I saw this object on display at the Wolfsonian Museum in Miami Beach, and I had to pause and wonder: what exactly is it? I have to admit, my first visual association was the Slinky Dog from Toy Story, but this object was designed by James Waring Carpenter in the 1930s, and is meant as a functional item for the “modern home.” What’s your guess as to what this is? (scroll down below the picture for the answer)
It’s a modernist Art Deco magazine rack, designed by Carpenter (1900-1967) for the McKaycraft line, manufactured by The McKay Company. I would love to have something like this, but I’d almost be tempted to leave it empty of magazines and display it like a sculpture.