I'm curious to know how people feel about Massimo Vignelli's designs for Heller. I'm not sure what it is about them that attracts me, but I can't help but collect the glass bakeware and the melamine dinnerware when I find it at the thrift, even though I find them to be a bit conceptually troublesome. I find the designs to be almost willfully wasteful of space. Maybe this is only a concern for me, as a city dweller with acutely limited space (and multiple full dinnerware sets...sigh), but cupboard space conservation is just not a consideration in these designs, it seems. The large rims on the baking dishes are, to my eye, a waste of space with little-to-no perceived benefit. That said, I suppose it has a fairly direct precedent in Sarpaneva's Saturnus pots...
At least the melamine ware STACKS well though (though the space wasted by the bowls and mugs not nesting does bother me!). I picked up four of the glass ramekins at a thrift recently, and carefully stacked them in my cupboard, one atop the other and...well, within a day apt vibrations resulted in them...no longer being stacked one atop the other, let's say. I hesitate to say this, but they just seem like a bad design in some senses to me... So, I'd just love to know what people's thoughts are on these. 
I love the Hellerware. In th...
I love the Hellerware. I use is as my everyday dishes at my weekend house. In the Vignelli documentary "Design is One", he talked about how the original design for the small mugs (for the European market) had handles that went up all the way to the top rims. When they were brought over to America, consumers started complaining that when the mugs were filled to the top, coffee would spill down the channels in the handles like a gutter (this was apparently never an issue in Europe). He went on to explain that Americans' need to fill the mugs to the top (and the Europeans need not to) is a good example of the differences in the cultures. The mugs were eventually redesigned for the American market so that liquid could not spill down the handles (like in the picture above). Vignelli was not happy about the change in the design, which he believed lost its fluidity and became clumsy. (At least that's how I remember it)
Is this what you mean jesgord?
The only images I saw where the rim of the mug did not open at the handle (creating a waterfall spout) were short like these, not the taller mugs that you commonly see. Of course, they may have "supersized" the mugs for the American market as well.
brbeard, we have a complete set just like the one you show which we use daily. We give those to the kids so we don't have to worry much about breakage. Living with them as we do, I don't have any complaints about the design other than they are sometimes slow to dry since the steep rims will allow water to pool if you are not careful how you put them in the drying rack. Of course, we are lucky to have ample cabinet space in our kitchen.
* sorry for the jumbo picture, but I borrowed it from on line.
Interesting points. That...
Interesting points. That void in the original design, where the handle meets the body certainly makes for a more interesting design (though one that requires additional consideration from the user). I feel like there's an emphasis on interesting (minimalist) form at the expense of function, rather than a synergy between the two. That said, I'm still totally going to continue to buy it when I see it at thrifts, so that I can use it as a picnic set. And I'll be sure to watch that documentary, Jesgord. Thanks again for chiming in, guys!
Love, love, LOVE th
glassware. I like the cylindrical shape of the bowl and I really love the finely ribbed texture. But yeah---they do take up a lot of space. I think the broad, flat rims serve as handles, right? I never really thought about that until now.
I had a few of these but eventually gave them to my daughter because I didn't really have room to store them after moving to a smaller place.
I thought the plastic stuff was ABS, not melamine...? Or maybe I'm thinking of something else.
Heller Max 2
Pegboard Modern,
I have the cups and saucers (in yellow) that you pictured. They are the original design (void at handle) and are marked Max 2 made in Italy (besides the usual Vignelli, Heller, etc). I also have a few of the tall mugs and the cream and sugar all with the same Max 2 design (all made in Italy).
The later Max 1 design (made in USA) are everywhere. Some of the colors (or non colors: black) and trays (oval service platter) are more difficult to locate.
I continue to buy these items when they are available at low pricing. I am just shy of a few hundred pieces. I have no use for this amount, but "need" as never bested "desire" as a requirement for acquisition.
If you need any help, please contact us at – info@designaddict.com