Utility furniture refers to furniture produced in England during and after World War II, under a Government scheme designed to address raw material shortages and consumption rationing. Introduced in 1942, the Utility Furniture Scheme continued into postwar savings and lasted until 1952.
Video Utility furniture
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By 1941 it had become clear that the combination of a severe lack of wood suitable for furniture manufacture (where the UK was not self-sufficient) and increased demand for new furniture due to housing losses caused by bombing and for sustainable development of new households after marriage, had creating a severe lack of furniture.
Maps Utility furniture
Utility Furniture Advisory Committee
The Utility Furniture Advisory Committee was formed in 1942, utilizing considerable expertise, notably Gordon Russell and Edwin Clinch, as well as Herman Lebus and John Gloag, to ensure that the scarce resources available were used in a sensible way. New furniture is rationed and restricted to newlyweds and people who have been bombed, under "Household Furniture (Industrial Control and Supply (No. 2)) Order 1942" operative from 1 November 1942.
The same logo is used for Utility Furniture as it has been developed for Utility clothing schemes: two capital letters C and number 41, for "Controlled Commodity 1941" (soon known as "The Two Cheeses").
Catalog Furniture Utilities
The Committee produced a number of approved designs, published in the 1943 Utility Furniture Catalog. The aim was to ensure the well-designed furniture production made the most efficient use of rare wood. Design largely in the tradition of the Arts and Crafts movement, and severe in its simplicity and lack of ornaments, is entirely at odds with the popular flavor of the immediate pre-war period. Furniture based on this design was built by about 700 companies across the country. Given the number of manufacturers involved, it may not come as a surprise that quality varies greatly.
The Committee was re-established as the Utility Design Panel in 1943 with Gordon Russell as Chair; and in 1946, in conjunction with an important post-war design exhibition, "Britain Can Make It", launched three new furniture ranges (Cotswold, Chiltern and Cockaigne) aimed at continuing their best design ethos into the postwar period.
Demise
The committee truly believes in the aesthetic qualities of their design; however, the popular desire for ornaments is manifested itself almost immediately, and examples are apparently reported from black market utility furnishings with additional carvings and decorations. The relaxed design rules of 1948 and various "Diversification" were announced, drawing on contemporary Scandinavian design, but a wave of public appetite was against it and the Panel was closed. The scheme was officially closed in 1952, the same year when furniture rationing stopped.
Gallery
References
Further reading
- Richard Sword - Furniture and fashion utilities, 1941-1951 (1974) ISBNÃ, 0-7168-0628-2
- Jon Mills - Utility Furniture - The 1943 Utility Furniture Catalog with an explanation of the UK World War II Machine Utility Scheme (2008) ISBN 978-0-9552723-2-5
External links
- Designing England 1945-1975: post-war society visual experience
- Making the Modern World (Science Museum)
- Utilities Furniture - Multiple Memories
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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