Skip to content
Title:
Airfix storage tub
Object name(s):
food storage; food container
Brief description:
A clear, polystyrene (PS) storage tub with a green polyethylene (PE) lid, manufactured by Airfix Plastics Ltd in the 1960s. The company was originally founded in 1939 by Hungarian businessman Nicholas Kove, who began making rubber toys but then turned his attention to plastics when rubber supplies were diverted for military use during WWII. In 1947 he introduced a range of cellulose acetate combs and in 1949 developed a model tractor in kit form, at first in cellulose acetate and later in a more stable polystyrene. The company steadily expanded their range of model kits so that by the late 1960s, the brand had become synonymous with plastics scale-models. However, throughout they were still producing other general plastics products such as homewares, games and toys. In 1972, David Sinigaglia, Managing Director of Airfix Industries, set up the design subsidiary Crayonne to try to improve the image of plastics, approaching Conran Associates to apply high design principles to everyday homewares (see AIBDC : 008800).
Collection:
Museum of Design in Plastics
Associated concept:
house and garden
Colour:
colourless
Colour:
green
Dimension:
length 135 mm
Dimension:
width 100 mm
Dimension:
height 68 mm
Inscription content:
Airfix by Airfix Plastics Ltd. Made in England. 0179
Inscription method:
moulded
Inscription position:
underside of container
Material:
plastic
Material:
PS
Material:
polystyrene
Material:
PE
Material:
polyethylene
Material:
polythene
Object name:
food storage; food container
Object number:
AIBDC : 008801
Object production organisation:
Airfix
Organisation's association:
Manufacturer
Object production person:
Unknown
Person's association:
Designer
Object production place:
UK
Technique:
injection moulded

Persistent shareable link for this record: https://museumdata.uk/objects/b2bef350-c146-30cb-bedd-11e92dae17da

Use licence for this record: CC BY

Attribution for this record: https://museumdata.uk/objects/b2bef350-c146-30cb-bedd-11e92dae17da, Museum of Design in Plastics, CC BY

Is there a problem with this record? Give feedback.

Sign up to our newsletter

Follow the latest MDS developments every two months with our newsletter.

Unsubscribe any time. See our privacy notice.

Back to top