Notes

(1) Ann Kerr, Collector’s Encyclopedia of Russel Wright, 2nd ed. (Paducah, KY: Collectors Books, 1998), 17.

(2) William Hennessey, Russel Wright: American Designer (New York: Gallery Association of New York State, 1983), 13.

(3) Russel Wright et. al., upublished Russel Wright biography, 1. Ann Wright provided the manuscript of this biography, which was given to her by Russel. Ann reports that its writing is likely a group effort among Russel and his office assistants over a considerable period of time as historical referents are inconsistent.

(4) Lebanon Western Star, “Judge Willard J. Wright Passes Away,” February 3, 1927.

(5) Lebanon Commercial Tribune, “Lot Wright is Dead,” February 23, 1900.

(6) Hazel Phillips papers, Warren County Historical Society, Lebanon, Ohio.

(7) Libby Lou’s given name appears variously as Lizbeth Lou, Lisbeth Lou and Elizabeth Lou in letters and family records.

(8) Notes by Sam Kaufman for eulogy at Russel Wright’s funeral, 1976.

(9) Ann Kerr, Collector’s Encyclopedia of Russel Wright, 3rd ed. (Paducah, KY: Collectors Books, 2002), 14.

(10) Wright et. al., 7.

(11) Wright et. al. See text of advisor E. Baldwin Smith, 10.

(12) Wright et. al., 16.

(13) Wright et. al., 18.

(14) Wright et. al., 18.

(15) Manitoga/The Russel Wright Design Center, Russel Wright: Designs for Living, Home and Woodland Garden (Garrison, NY: Hudson River Film & Video, 2001)

(16) Wright et. al., 22.

(17) Interview, “Person to Person,” with Edward R. Morrow (1958) as quoted in Russel Wright: Good Design is for Everyone, (Garrison, NY: Manitoga, Inc., 2002), 25.

(18) Stove to Table Ware and Informal Serving Accessories (New York: Russel Wright Associates, 1934).

(19) Hennessey, 28.

(20) Hennessey, 27.

(21) “California dinnerware” refers to informal, brightly colored, glazed ceramic ware that had become popular in the 1930s, typified by Fiestaware, designed in 1936 by Frederick Hurton Rhead and produced by the Homer Laughton China Company of West Virginia. This survey could have been conducted in 1936 or 1937.

(22) Different sources cite 1937 and 1938 as the years of the first designs of American Modern.

(23) Russel Wright, American-Way promotional brochure, 1940.

(24) Wright, 1940.

(25) Kerr, 2002.

(26) Joe Keller and David Ross, Russel Wright: Dinnerware, Pottery & More, an Identification and Price Guide (Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing, 2000).

(27) Donald Albrecht and Robert Schonfeld, “Introduction,” Creating American Lifestyle (New York: Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution, 2001), 11.

(28) Mary and Russel Wright, Guide to Easier Living, 2nd ed. (Layton, UT: Gibbs Smith, 2003), 28.

(29) Text of Wright’s acceptance speech. Wright Archives, Syracuse University.

(30) William R. Clabby, “Expansive Uncle: U.S. Sends Designers to Native Huts….” Wall Street Journal, July 5, 1957, 12.

(31) Russel Wright, “RW’s NY Times article complete,” unpublished manuscript with title handwritten at top, 1-2. Wright Archives, Syracuse University.

(32) Russel Wright, “Notes on Japan,” March 19, 1956. Wright Archives, Syracuse University.

(33) Russel Wright, “RW’s NY Times article complete,” 1.

(34) Russel Wright, “Bamboo Bridge.” The manuscript, but no published version of this article, is located in Box 38, Wright Archives, Syracuse University.

(35) Russel Wright, “Bamboo Bridge,” 12-13.

(36) Documents provided by Hitoshi Mori.

(37) Russel Wright, “Notes on Japan,” 1. Wright Archives, Syracuse University.

(38) Numerous documents in Box 43 of the Wright Archives, Syracuse University, record the trade shows that Wright produced with products from Cambodia, Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries. Cost Plus was founded in 1958 with its first store located on Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco and Pier 1 opened its first store in 1962 in the San Francisco Peninsula city of San Mateo.

(39) Russel Wright, “Notes on Japan,” 14.

(40) Russel Wright, “Notes on Japan,” 16.

(41) Raymond is also listed as a participant in the American-Way project in 1940.

(42) Russel Wright et. al., (unpublished biography), 62.

(43) Betty Pepis, “Japanese Serenity in a Manhattan Apartment,” New York Times, November, 1955, 28.

(44) Russel Wright, “Philosophy of the House at Garrison,” ca. 1958, as quoted in Russel Wright: Good Design is for Everyone, 67.

(45) A thorough description of Dragon Rock is provided in Manitoga/The Russel Wright Design Center’s application for recognition as a National Historic Landmark, prepared July, 2005, by Kathleen LaFrank, available at http://www.cr.nps.gov/nhl/Fall05Mtg/Manitoga.pdf.

(46) David Leavitt, “The Origin of Dragon Rock,” text for a talk given at Manitoga, June 2003, 2.

(47) David Leavitt, 4.

(48) Carol Franklin, Design and Management Guide for Manitoga, self-published, December 1982.

(49) Russel Wright, “Passion for Nature”, 1961, as quoted in Russel Wright: Good Design is for Everyone, 106.

(50) The house and grounds are now open to the public during the visiting season, and tours are available daily or by appointment. For information call Manitoga/The Russel Wright Design Center at 845.424.3812.

(51) Ian McHarg, as quoted in Russel Wright: Good Design is for Everyone, 105.

(52) Robert Schonfeld, “Russel Wright and the Domesticated Naturalism of Manitoga,” at http//www.livingwithgooddesign.org.

(53) Ann Kerr, 268.

Acknowledgements

For their support in preparing this article, I offer my sincerest thanks to Arts Midwest, Ann Wright and the staff of Manitoga/The Russel Wright Design Center. I am also indebted to Carolyn Davis and Diane Cooter of the Special Collections Research Center at the E. S. Bird Library at Syracuse University , which houses the Russel Wright archives, and to Robert Schonfeld, William Straus and all of the resources cited in the endnotes.

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