May - California Central Coast - Porsche Club of America

sion of ideas about style, design, and a new
way of looking at “things” emerged in Western
Europe and the United States that paralleled
similar movements in art,
music, architecture, graphics,
literature, and dress.
The moderne and art deco
was born. The concepts of
speed, streamlining, organic
flow (the French Curve manner),
and “taste” were built
into the design of everything:
furniture, appliances,
houses, clothes, public
buildings, machines, and of
course, into automobiles.
And not just for the wealthy, but for a growing
middle class. And, as in many things, this
movement flourished most energetically in Paris:
the City of Light, and now the City of Style.
In his mu- seum Peter
W. Mullin has incorporated
these notions
of the art deco most
obviously in his superb
collection of French
automo- biles of the
1920’s, and culminating
in the over- whelmingly
stun- ning Voisin
Cabriolet submitted by
the French government,
as the epitome of
French industrial and automotive elegance, for
the New York’s World Fair in 1939. In addition to
the splendor of the mind-blowing restorations of
the Bugattis, Voisins, Delahayes, Delages, Talbot-Lagos
and Hispano-Suizas, there were also
displays of famous French race cars—many with
winning records. It was also important that these
masterpieces of car body design had to function
in a superior fashion as well as look great. This
period saw exceptional mechanical innovations
in machines of all types.
California Central Coast Porsche Club Of America May 2011
In keeping with Mr. Mullin’s interest in things
French, there were displays of French furniture,
ceramics, glass, sculpture, paintings, and photography.
According to
our most excellent tour
guide, the Museum is a
work in progress. Clearly,
it is worth a trip every
few years as the collections
and the displays
grow.
The only thing missing
on the Mullin journey
back into French elegance
was a really nice
bottle of Chateau LaFite-Rothschild—preferably
a 1973, the one with the label designed by
Picasso— a generous slice of Figue de Chevre
cheese,
and one of
Erik Satie’s
Gynmopedia
piano
pieces
playing in
the background.
Maybe
next trip
to the Mullin Automotive Museum we will tour in
Style. –miltworthy--
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