Letter from Walter Dorwin Teague to Fred Smith regarding Designing a Rest Bench for Henry Ford Museum, October 3, 1939

Letter (Correspondence)

03 October 1939

By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center

body of letter: Dear Mr. Smith: / I made a design for the bench for the Edison Institute Museum, but was not able to show this design to Mr. Ford until about 10 days ago. This is the design shown on our drawing No. 20, of which two blueprints are sent you herewith. / Mr. Ford thought the bench might be rather light in construction for the Machinery Hall of the Museum, and he also thought that the leather seat was questionable. He suggested, however, that you make up a sample and that we design a somewhat sturdier bench. This I have done and it is shown on our drawing No. 21, of which two prints are also enclosed. Both these benches are to be executed in natural-finish maple. / It has occurred to me that the lighter type of bench with a leather seat would be more appropriate in the front part of the Museum, while the sturdier type would be more fitting in the Machinery Hall. Do you not think it would be wise to make up one bench from each design with this idea in mind? / . . .We are enclosing a sample of leather which would be appropriate in color for use on the lighter weight bench. / I should appreciate it very much if you would let me know when the samples are ready so that I could look at them in Dearborn.