Art Institute of Chicago

Toast Rack

Designed by Christopher Dresser (English, born Scotland, 1834-1904)

Date

c. 1880

Medium

Silver

Culture

Sheffield

Department

Applied Arts of Europe

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

The use of sinuous coils differentiates this toast rack from Christopher Dresser’s more angular silver designs. In an era increasingly dominated by cheaply produced, low-quality goods, designers began considering how to improve both the design of objects and the conditions of the workers who made them. As a proponent for English design reform, Dresser sought to make high-quality goods in a variety of styles to appeal to a wide range of customers. This softer model may have enticed consumers who were not quite ready for the pointed starkness in some of Dresser’s more radical designs.

The authoritative record is held by Art Institute of Chicago. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.