Born in paris, and as a 15year old boy, designed a rubberband powered model airplane, the ayrel, patented it, and formed a company to produce quantities in rented space. Nov 30, 2018 back in the 80s journalist john wall wrote an assignment on the loewy designed s1 steam locomotive, which then evolved into a lifelong fascination with the designers work. Born in paris, and as a 15year old boy, designed a rubberband powered model airplane, the ayrel, patented it, and formed a company to produce quantities in. Among the literally thousands of his wellknown forms, shapes, and designs are the cocacola bottle, the studebaker, the u. The raymond loewy story is a classic tale of innovation, of one man or at most a very few people creating a whole new industry, a new way of doing things. Raymond loewy standing on one of his designs, the pennsylvania railroads s1 steam locomotive image source. It has been said that the president of prr at the time was considered more powerful than the. The welded shell of the gg1 eliminated tens of thousands of rivets, resulting in improved appearance, simplified maintenance, and reduced manufacturing costs. He was recognized for this by time magazine and featured on its cover on october 31, 1949.
Raymond loewy author of never leave well enough alone. French army corps of engineers 191418 raymond loewy worked briefly as a fashion illustrator, but broke into industrial design in 1929, when he was hired. Open library is an initiative of the internet archive, a 501c3 nonprofit, building a digital library of internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. This text examines his pioneering career through an account of his most famous design achievements, with some of his best known designs being the coca cola bottle and the shell and exxon logos. The prr s1 class steam locomotive nicknamed the big engine was an experimental locomotive that was the largest rigid frame passenger locomotive ever built.
During his life, he received numerous honors and awards for his designs, including the gold medal in transportation for the design of the gg1 locomotive during the 1937 international exposition in paris. Locomotive by raymond fernand loewy and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Everyday objects were bulky, colors were dowdy and. When raymond loewy and the century were young, the look of life was different. The locomotive by raymond loewy the new vision series. It was designed to demonstrate the advantages of duplex drives espoused by baldwin chief engineer ralph p. This is a post about the american industrial designer, raymond loewy. Prr s1 locomotive though the defining characteristic of loewys legacy is the sheer breadth of his work, much of his early career was spent.
Nov 04, 1979 when raymond loewy and the century were young, the look of life was different. Dec 31, 2002 discover book depositorys huge selection of raymond loewy books online. Oct 15, 1979 raymond loewy is synonymous with industrial design. Raymond loewy project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. The pictures in this post are taken from loewys book on locomotive design, published in 1937. As i dug into loewys two books, it dawned on me that the term. Raymond fernand loewy 5 november 1893 14 july 1986 was one of the best known industrial designers of the 20th century. Meet the product designer who made midcentury america look. The prr was, for several years, the biggest railroad company in the usa, controlling, at its peak, more than 16 000 km 10 000 miles of rail line and employing over 250 000 workers. This book was originally written and designed by the frenchborn american industrial designer raymond loewy 18931986, and selects the most modern, effective and dynamic locomotive design of the interwar years, bridging the transition between steam and diesel. The locomotive its esthetics by raymond loewy author visit amazons raymond loewy page. If there is a designer whose name is synonymous with industrial design it is raymond loewy 18931986. Raymond loewy the prr s1 experimental steam locomotive nicknamed the big engine was the largest rigid frame passenger locomotive ever built diesel locomotive steam locomotive diesel punk orient express train old trains vintage trains vintage toys raymond loewy rail transport.
Kennedys air force one to the design of the familiar greyhound bus, raymond loewys efforts showed no limitations. An elegant synthesis of raymond loewys life and achievements, streamliner is a splendid story and well told. Aug 02, 2011 this is a post about the american industrial designer, raymond loewy. He was recognized for this by time magazine and featured on its cover on october 31, 1949 he spent most of his professional career in the united states. Loewy was the premiere industrial designer of the 20th century, essentially inventing the field singlehandedly in the late 20s and early 30s. November 5, 1893 july 14, 1986 was a frenchborn american industrial designer who achieved fame for the magnitude of his design efforts across a variety of industries. Raymond loewy and imagemaking in the age of american industrial design begins at a newspaper. Raymond loewy, fidsa industrial designers society of. Post office logo, streamlined trains and ocean liners, the shell and exxon logos, and the lucky strike package.
In addition to locomotive design, loewys studios provided many designs for the pennsylvania railroad, including stations. Raymond loewy pronounced, november 5, 1893 july 14, 1986 was a frenchborn american industrial designer who achieved fame for the magnitude of his design efforts across a variety of industries. The prr s1 class steam locomotive nicknamed the big engine was a single experimental duplex locomotive of the pennsylvania railroad. He designed several locomotives, most notably the s1 and t1, along with passenger car interiors, train stations, and advertising material. Among the literally thousands of wellknown forms, shapes, and designs that raymond loewy created and which became iconic images of america, are the studebaker, the us post office logo, streamlined trains and ocean liners, the shell and hoover logos, and the greyhound bus. Buy locomotive reprint by loewy, raymond fernand isbn. Raymond loewy blueprints for the pennsylvania railroad 1940. The highly creative and successful raymond loewy, named the father of industrial design, had designed nearly everything from razors to railroad terminals. Over a 50year career, he worked on such varied products as the s1 locomotive, the coldspot refrigerator, the cocacola bottle, the interior of the concorde, and numerous studebaker models. Raymond loewys art deco designs streamlined the future.
The 110 unnumbered page copy was published by studio publications in london and it is essentially 125 photos of steam trains and streamline versions from around the world with loewy contributing very minimal thoughts on the designs as captions. Born in france, he spent most of his professional career in the united states where he influenced countless aspects of north american culture. The first time you drank a bottle of cocacola his bottle shape became ingrained in your memory. Nov 05, 20 the highly creative and successful raymond loewy, named the father of industrial design, had designed nearly everything from razors to railroad terminals. As the exclusive licensing agent for raymond loewy, cmg worldwide is dedicated to maintaining and developing a positive brand image for our client. I felt the new vision series should make an attempt at covering such ground, it has already been done ina masterly way. Throughout his extraordinary career, loewy worked for international companies including shell.
Raymond loewy, the father of the profession of industrial design. Gift of the pennsylvania railroad through samuel m. Cmg is a leader and pioneer in its field, with over 35 years of experience arranging licensing agreements for hundreds of personalities and brands in various industries, including sports. Founded in 1997, has become a leading book price comparison site. Nov 11, 2014 raymond loewy standing on one of his designs, the pennsylvania railroads s1 steam locomotive image source.
Raymond loewy was one of the practical artists of the 20th century, designing new and better devices, particularly to make them easier to use, and to look at. Pennsylvania railroad s1 locomotive, styled by raymond loewy. Google honors raymond loewy and his s1 steam locomotive. November 5, 1893, 124 years ago today day one for the man called the father of streamlining. The caption in agate type was s1 locomotive, built in altoona, pennsylvania. The s1 was the only locomotive ever built to use a 6446 wheel arrangement. Contributor names loewy, raymond, 18931986, artist. It was the longest and heaviest rigid frame reciprocating steam locomotive that was ever built. Full online access to this resource is only available at the library of congress. Pioneer of american industrial design, prestel publishing 1991 isbn 37914491 tretiack, phillippe. Industrial design first edition signed raymond loewy. Its also about locomotives and streamlining, and about book design and artdirection. A 1951 photograph of a kitchen design by raymond loewy associates.
Another loewy design, the gg1 electric locomotive built by the pennsylvania railroad in 1936, demonstrated on an even larger scale the efficacy of industrial design. He ushered in the modern look to aircraft, washing machines, mixers, and locomotives, among hundreds of others that established the unique sleekness that was the mark of american products. The aesthetics of everythingwith wry wit, john walls aptly titled and illustrated streamliner covers raymond loewys long twentieth century, from the gestetner duplicator in the 1920s to the interior of skylab for nasa. Raymond loewy was considered to be the father of industrial design he was durning the 1930s to 1950s the creator of many designs, from the paint scheme used on the air forces presidential aircraft starting with kennedys 707, and on to the current 747, the coke bottle, and most of the pennsylvania rrs streamlined locomotives.
Raymond loewy the prr s1 experimental steam locomotive nicknamed the big engine was the largest rigid frame passenger locomotive ever built diesel locomotive steam locomotive diesel punk orient express train old trains vintage. May 28, 2019 a 1951 photograph of a kitchen design by raymond loewy associates. Raymond loewy blueprints for the pennsylvania railroad. Biography the official licensing website of raymond loewy. Discover book depositorys huge selection of raymond loewy books online. Raymond loewy is synonymous with industrial design. This group of blueprints is in remarkably good condition. All but the astrologic prints are labeled raymond fernand loewy 589 fifth ave new york city in the lower corner. Raymond loewy, fidsa 18931986 probably the most widely known us industrial designer. Kennedys air force one to the design of the familiar greyhound bus, raymond loewy s efforts showed no limitations. Raymond loewy trains magazine trains news wire, railroad. Everyday objects were bulky, colors were dowdy and machines bristled with ungainly protuberances. Meet the product designer who made midcentury america. Design the pioneer of streamlining the new york times.
The locomotive the new vision paperback january 1, 1987 by raymond loewy author. Locomotives and trains in the age of speed and style. Raymond loewy has long been regarded as the most famous of. I was doing some research recently on loewy books and came across this one that i had bought years ago, at a very low price it had ended up as a stockroom. After dressing department store windows and illustrating fashion magazines, he established his own design firm in 1930 and worked as an industrial designer into his eighties. The aesthetics of everything with wry wit, john walls aptly titled and illustrated streamliner covers raymond loewys long twentieth century, from the gestetner duplicator in the 1920s to the. Lohee, november 5, 1893 july 14, 1986 was a francoamerican industrial designer who achieved fame for the magnitude of his design efforts across a variety of industries. From the prestigious design work he completed on the john f. The highly creative and successful raymond loewy, named the father of. Designer raymond loewy and now a page from our sunday morning almanac. Wall wrote an assignment on the loewydesigned s1 steam locomotive. Raymond loewy designs for the consumer culture, hagley museum and library 2002 isbn 0914650343 schoenberger, angela.
Raymond loewy 18931986 was born in france and came to america in 1919. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. The streamlined art deco styled shell of the locomotive was designed by raymond loewy. It has been said that the president of prr at the time was considered more powerful than the countrys president. What charles and ray eames are to furniture design, raymond loewy is to industrial design the modern master. His father was a viennese journalist, his mother a frenchwoman. I was the main feature writer at the altoona mirror in central pennsylvania in 1987 and the subject of a profile had a book on his desk open to a photo of a huge streamlined locomotive. Also named one of the most influential americans by life magazine. Raymond loewy with the prototype of the pennsylvania. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Rendering of k4s class locomotive with final placement of winged keystone logo, for pennsylvania railroad new york, 193637.