Tray with floral motif
Selected as an object made by Mendle Brothers, an organisation about which we would like to know more.
Case number - AIBDC : 0_6432
A green coloured plastic tray with a painted flower motif, c. 1950s. This tray has two sprung legs which, when opened, hold the tray on the arm of an armchair.
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Designer | unknown - Wanted |
Manufacturer | Mendle Brothers |
Country | UK |
Date | 1950s (circa) - Wanted |
Dimensions | length 315 mm, width 200 mm, depth 25 mm. |
Materials | plastic, UF, urea formaldehyde |
Method | compression moulded |
Colour | green |
Inscription | moulded: "MB Pat. App. For No 11943/52" (underside of tray) |
Rights: images on this site are for non-commercial, educational use only. MoDiP has done its utmost to obtain clearance from all IPR holders before adding images. If you believe that any image has been used without permission please contact modip@aub.ac.uk.
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Case notes
Tray with floral motif: Case AIBDC : 0_6432
In production in 1952
28/03/2014
Ian Holdworth tells us: The clip on tray is illustrated in the British Plastics journal of June 1952. It was exhibited at the 1952 British Industrial Fair. The caption for the photograph reads, ‘Illustrated above is a tray moulded in u.f. which can be quickly attached to the wing of an armchair; displayed by Mendle Bros., Glamorgan’. And he provides this image:
Mendle Bros, Embee Products, EP, MB are all the same company
28/03/2014
Ian Holdsworth also tells us that: the company also used the trade name Embee, as in this backstamp from a 1960s ice bucket, and, occasionally EP, which presumably stands for Embee Products. Clip on tray bases can be marked ‘Embee Products, Made in Gt. Britain. Pat 709600’. Also sometimes marked ‘MB MADE IN GT. BRITAIN PAT. APP. FOR No 11943/52’.
Variants also produced
28/03/2014
More from Ian Holdsworth: a number of small variants on the basic tray design were produced.
The illustration below shows a tray from the 1960s designed for vehicle use.
Patent dated 12.5.1952 found
28/03/2014
Well done Ian Holdsworth. He tells us: the correct patent number is GB 709600. This patent was applied for on 12.5.1952 by Julius Mendle. See - http://worldwide.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/biblio?DB=worldwide.es...
So the question is what was Julius Mendle's role? We know he was the owner of the company. Was he also the designer of this tray? And what is the story behind the painting of the posy?