Silver Table c. 1936

This technical drawing of a silver table was created by Richard Schoene, sometime around 1934. Architectural drawings like this are fascinating because they give us a window into the history of design and production. Here, we see the careful attention to detail, with precise measurements and multiple views of the table. The drawing, probably commissioned by Meyer Goldbaum, speaks to the intersection of artistic skill, economic demand, and the cultural values placed on objects of both utility and beauty. It could have been made for different reasons: to document an existing object, to guide future production, or simply as an exercise in technical skill. To understand this drawing fully, we might investigate design trends in the 1930s, or explore the history of furniture making. We can use primary sources such as trade catalogs and archival documents to better understand the object.