This class session introduced the students to their first project of the year, which involves selecting and researching objects from a book titled "1000 Design Classics." The instructor showcased various items from the book, including a rare teapot from the 1700s, a sack back Windsor chair from the 1730s, traditional white China from 1796, a galvanized metal dust bin from 1830, a pocket measuring tape from 1842, a safety pin from 1849, scissors from the 1850s, a folding ruler from the 1860s, a Yale cylinder lock from 1861, waribashi chopsticks from the 1870s, a Cod bottle from 1872, an Acme thunderer whistle from 1884, a drinking straw from 1888, a paper clip from 1899, and a honey swivel stick from the 1900s. Each item had a brief history and significance explained by the instructor, and students were tasked with choosing an object to research and present to the class.
1. The class is dedicating the entire period to introducing the first project of the year, which is based on a book.
2. The book is titled "1000 Design Classics" and contains a wide selection of timeless, influential, and beautiful objects in history.
3. The book's design is simple and classic, with each page showcasing two objects and providing a brief description or history of the item with a picture.
4. The first item chosen for the project is a rare teapot from the 1700s, with an unknown designer. The teapot is made of cast iron and its design is considered an international standard.
5. The second item is a Windsor chair from the 1730s, with an unknown designer. The Windsor chair has been in use since the 1700s and is known for its practicality and manageability.
6. The third item is traditional white China from 1796 by Josiah Wedgwood and Sons. The initial development of bone china, a form of porcelain, is attributed to Josiah Spode.
7. The fourth item is a galvanized metal dustbin from 1830, with an unknown designer. The dustbin has been in use for more than 200 years and was the oldest dustbin manufacturer in the country.
8. The fifth item is a pocket measuring tape from 1842, by James Chesterman. The measuring tape has a spring mechanism and is a classic due to its precision and practicality.
9. The sixth item is a safety pin from 1849, by Walter Hunt. The safety pin is a commonplace design that seems as if it has always been in existence.
10. The seventh item is scissors from the 1850s, with an unknown designer. Scissors have most probably existed since the 14th century BC in the form of shears and since the first Century A.D as scissors.
11. The eighth item is a folding ruler from the 1860s, with an unknown designer. The ruler was intended to be convenient to carry and was made in various lengths.
12. The ninth item is the Yale cylinder lock from 1861, from Linus Yale Junior. The lock avoided the use of springs and other components that had a tendency to fail.
13. The tenth item is the waribashi chopsticks from the 1870s, with an unknown designer. The chopsticks are the most widely used in Japan and much of the world.
14. The eleventh item is the Cod bottle from 1872. Hiram Cod was granted the patent for the Innovative bottling technique that invented carbonated drinks from going flat.
15. The twelfth item is the Acme thunderer, a referee's whistle invented in 1884. It is now the world's biggest selling whistle, heard in more than 137 countries.
16. The thirteenth item is the drinking straw from 1888, by Marvin Stone. The drinking straw is a commonplace product that is taken for granted.
17. The fourteenth item is the paper clip from 1899, with an unknown designer. The paper clip is a low tech invention that supports the cliche that simple ideas are often the best.
18. The fifteenth and final item is the honey swivel stick from the 1900s, with an unknown designer. The honey swivel stick is an elegant and efficient design that comprises a deeply incised wooden globe that gathers honey hatched to a thin shaft.