Cocktail Table, SS United States

Description:

This round aluminum-and-glass cocktail table was among the furnishings in the Duck Suite, the first-class luxury accommodations that included three upper-deck cabins aboard the ocean liner SS United States. Known as the most luxurious of the 14 first-class suites on the ship, these rooms were typically chosen by the United States’ most well-to-do passengers, from movie stars to British royalty. The Duke and Duchess of Windsor, regular passengers on the rival ship Queen Mary, switched their loyalties to the United States during the mid-1950s and booked the Duck Suite, which was their favorite lodging at sea for a time.

Like all of the furniture on this flagship of the United States Line, the table was crafted of flame-resistant metal. Launched in 1952, the ship was filled with aluminum furnishings. The ship’s architect, William Francis Gibbs, designed the vessel to be as fireproof as possible, and selected aluminum for its safety and aesthetic appeal. And while the massive amounts of aluminum did make the United States one of the safest ships ever launched, the metallic, modern décor also gave it a special feel unlike any other ocean liner. Most liners were decorated with opulent wood carvings and even had working fireplaces to make passengers feel as if they were sitting in their own living room or library. However, Gibbs put aside this notion of Victorian comfort with his new interior decorating style. The United States was the epitome of 1950s and 1960s design: sleek, modern, and practical.

Date Made: 1950s

Subject: FurnishingsFishingRelated Event: Postwar United States

Subject:

See more items in: Work and Industry: Maritime, Sports & Leisure, Transportation

Exhibition: On the Water

Exhibition Location: National Museum of American History

Related Web Publication: http://americanhistory.si.edu/onthewater

Related Publication: On the Water online exhibition

Credit Line: Transfer from US Department of Commerce, Maritime Administration (through R. J. Blackwell)

Data Source: National Museum of American History

Id Number: TR.336767.022Accession Number: 1978.2219Catalog Number: 336767.022

Object Name: table

Physical Description: aluminum (overall material)glass (overall material)Measurements: overall: 18 in x 25 in; 45.72 cm x 63.5 cm

Guid: http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ac-5618-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Record Id: nmah_1342649

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