Design in British Industry: A Mid-Century Survey

This book, written in 1952, examines the intrinsic design everyday household objects. It evaluates them, criticizes them, and investigates the difficulties encountered in producing them, marketing them, and advancing them. At the root of the author's mind is a conviction in the importance of effective design of these items despite methods of mass-production, which he believes should involve the same kind of devotion as has always inspired freelance craftsmen. Professor Pevsner, who initiated such a book in 1935, provides a foreword and a postscript of commentary about Mr Farr's book. The book is accompanied by a number of photographs of the products it discusses and will be of interest to designers of everyday objects and to those who use them.

This 1952 book examines the intrinsic design of everyday household objects.

Illustrations; Acknowledgements; Foreword Nikolaus Pevsner; Introduction; Definition of terms; 1. Data; 2. Design organizations: publicity and propaganda; 3. Conclusions; 4. Suggestions for improvements; Adenda; Postscript Nikolaus Pevsner; Index.