Lady's Buckles c. 1936

Editor: This is “Lady’s Buckles,” a watercolor and drawing on paper by Charles Criswell, circa 1936. I'm immediately struck by the sort of detached way these buckles are rendered – almost like an industrial blueprint. What's your read on it? Curator: I find it fascinating to consider this piece through the lens of materiality and the processes of production. Buckles, historically, signify fastening and security, and their production often involves metalworking and craftsmanship. We can think about the social context - were these buckles mass produced or handmade? This impacts their value and role within the garment industry and ultimately, in a woman’s attire. Editor: So, you're suggesting we look beyond the buckles themselves and consider their journey – from raw materials to finished product and then its placement as a symbol of material worth? Curator: Precisely. Notice the level of detail juxtaposed with the use of watercolor and drawing. It brings to question the boundary between design and craft and how these skills interact to create wearable objects. How does the drawing itself contribute to their potential for production? Editor: That’s an interesting point. The precision of the drawing almost seems to advocate for their replicability in a factory setting. Does the 'Lady's' of the title perhaps allude to the consumer market? Curator: It could be! The title introduces the aspect of consumption. We’re reminded of the societal implications of fashion. What kind of labor was involved in producing these buckles and the garments they adorned? We should also ask about where and how were such "lady's" garments bought? The "Lady" and what it connoted, socially. Editor: I never considered the implications of something so simple as buckles could involve so many aspects of the fashion and garment industries, with gendered social strata involved as well. I will consider these social materialities in my thinking now. Thanks! Curator: A close consideration of materials can tell such stories about class and taste! It's been illuminating to reconsider everyday objects from this perspective.