Share your favorites on Show & Tell

Peace symbol screen block

In Mid-Century Modern > Show & Tell and Politics > Show & Tell.
Recent Activity471 of 2946"The Starlet" Casco Vintage Lighted Make-Up Mirror 1950sPeace hands
8
Love it
1
Like it

ho2cultchaho2cultcha loves this.
CalFinnCalFinn likes this.
WatchsearcherWatchsearcher loves this.
Vynil33rpmVynil33rpm loves this.
AnythingObscureAnythingObscure loves this.
auraaura loves this.
vetraio50vetraio50 loves this.
TassieDevilTassieDevil loves this.
blunderbuss2blunderbuss2 loves this.
See 7 more
Add to collection

    Please create an account, or Log in here

    If you don't have an account, create one here.


    Create a Show & TellReport as inappropriate


    Posted 8 years ago

    artfoot
    (367 items)

    At the back of my yard, under an orange tree that is always dropping leaves, is this solitary peace symbol pre-cast concrete block. These turn up every once in a while, usually in back yards, remnants of hippie era book shelves. That's how I got this one some twenty years ago.

    Curiosity leads us in diverse directions - let me tell you what I have found out about these pieces of concrete. First - what they are. Called screen blocks or breeze blocks in the trade, they have been and are currently made in a wide variety of patterns. The size of the block pictured, called a 12" Square, is actually 11 5/8" on the sides and 3 5/8" thick. They have a number of architectural uses from ornamentation to, as the names imply, ventilated privacy walls. Currently there are many manufacturers of pre-cast concrete screen blocks. None that I could find are currently offering a Peace Symbol block and access to vintage product catalogs has, so far, been fruitless.

    Concrete screen blocks were often used in Mid-Century architecture. An image search will show a multitude of on-site installations. What I didn't find were any installations using these Peace Symbol blocks. It seems unlikely that these were only sold to hippies building bookcases so I'm asking if anyone out there knows of a place where these were used architecturally. I would love to see a picture.

    Unsolved Mystery

    Help us close this case. Add your knowledge below.

    logo
    Mid-Century Modern
    See all
    Herman Miller Sayl Chairs - Refurbished Approved By Madison Seating - LOW STOCK
    Herman Miller Sayl Chairs - Refurbi...
    $374
    Herman Miller Mirra Chair - Refurbished Approved By Madison Seating
    Herman Miller Mirra Chair - Refurbi...
    $299
    SHOCK MOUNTS 4 EAMES HERMAN MILLER SHELL CHAIR SHOCKMOUNT REPLACEMENT PARTS USA
    SHOCK MOUNTS 4 EAMES HERMAN MILLER ...
    $19
    Laurel Mushroom Lamp Glass Replacement Shade Globe Mid-Century Modern Retro
    Laurel Mushroom Lamp Glass Replacem...
    $159
    logo
    Herman Miller Sayl Chairs - Refurbished Approved By Madison Seating - LOW STOCK
    Herman Miller Sayl Chairs - Refurbi...
    $374
    See all

    Comments

    1. ho2cultcha ho2cultcha, 8 years ago
      i LOVE these! i've been searching for one for years with no luck yet. thanks for sharing!
    2. Vynil33rpm Vynil33rpm, 5 years ago
      4 years ago ,,,hey Artfoot

    Want to post a comment?

    Create an account or login in order to post a comment.