklynmuseum.org.
Frequent Art Questions
What's this?
This is the "Silver Streak" Iron designed by the Saunders Corporation around 1946.It's made of Pyrex glass, metal, cloth, and plastic. Pyrex was invented in 1915, but metal shortages during the 2nd World War led designers to find new uses for the material.Oh! So cool.Indeed! If you take a closer look, you'll see that the handle is molded like a hand, illustrating a newfound interest in ergonomics.Unfortunately, although the Pyrex stood up well to heat, the bright colors inside did not, and the "Silver Streak" was not produced for very long.
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