Yup, Pam is talking to the Carnegie Museum of Art about whether they will accept her donation of her NOS Griswold Symbol cookware for an upcoming exhibition about its designer, Peter Muller-Munk. Meanwhile, the Museum tells us that the one item they still super eager to find is the 1960 Westinghouse Center Drawer Refrigerator — a hunka hunka also designed by Muller-Munk and his firm. So it’s a call to all Retro Renovation treasure hunters: Can we help find one of these beautiful 1960 refrigerators for the Carnegie Museum of Art?!
Ooooh, get this: “The original Center Drawer Refrigerator was available in eight color schemes – including wood paneling, apple red, lemon yellow, and frosting pink.” YUM.
Catherine Walworth, Curatorial Research Assistant for the upcoming exhibit Silver to Steel: The Modern Designs of Peter Muller-Munk at the Carnegie Museum of Art, wrote to us:
I have to tell you that we love what you do and your blog is fun and fascinating. One of the objects that we want for the exhibition—and which has continued to elude us—is a Westinghouse Center Drawer refrigerator c. 1960. These came in various decorator colors, and I have attached two different advertisements. If you find one or know where we can get one, please do let us know. It’s something of a “white whale” for us and we have tried several avenues.
SEEKING WESTINGHOUSE CENTER DRAWER REFRIGERATOR
Carnegie Museum of Art is organizing an exhibition on Pittsburgh industrial designer Peter Muller-Munk (1904–1967), opening in November 2015. At its peak in the 1950s and 1960s, Peter Muller-Munk Associates was one of the top ten industrial design firms in the United States, although history has all but forgotten it. This project will attribute dozens of designs to Muller-Munk for the first time: midcentury radios, tools, housewares, and appliances of all shapes and sizes.
Among the objects designed by Muller-Munk and his firm is the 1960 Westinghouse Center Drawer Refrigerator. CMOA is seeking an example in good cosmetic condition; it does not need to function. The original Center Drawer Refrigerator was available in eight color schemes – including wood paneling, apple red, lemon yellow, and frosting pink.
If you have a Westinghouse refrigerator like the one illustrated here, please contact Dawn Reid at reidd@cmoa.org or 412.622.6265.
Wow.. I love, love, love it… Wish they would make an updated version… So glad to know there are so many people who’ve retro as much as I do!!!!!
Wowsa! That fridge is the bomb! Thanks for sharing the pictures. I never knew they made such a cool model of refrigerator. Kudos to the Carnegie MOA for their public recognition of MCM design as a true art form and props to Pam for her assistance in their treasure hunt for a fridge to display.
The center drawer concept is GREAT! We bought a Samsung fridge a few years ago, and the big selling point for us was its center drawer. Everyone who comes into our kitchen is all “Whoa…check THAT out!” and you can’t beat the convenience of the drawer. We use it to hold sodas; that way we don’t have to open the whole fridge when we want a drink.
Janet,
I think your story is fantastic & very informative for those of us with MCM homes who may be looking for the original appliances that went in them, I know I am!
I also think it’s not even remotely strange, our garage currently has pink & yellow crane toilets, crane sinks & a cinderella bathtub!
Double wow on this Westinghouse center drawer refrigerator! I do not collect MCM, as my kitchen is being done circa 1940-41 style. A 1935 GE fridge is in the kitchen right now, with a more modern 1939 art deco model on the way. But this fridge is so cool, if I ever found one it would be almost impossible to turn down. It is not hard to understand how one can fall in love with MCM kitchens. I hope one is found for the museum exhibit.
OMGosh!! I would design my whole house around that fridg!!!
::::swoon::::
Holy moly Batman! My mother’s friend used to have one of these! Even as children, my sibs and I knew we were gazing upon a gem. Unfortunately my mother would not be swayed by a 7, 6 and 4 year old. I am going to see if she still has it. Crossing my fingers and toes she still does.
Yes, fingers and toes crossed – let us know!
I totally agree. I used to go to a large grocery store that was basically like stepping back into the late 70s/early 80s (except for prices, of course). The freezer cases and pharmacy area took me right back to the larger grocery stores we’d go to when we visited my Grandparents on the other side of the state. So much bigger and more modern than the stores we had at home! Alas, not big or modern enough, it’s been torn down to make room for a warehouse style food outlet. At least it’s not one of those “members only” establishments.
I have that fridge! I actually have one!!!
@ D. Jordan, how cool! Now you know who designed your fridge!