University of Texas at Austin

Maurice Goldberg (b. Russia, 1881-1949)
Model of Bel Geddes's Streamlined Ocean Liner
Ca. 1932
Gelatin silver print

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Norman Bel Geddes Database

Job 248, Streamlined Ocean Liner, 1932-1959

Summary: Geddes’s design for an 1,808 foot long streamlined ocean liner eliminated all projections or enclosed them within the ship’s shell. Anticipated to reduce trans-Atlantic travel by one day, the ship was designed to accommodate 2,000 first- class passengers and a crew of 900.

Geddes photographed this model for inclusion in Horizons (job 237), which also featured renderings and detailed plans and sections. These illustrations persuasively suggested that this fantastical ship was ready to be built and launched, which it never was. Like Geddes’s design for the Wenner-Gren yacht (job 302), the ocean liner’s lifeboats were housed within the ship’s streamlined superstructure.


(click image for description)

Box/Location Folder Description
flat file 248.1a-b 1 Sketch, 1 rendering, 1 plan photostat.
damaged flat files, drawer 2 248.1 2 Drawings, 12 sketches.
damaged flat files, drawer 2 248.2 1 Drawing, 2 sketches, 5 reproductions.
flat box 3 248.1 Mounted photostats of exhibit label, drawings.
box 12a 248.1 Photograph Record Copy Book captions c1932, Photograph Record sheets 1939. Exhibit label.
photo box 5 248.1 10 Record Copy Photographs with captions.
photo box 5 248.2 16 Photographs of renderings and model.
negative box 3 248.1 5 Negatives.
box 12a 248.2 Data, existing ships --- 2 Negative photostats.
flat file 248.2 Data, existing ships --- Deck plan of S.S. Bremen.
box 12a 248.3 Patent filings, claims, & action 1933-1937. Photostat of patent issued Feb1934.
box 12a 248.4 Patent filings, claims, & action --- Legal correspondence 1934-1937.
box 13 248.5 Patent filings, claims, & action --- Photostats of drawings for claims cases A & C 1934.
box 13 248.6-7 Publicity --- Clippings 1933-1936.
photo box 5 248.3 Publicity --- 2 Photographs of ship exhibit at Chicago Museum of Science & Industry 1936.
box 13 248.8 Publicity --- Correspondence, memo 1935-1959.

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