American Modern: pitcher
- Gallery: Room 48
- Maker: Russel Wright
- Made in: East Liverpool
- Date: 1937 (designed); 1939-1959 (produced circa)
- Object type: pitcher
- Materials: earthenware
- Museum number: 1988,0117.1
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
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About this object
This is "American Modern," a pitcher designed by Russel Wright in 1937. The piece is part of a dinnerware collection known for its bold departure from traditional shapes. You'll notice its smooth, asymmetrical form in a soft "sea-foam" green glaze—a color that was unique at the time and encouraged users to mix and match patterns freely.
Produced by Steubenville Pottery in East Liverpool, the pitcher is made of cast earthenware and showcases Wright’s innovative approach to household design. The base features an impressed signature reading “Russel Wright” and a maker’s mark stating “MFG. BY STEUBENVILLE.”
The design launched in 1939 after two years of persuasion to get a factory to produce it. What followed was massive popularity, with over 80 million pieces sold. It was especially popular as a gift for young brides in the 1940s.
Wright’s design helped shift home décor toward softer, more organic forms, setting the stage for future trends in American design.
See it in person
American Modern: pitcher is on display in Room 48 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and take a photo of it to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
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