In 1938, the Museum teamed up withretailers to exhibit recent designs thatwere affordable to the average con-sumer. The exhibition’s title was UsefulHousehold Objects under $5.00, and it

consisted of well-designed objects, rangingfrom kitchen utensils, traveling bathroomaccessories to glassware, wall coverings,and curtains, all for under $5.00. It wasshown in seven other cities in addition toNew York, at venues ranging from collegesand department stores to small specialtyshops. The objects were selected by thecurator John McAndrew according to theirsuitability of purpose, material, and processof manufacture. The exhibition was so suc-cessful and had such a positive responsethat an annual series of Useful Objects exhibitions followed. It lasted for nine years,until 1947; and while the term useful remainedconstant, the price increased over the years(to $100 dollars in 1947). In other shows theobjects reflected the war years, for example,those chosen for the 1942 Useful Objects inWartime under $10 exhibition avoidedobjects made of materials integral to thewar effort: metals, plastics such as Lucite,Plexiglas, nylon, Bakelite, and crystallites(used in airplanes and other military equip-ment), and leather.

While the aesthetic celebrated by theMuseum’s 1934 Machine Art exhibition cameto define the design collection early on, theterm useful objects actually had appeared ayear prior, in the 1933 exhibition Objects: 1900and Today. This, the Museum’s first designshow, was both a contemporary survey andan historical retrospective, which contrastedthe vast differences between design at theturn of the century, such as the handicrafts ofWilliam Morris and the natural forms of ArtNouveau, and that witnessed by the “mod-ern” 1930s. The curator Philip Johnson juxta-posed the terms decorative and useful incomparing the two different attitudes towarddesign: one based “on the imitation of natu-ral forms and lines which curve, diverge andconverge,” and another based on utility, the

modern mindset “that industrial design isfunctionally motivated and follows the sameprinciples as modern architecture: machine-like simplicity, smoothness of surface, avoid-ance of ornament.”

Unlike the objects included in MachineArt, the useful objects presented here arenot collected primarily for their purity ofform but, rather, for the integration of aninnovative functionality and often the use ofnew materials. In other words, in the case ofuseful objects, form, and ultimately beauty,follows function. Products such as the foldingflashlight, the ergonomic designs for a fork-spoon, interlocking bottles, or the collapsiblehexagonal salad basket modify establishedforms to improve performance. The GlassFrying Pan and Baking Dish, for example,were not only direct responses to innovationsin glass (Pyrex, or heat-resistant borosilicateglass), but arose out of the war effort toreduce the use of metal in kitchen appli-ances. Likewise, the lightweight materials ofthe Racing Wheelchair not only adapt inno-vations from the aerospace industry butreflect an attitude influenced by politics, anawareness of the equal rights of minoritygroups. Even the Cable Turtles, made ofthermoplastic elastomers, a form of plasticthat is recyclable, responded to the needfor “green” products in an expanding tech-nological world, in which cords tangle upour desks and homes. It was such utility andconvenience that was touted in the originalexhibitions in the hope of improvinglifestyles and daily routines.

Perhaps the most influential innovationto result directly in a rethinking of standardobjects, however, has been that in plastics.The use of Bakelite, the first synthetic ma-terial, in the late 1920s and early 1930s forelectrical goods and automobile partsbecause of its superior insulating propertiesand rigidity, resulted in a radical modificationof the Electric Hairdryer. Its earlier brass andmetal counterpart is surprisingly pared downto a handle, motor, and airshaft, a form thatendures today. PVC (vinyl), melamine, poly-

ethylene, polystyrene, and nylon, all wereinvented in the 1930s, but did not enter theconsumer market until the 1950s owing tothe war effort. They had a revolutionaryeffect. Everything from Tupperware, one ofthe earliest products to employ polyethylene,to its myriad variations, such as the blow-molded Container for Liquids, exploited itstoughness at low temperatures and its lowproduction costs. Likewise, other plasticsand techniques refined in the 1950s, such asABS and injection molding, were adapted inthe functional household object and in thepurely pleasurable arena of toy design. By1958, LEGO became the first Danish toycompany to employ refined processes ofinjection molding, and their trademark “stud-and-tube” coupling system of plastic bricks,heretofore made of wood, took hold.

From the 1960s to today, expanded-polyurethane foams, wet-look polyurethane,glossy ABS, transparent acrylic, and thermo-plastic elastomers have not only transformedthe domestic landscape, but have come toreflect an increasingly transient, disposable,and impermanent lifestyle. The collapsibleand lightweight baby stroller made ofPolythene (Dupont’s brand of polyethylene),the Spoon Straw and the Disposable FolderRazor are no longer solely useful objects forthe home but for consumers who areincreasingly mobile.

The Useful Objects series celebratedthe ideal of standardization to make gooddesign universally available. The first exhibi-tion was a testament to the democraticnotion that good or useful design did nothave to be expensive, and a belief that aes-thetically functional objects should be avail-able to all. With the invention of plastics anddisposable products, this pursuit seemedmore feasible than ever. In subsequent exhi-bitions, while the term useful objects hasnot been used explicitly, the premise of utility has been a forceful presence.

—Tina di Carlo

95

Useful Objects4

97

Designer unknown Welder’s Mask. Before 1930Coated cardboard, glass, Bakeliteresin, and metal, 9 × 9 × 7" (22.9 × 22.9 × 17.8 cm). Manufacturer:American Optical Corp., USA (c. 1930).Department Purchase Fund

96

Designer unknown Electric Hairdryer. c. 1928Nickel-plated metal, wood, andBakelite resin, 83⁄4 × 5 × 93⁄8" (22.3 × 12.7 × 23.8 cm). Manufacturer:Friho-sol, Germany. Marshall CoganPurchase Fund

Christopher DresserWatering Can. c. 1876Painted tin, 125⁄8 × 97⁄8 × 71⁄4" (32 × 25.1 × 18.4 cm). Manufacturer:Richard Perry, Son & Co., England (c. 1884). Gift of Paul F. Walter

99

The Stanley WorksTinsmith’s Hammer. Before 1940Steel and wood, 12 × 43⁄8 × 1" (30.5 × 11.1 × 2.5 cm). Purchase

Corning Glass WorksBaking Dish. 1949Borosilicate glass, 21⁄4 × 101⁄8 × 85⁄8" (5.7 × 25.7 × 21.9 cm). Gift of GretaDaniel

98

Corning Glass Works Frying Pan. n.d.Borosilicate glass and steel, 23⁄4 × 121⁄2" (7 × 31.8 cm). Purchase

Designer unknown Tumbler. Before 1947Glass, 43⁄4 × 25⁄8" (12.1 × 6.7 cm) diam.Manufacturer: American. Purchase

100

Vernon P. SteeleAdjustable Garden Rake. 1945Aluminum and wood, 643⁄8 × 223⁄4"(163.5 × 57.8 cm). Manufacturer: KencoProducts Corp., USA (c. 1945–48).Purchase

Ikkan HikiChasen. Before 1953Bamboo, 41⁄2 × 21⁄4" (11.5 × 5.7 cm)diam. Gift of Japan

Charles B. KaufmannBird Control Strips. 1949Stainless steel, each: 33⁄4 × 4 × 2" (9.5 × 10.2 × 5.1 cm). Manufacturer:Nixalite of America, USA (1950). Gift of the manufacturer

103

Harry V. CremoneseDelphic Kitchen Utility Blades. 1973Carbon stainless steel and beechwood, various dimensions, largest: 15 × 33⁄8 × 3⁄4" (38.1 × 8.6 × 1.9 cm).Manufacturer: Mitsuboshi Co., Japan(1975). Gift of the designer

Peter SciascinLobster Pick. n.d.Plastic and stainless steel, 81⁄4 × 3⁄4" (21 × 1.9 cm). Manufacturer: HoltHoward Associates, USA (1954).Purchase

John Hays HammondBottle Opener. 1948Bronze and magnetic top, 61⁄4 × 5⁄8"(15.9 × 1.6 cm). Manufacturer:Hammond Research Corp., USA. Gift of the manufacturer

102

Designer unknown Collapsible Salad Basket. Before 1953Tinned steel, 19 × 16" (48.3 × 40.6 cm)diam. at center. Manufacturer: H. A. Mack & Co., USA. Gift of themanufacturer

105

Juris MednisBottles. 1983Polyethylene plastic, each: 83⁄4 × 27⁄8 × 21⁄4" (22.2 × 7.3 × 5.7 cm).Gift of the designer

104

Earl Silas TupperPitcher and Creamer. 1946Polyethylene, pitcher 61⁄2 × 65⁄8 × 43⁄4"(16.5 × 16.8 × 12.1 cm); creamer 41⁄4 × 41⁄4 × 33⁄ 16" (10.8 × 10.8 × 8.1 cm).Manufacturer: Tupper Corporation,USA (c. 1954). Gift of the manufacturer

In the early 1940s, Earl Silas Tupper, a chemist and a designer of metalcorsets and garter belts, startedexperimenting with injection-moldedpolyethylene, a new industrial ma-terial used primarily for insulation,radar, and radio equipment. In 1942he founded the Tupper Corporationto manufacture household items outof the new material. The first designs,released in 1946, included a coffeecup with a handle integrated into thebody of the cup and tumblers withflowered edges for easier sipping.

The following year, Tupper appliedfor a patent for what turned out to behis landmark invention, the TupperSeal, an airtight polyethylene closure

based on that of a paint can. Usingthis ingenious system, he began tomanufacture the semi-opaque, pastel-colored stackable food con-tainers that came to epitomize 1950ssuburban American life. The contain-ers (designed, according to Tupper,to make a “woman’s life” easier) wereheralded for their economic andinnovative design. House Beautifulreferred to them as “fine art for 39cents,” and compared the “gorgeous”material to alabaster and jade, butthey did not sell well. Then in 1951Tupper hired Brownie Wise, a middle-aged, divorced mother who correctlydecided that throwing a party forneighboring housewives was the

best way to sell plastic. In 1958 theTupper Corporation was sold to theRexall Drug Company after Tupperhad a falling out with Wise. Rexallpromptly renamed the company andits products, Tupperware, a namethat still conjures up a postwar con-sumer culture of standardization,self-service, and efficiency.

Although a clearer and less wax-like form of polyethylene was usedbeginning in the 1960s, the materialof the original containers has deteri-orated rapidly, prompting museumcurators and conservators worldwideto devise new solutions for theupkeep of twentieth-century innova-tive materials. —T.d.C.

107

ically advanced machines at the time.After World War II, Willys-OverlandMotors continued to produce theJeep for military and civilian markets.

In 1952 engineers at Willys-Overland modified the original 1940design and produced the M38A1, anew model that was faster, slightlylarger, and widely considered to bethe best military Jeep ever built.Like the original model on which itis based, it is characterized by a flatbody with high ground clearance,yet with a low overall height. Whenthe Museum first exhibited a Jeepin 1951, the curator Arthur Drexlerdescribed it as “a sturdy sardinecan on wheels.” The profile resem-bles a metal box, but with good reason. The flat body rides high

above the ground for clearanceover rough terrain. The Jeep’s over-all height remains low for strategicreasons. Even the windshield canbe folded down on the hood. Theabsence of side doors makes iteasy to get in or out quickly. Only acanvas canopy provides shelterfrom rain. With the wheels removed,the boxlike bodies could be effi-ciently crated and stacked for ship-ment. The M38A1, with its curvedhood and fenders and its distinctivefront grille panel, remained in pro-duction for sixteen years andstrongly influenced the design ofpopular civilian Jeeps for more thanthree decades—a testament to itsfunctional appeal and its transfor-mation into a cultural icon. —P.R.

106

The Jeep is the quintessential utilitar-ian vehicle—a reliable tool whose pri-mary function is transport, on or offroad. Its official name, Truck: Utility 1/4Ton 4 x 4, means it is a four-wheel-drive vehicle capable of carrying 500pounds. The origin of its popularname, Jeep, has been much debated.

The Jeep was first invented in 1940,when the United States Army issuedspecifications for a small, powerful,general-purpose vehicle. Engineersfrom the American Bantam CarCompany, Ford Motor Company, andWillys-Overland Motors, Inc. werelargely responsible for designing theJeep in a matter of weeks for theArmy, a supreme example ofAmerican engineering ingenuity. TheJeep was one of the most technolog-

Willys-Overland Motors, Inc. Truck: Utility 1⁄4 Ton 4 × 4 (M38A1) Jeep. 1952Steel body, 6' 13⁄4" × 607⁄8" × 11' 65⁄8"(187.3 × 154.6 × 352.1 cm). Gift ofDaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund

Roberto MenghiContainer for Liquids. 1958Polyethylene plastic, 19 × 14 × 6" (48.3 × 35.6 × 15.2 cm). Manufacturer:Pirelli, Italy. Gift of the manufacturer

109

Godtfred Kirk Christiansen, whosefather founded LEGO, believed thatplay is a process of discovery andlearning that is essential to a child’sgrowth and development. LEGOBuilding Bricks offer unlimited possi-bilities for creative and imaginativeplay. These miniature modular ele-ments, in various sizes, shapes, andcolors, have inspired children of allages to construct three-dimensionalplay environments, from pirate ships

and underwater worlds to castlesand spacecraft. Recent develop-ments include interactive software, astory-driven building universe, androbotics programming and construc-tion. LEGO has even developed abusiness-strategy building system foradults called LEGO Serious Play.

Founded in 1932, the LEGO Grouporiginally produced wood toys forchildren. The company name derivesfrom the Danish leg godt, which

means “play well.” The current plasticbricks, with their stud-and-tube coupling system, were introduced in1958. The first bricks were made ofcellulose acetate, later replaced withacrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS),a more stable plastic with bettercolor quality. LEGO estimates thatover the past sixty years, its globalsales translate into the equivalent offifty-two blocks for each of theworld’s six billion inhabitants. —C.L.

Godtfred Kirk ChristiansenLEGO Building Bricks. 1954–58ABS plastic, various dimensions,largest: 7⁄ 16 × 11⁄4 × 5⁄8" (1.1 × 3.2 × 1.6 cm).Manufacturer: LEGO Group, Denmark(1958). Gift of the manufacturer

108

O. F. Maclaren Baby Stroller. 1966Aluminum alloy tubing and polyethylene fabric, 35 × 15 × 36" (88.9 × 38.1 × 91.5 cm). Manufacturer:Andrew Maclaren Ltd., England (1967).Gift of the designer

111

Ergonomi Design Gruppen, MariaBenktzon, Håkan Bergkvist, andSven-Eric Juhlin Adjustable Spoons. 1986Polycarbonate and ABS plastics,each: 61⁄2 × 13⁄8" (16.5 × 3.5 cm).Manufacturer: RFSU Rehab, Sweden(1990). Gift of the manufacturer

Britt-Louise SundellMixing Bowl. 1960Propen plastic, 53⁄8 × 103⁄4 × 111⁄2" (13.7 × 27.3 × 29.2 cm). Manufacturer:Gustavsberg, Sweden. Gift of DesignResearch

110

Russell ManoyMug and Plate. 1966–67Melamine resin, plate 11 × 7 × 13⁄4" (27.9 × 17.8 × 4.4 cm); mug 5 × 23⁄4”(12.7 × 7cm) diam. Manufacturer:Antiference Ltd., England. Gift ofLumex, Inc.

Ergonomi Design Gruppen, MariaBenktzon, and Sven-Eric JuhlinKnork Fork. 1978Polycarbonate and ABS plastics andstainless steel, 71⁄4 × 11⁄4 × 3⁄4" (18.4 × 3.2 × 1.9 cm). Manufacturer:RFSU Rehab, Sweden (1980). Gift ofthe manufacturer

113

Smart DesignGood Grips Paring Knife. 1989Stainless steel and synthetic rubber,7 3⁄4 × 13⁄8 × 1" (19.7 × 3.5 × 2.5 cm).Manufacturer: Oxo International, USA(c. 1990). Gift of the designers

The wine-lover’s dream is a hassle-free corkscrew. The Screwpull wasinvented to satisfy such a dream—to pull even the most recalcitrantcork from its bottle with ease. Thisefficient low-priced gadget isastonishing in its simplicity. First, its plastic frame is fitted snuglyover the bottle’s neck. Then the helical screw, with its anti-frictioncoating, is lowered—by turning theknob at the top—through the guideand driven into the cork. With con-tinued rotation, and without theneed to pull, the cork rises out of

the bottle and climbs up the screwuntil it is removed.

Herbert Allen, a prolific inventorand engineer in the oil-drilling andaerospace industries, designed thisinfallible tool. During his first trip toEurope in the 1950s, he became awine enthusiast. He began work onthe Screwpull in 1975 at his wife’srequest for a corkscrew that wouldperform perfectly and effortlesslyevery time. Four years later thecorkscrew was available on the mar-ket in a range of colors, includingclear, white, amber, and black.

Allen defined his philosophy aboutdesign as always trying to achievethe best performance. He explained:“The Screwpull is an example of thissame philosophy, namely to designa product that would do a given taskfar more efficiently than anythingelse available . . . I happen to believethat attention to aesthetic design,as well as the required attention tothe functional design, leads to asuperior ultimate design.” Indeed,the Screwpull transcends mere func-tion with its outstanding aestheticcharacteristics. —P.R.

Herbert AllenScrewpull Corkscrew. 1979Polycarbonate plastic and metal, 53⁄4 × 3 × 11⁄8" (14.6 × 7.6 × 2.9 cm).Manufacturer: Hallen Co., USA (1981).Gift of the manufacturer

112

Richard SapperEspresso Coffee Maker (model9090). 1978Steel, 8 × 6 × 47⁄8" (20.3 × 15.2 × 12.4 cm)diam. Manufacturer: Alessi, Italy. Gift of the manufacturer

Richard SapperMinitimer Kitchen Timer. 1971Plastic, 11⁄8 × 25⁄8" (2.8 × 6.7 cm) diam.Manufacturer: Ritz-Italora, Italy. Gift ofthe Terraillon Corporation

115

Emilio AmbaszFlashlights. 1983ABS plastic, each: 4 × 11⁄4 × 1" (10.2 × 3.2 × 2.5 cm). Manufacturer: G. B. Plast, Italy (1985). Gift of thedesigner

Anthony MaglicaMag Charger RechargeableFlashlight. 1982Aluminum alloy and borosilicateglass, 125⁄8 × 23⁄8" (32.1 × 6 cm) diam.Manufacturer: Mag Instrument, Inc.,USA. Gift of the manufacturer

114

The Welding Helmet designed byEugene Walters, with its indestructi-ble and solid appearance, clearlyindicates its use as a barrier againstsparks, fumes, and heat. It features abroad, spherical oval of fiberglassspecifically designed for welding incramped areas. The rectangularvisor, molded into the helmet, addsto its overall impenetrable character,filters out infrared and ultravioletlight, and prevents a debilitating haloeffect from refracted light. The partic-ular fiberglass used here makes for alighter, stronger, and more flexiblehelmet than previous models. Fibre-Metal introduced the first weldinghelmet made of fiberglass in 1952.This model was shown in theMuseum’s 1991 exhibition ModernMasks and Helmets.

Helmets and masks are oftenindispensable protective devices forthe survival of hazardous andextreme situations, such as warfare,sports, and industrial labor.Frequently they are able to tran-scend their primary role of protectionand serve to disguise or proclaim aperson’s identity. Designed to beexpressive as well as protective aresuch objects as the goalie mask thatintimidates competitors, the racinghelmet that enhances speed, and thegas mask that provides ventilationbut also conjures fear and images ofdisaster. The Welding Helmet’smachine-made uniformity and indus-trial look seem to characterize thewearer as an anonymous, almostmechanized creature. —C.L.

Eugene WaltersWelding Helmet (model 700). 1980Fiberglass and plastic, 121⁄2 × 8 × 71⁄2"(31.8 × 20.3 × 19.1 cm). Manufacturer:Fibre-Metal Products Co., USA (1982).Skidmore, Owings & Merrill DesignFund

117

Athos BergamaschiDisposable Foldable Razors. 1975Polypropylene plastic and stainlesssteel, each: open, 33⁄4 × 13⁄4 × 11⁄8" (9.5 × 4.4 × 2.9 cm); closed, 3⁄8 × 13⁄4 × 13⁄4" (1 × 4.4 × 4.4 cm).Manufacturer: Elberel Italiana, Italy(1977). Gift of Domus Academy, Italy

Mark SandersNo-Spill Chopping Board. 1988Polypropylene plastic, 25⁄8 × 83⁄4 × 151⁄4"(6.7 × 22.2 × 38.7 cm). Manufacturer:Rubycliff Ltd., England (1990). Gift ofthe designer

116

Arthur A. AykanianSpoon Straw. 1968Polypropylene plastic, 8 × 1⁄4" (20.3 × .6 cm). diam. Manufacturer:Winkler Flexible Products, Inc., USA(1979). Gift of the manufacturer

Robert P. GottliebHairspray Face Protector. 1974Acrylic plastic, 113⁄4 × 65⁄8 × 11⁄2" (29.8 × 16.8 × 3.8 cm). Manufacturer:Two’s Company, USA. Gift of the manufacturer

119

Designer unknown X-Shaped Rubber Bands. 1995Synthetic rubber, two sizes: small, 13⁄4" (4.4 cm) diam.; large, 21⁄4" (5.7 cm)diam. Manufacturer: Mahakit RubberCo. Ltd., Thailand (1999). Gift of thesupplier, Laufer AC, Germany

Flex Development B.V. Cable Turtle Cable Spool. 1996Synthetic rubber, 11⁄4 × 21⁄2" (3.2 × 6.4 cm) diam. Manufacturer:Cleverline, the Netherlands (1997).Gift of the manufacturer

118

The designer Bob Hall was physicallydisabled at an early age by polio,and required a wheelchair. Undauntedby his condition, in 1975 he pioneeredwheelchair racing by participating inthe Boston Marathon. At the time hebegan competing, a racing wheel-chair had not yet been designed.Instead, disabled athletes attemptedto improve speed by altering theircumbersome everyday wheelchairs.Hall designed his first racing wheel-chair in 1978 and founded a new

company, Hall’s Wheels. There hemade handcrafted wheelchairs,measured to fit each individual, thatweighed between fourteen and six-teen pounds, about half the weight ofthe wheelchair Hall had used in hisfirst marathon.

The racing wheelchair introducedinnovations that have had an impacton users of every type of wheel-chair. This example, manufacturedin 1987, features a lightweight frameof aircraft-steel tubing, a speed-

ometer, and a tachometer. Thewheels, adapted from racing bicy-cles, are angled for optimal armmovement and enhanced speed.The red and black coloring lends asporty, sleek look. The Museum firstshowed Hall’s Racing Wheelchair inthe 1989 exhibition Designs forIndependent Living, which pre-sented outstanding examples ofwell-designed, mass-producedobjects for the elderly and physicallydisabled. —C.L.

Bob HallRacing Wheelchair. 1986Steel and nylon, 235⁄8 × 25 × 45" (60 × 63.5 × 114.3 cm). Manufacturer:Hall’s Wheels, USA (1987). Gift of thedesigner

121

Among innumerable designs thatenrich the Museum’s collection, sev-eral have had a significant impact onthe world. They are usually the ones,like the Bic pen or the Swiss Armyknife, that have reached every part ofthe globe in their original form or inan inspired copy. They are useful,simple, and affordable revolutionaryobjects that have become necessary.

The Post-it Note is one of them.Many of us cannot imagine life with-out these “stickies.” The original one,featured in the collection, is squareto express rationality and yellow toattract attention. The manufacturerhas described how its research sci-entist Dr. Spence Silver had first

developed the technology in 1968“while looking for ways to improvethe acrylate adhesives that 3M usesin many of its tapes. In a classic caseof innovative serendipity, Silver foundsomething quite remarkably differentfrom what he was originally lookingfor. It was an adhesive that formeditself into tiny spheres [each] with adiameter of a paper fiber. Thespheres would not dissolve, couldnot be melted, and were very stickyindividually. But because they madeonly intermittent contact, they did notstick very strongly when coated ontotape backings.”

For many years, the applicationof this new discovery remained

unrealized until Art Fry, a new-product-development researcher at3M, frustrated with old-fashionedpaper bookmarks falling out ofbooks, saw a way to utilize thisexperimental adhesive, whichallowed the removal and reattach-ment of paper. First a bookmarkand soon thereafter an instantmemo, the Post-it Note has gener-ated innumerable offshoots andimitations. There even exists a soft-ware program, aptly called Stickies,that allows for notes to appear as ifstuck onto the computer screen.Yet, it is the original square yellownote that has become ubiquitous incontemporary life. —P.A.

Art Fry and Spencer Silver Post-it Note. c. 1977Paper and adhesive, 27⁄8 × 27⁄8" (7.3 × 7.3 cm). Manufacturer: 3M, USA (1980). Purchase

120

Décolletage Plastique Design TeamBic Cristal. 1950Polystyrene and polypropylene plastic and tungsten carbide, 57⁄8 × 1⁄2"(14.9 × 1.3 cm) diam. Manufacturer:Société Bic, France. Gift of the manufacturer