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Ann Kerr, in her third edition of the Collector's Encyclopedia of Russel Wright pictures this box, and tentatively attributes its design to Mary Wright for the American Way program.
The American Way was a program the Wrights began as a response to feelings that the culture of the United States was slipping to a more European aesthetic in its decorative arts. Europeans in the late 30's and early 40's mocked the United States for its lack of culture, and reliance on European designers. Russel and his wife strongly disagreed with this sentiment, and formed the American Way as their response. The Wrights hand-chose dozens of American designers to develop and produce high-design, yet low-cost, goods to fill the void they saw in the American marketplace.
Many of Mary's designs have similarities in treatment to this shape—especially her line of fruit & vegetable shaped leather covered goods—but with the surfacing of recent documentation from Three Mountaineers I have to conceed that is it not her design. This documentation does, however, prove that this piece was intended for the American Way product line, which is an exciting discovery alone.
Found on February 27, 2005 in Saint Paul, MN.
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