American Modern Teapot, Creamer and Teacup with Saucer

The Liliane and David M. Stewart Program for Modern Design, gift of R. Craig Miller, 2014.20.1–3

Russel Wright and his wife Mary advocated an informal, comfortable lifestyle, and wrote in their Guide to Easier Living, “a room used only for dining is a waste of space.” They recommended that the formal dining room with servants should be replaced with eat-in kitchens, or, for that matter, dining could take place in other rooms of the house.

For such casual dining, Wright’s colorful American Modern dinnerware reflected a new design direction in its elongated forms and sinuous curves, as well as the selection of mixed color combinations. For the manufacturer, it was an unparalleled success, claimed to be the best-selling American dinnerware ever made.