Former Raymond Loewy/William Snaith employee

[Bob Bryant]

Last evening at a cruise-in I overheard an attractive lady talking to the gentleman with her about Raymond Loewy while they looked at my Avanti. I remarked that many people were not familiar with him. She said she worked in the company in NYC with William Snaith in store design. She said in her opinion Snaith was more active in the firm as a partner than Loewy duing that period. Googling since our discussion I learned that William Snaith was a partner for a period with Loewy. I asked her what it was like working for Loewy and she said, "He was quite a guy."

Here in Connecticut I have met two former employees of the design firm.

Over 200 cars at Ocean Beach Park and only one Studebaker.

[t walgamuth]

Did she elaborate on "Quite a guy?"

[Bob Bryant]

She was smiling when she said it. I felt like the gentleman with her wanted a change of subject.

[HAWK64]

Last evening at a cruise-in I overheard an attractive lady talking to the gentleman with her about Raymond Loewy while they looked at my Avanti. I remarked that many people were not familiar with him. She said she worked in the company in NYC with William Snaith in store design. She said in her opinion Snaith was more active in the firm as a partner than Loewy duing that period. Googling since our discussion I learned that William Snaith was a partner for a period with Loewy. I asked her what it was like working for Loewy and she said, "He was quite a guy."

Here in Connecticut I have met two former employees of the design firm.

Over 200 cars at Ocean Beach Park and only one Studebaker.

I have a original RL Associates letterhead from 1958 with the William Snaith name mentioned as an associate. The letter is addressed to Harold Churchill wishing him a Merry Christmas & also congratulations for the new Lark. It is simply signed Raymond.

[Avantidon]

William Snaith was the brains of Loewy's Store design and build firm in NYC. He and Loewy designed all of the Lord and Taylor stores in and around the city, many stores for othersin Texas as well as many of the PRR and N&W Train Stations across the country. Not only did they design the stores but they also designed many of the fixtures as well as the merchandise delivery systems to the floors in the building. I attended a conference at the Hagley Museum several years ago where employees of the firm discussed there work and Raymond Loewy. It was well attended and very interesting. BYW, 50% or more of Loewy's personal papers are in the Hagley's collection and included are many drawings of items he designed or changed along with items from Loewy-Snaith Studios.

[Bob Bryant]

The link below indicates that Snaith had a different role at times when 1956 and 1961 dates are viewed in the chronology. It lists Loewy as CEO and Snaith as President. That still leaves Loewy in the top position. As to validity, I don't know.

http://socialarchive.iath.virginia.edu/xtf/view?docId=loewy-raymond-1893-1986-cr.xml