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Sunday, July 1, 2012

Shmoos

In 1945, Eva Zeisel began designing the Town and Country line of dinnerware for Red Wing Pottery. Zeisel liked to think that the way the abstract pieces nestled together gave them human qualities reminiscent of a mother with her children or a family of friendly creatures.

Most collectors of mid-century pottery know that the Town and Country salt and pepper shakers are affectionately called "Shmoos," but how many of you know why?


etsy.com - Modernismus

In 1948 Al Capp introduced a little animal called the Shmoo to his satirical comicstrip Li'l Abner. According to a [December 20, 1948] Life magazine article, the Shmoo is "round as a bowling ball, cute as a cross between a penguin and a Kewpie doll." The Shmoo released people from the drudgery of work, because he provided them with all their needs. The Life article went on to say that the shmoo "multiplies like the fruit fly, he dies happily and ready for the cook stove when you look hungrily at him, he lays cheesecake on a platter and gives the finest creamery butter and grade 'A' milk already sealed in a bottle. Broiled, he tastes like steak; fried, he tastes like the yummiest chicken."  A Shmoo's eyes made perfect suspender buttons, his whiskers made great toothpicks and his skin made useful materials for the manufacture of clothing and building supplies.


northernstarart.com
newsarama.co,

Shmoos became an instant phenomenon. According to research by Denis Kitchen, an expert on the subjects of cartoon art, out of print books and unusual collectibles, almost 100 licensed Shmoo products were produced by 75 different manufacturers in less than a year, some of which sold five million units each.

Shmoo products
deniskitchen.com
Shmoo ashtray
etsy.com - MaxsAttic

According to Kitchen:

There had never previously been anything like it. Comparisons to contemporary cultural phenomena are inevitable. But modern crazes are almost always due to massive marketing campaigns by large media corporations, and are generally aimed at the youth market. The Shmoo phenomenon arose immediately, spontaneously and solely from cartoonist Al Capp's daily comic strip—and it appealed widely to Americans of all ages. Forty million people read the original 1948 Shmoo story, and Capp's already considerable readership roughly doubled following the overwhelming success of the Shmoo.

So now you have the back story. The next time you hear Zeisel's salt and pepper shakers referred to as "shmoos," you'll know why.

From books.google.com (Life, Dec 20, 1948), deniskitchen.com, britishmuseum.org and essortment.com

(Thanks to blogger friend Antay for mentioning shmoos in his post yesterday, which reminded me that I had been keeping a folder full of shmoo info on the back burner for a while.)

21 comments:

  1. They are so endearing, irresistible,! I want to squeeze one.....one day.:)

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    1. I can see why they became such an instant sensation. How could you not love them? :)

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  2. I've never seen those shakers before (never heard of Schmoos either). They're super-cute.

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    1. Eva Zeisel is one of my favorite designers of dinnerware. I think you'd like her work.

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  3. Dana, this is a perfectly timed post! My Mom and I found a pair of (not perfect) Shmoos that were an exciting find! They currently live on my Mom's book shelf. We couldn't bear to sell them because they are so adorable. Ours are, we think, the more common and less coveted sand colour.

    You never cease to amaze me with your wealth of information.

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    1. I don't think I could bear to sell them either! They're so simple, yet beautiful. Congrats on finding them. Hope the store is going well.

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  4. Another great lesson from the "teacher". Thanks Dana!

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    1. You can take the teacher out of the classroom, as saying goes... I've been retired 10 years, but I still like hunting for information people will relate to and enjoy learning.

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    2. That's a great thing for all your followers. Always something new to learn! I'm constantly on the hunt for information and often my customers have some great info to share as well!

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    3. You're so right. There's so much to learn about mid-century design that no one can know it all. I learn something new every day, and the information comes from so many sources...sometimes unexpected ones.

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  5. Love this! You certainly are a great teacher, and I could use a shmoo around here relieving me of the drudgery of house work.

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    1. While our shmoos are doing things for us, I wouldn't mind having a cheesecake on a platter. :)

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  6. I never knew of the shmoo, but now that I do I think they are pretty coo!
    =D

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    1. LOL You're pretty coo yourself! You always make me smile.

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  7. I grew up reading Li'l Abner faithfully every day in the comics and also enjoying the daily view of our complete set of Eva Zeisel's Town & Country in the glass pass cupboard my mother designed to house it. Our "Shmoos" were blue. Naturally as a kid I assumed the T&C Shmoos were inspired by Al Capp's Shmoos and it was many years later I learned which Shmoo was which Shmoo. I still harbor a belief that Capp copped the design from Zeisel.

    Since I inherited my mothers set, it did not hurt too bad to sell a set of original T&C blue "Shmoos" I found at a church rummage sale for 50cents about 7 years ago. [It did hurt, in a good way, to squelch to a whisper the "SHMOOS!!" I almost shouted when I spotted them.] I decided to put them on eBay at a very modest opening bid and was shocked by their final price. In a very good way!

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    1. My dad read Li'l Abner to me every Sunday...good memories! How wonderful it was that your mother had a complete set of T&C. I'm sure you'll always consider it one of your greatest treasures.

      I know what you mean about having to stifle yourself when you spot something great at a sale, and I bet you really almost squealed when you saw the 50 cent price tag on the ones you spotted. I'm sure the shmoos you sold on eBay fetched a pretty penny. Many people consider them the Holy Grail of their collections.

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  8. This is so great! I LOVE THE SHMOO! I watched the cartoon every Saturday morning... I can almost hear is squeaky little voice in my head. (and I'm quite good at imitating them :-)
    Oh, boy...what fun! Thanks Dana, I knew nothing about these and REALLY SHOULD! They are so cool.

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    1. Hey Stacey, I remember the New Schmoo cartoons, too. It was one of my favourites as a kid. I didn't know it was originally part of the Li'l Abner comic strip- it's one of the few times I can say "that was before my time"
      I just had a peek at your blog and am excited to see all the work you've done- I'm now following, too.

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    2. Stacey, until I started looking for pictures of the Li'l Abner shmoos, I wasn't aware that there had been a New Shmoo cartoon. I guess that was one my daughter missed. I'd love to hear your impression of a shmoo. :)

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  9. Hi Dana,

    I've never seen these shakers before but now I am seriously coveting them. Thanks for the education on the schmoos!

    I just found you via Dans le Townhouse and will be following.

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    1. Welcome to the blog. I'm glad you found it through Tanya's site. Hope you find your very own set of shmoos soon. :)

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