See more objects with the tag lighting, tool, simple, rectangular, flared, compact, flat, portable.

See more objects with the color darkslategrey or see all the colors for this object.

Object Timeline

-0001

1970

  • Work on this object began.

1990

  • Work on this object ended.

1993

  • We acquired this object.

2006

2007

2015

2024

  • You found it!

Lite Years Flashlight

This is a flashlight. It is dated ca. 1980 and we acquired it in 1993. Its medium is molded plastic, metal. It is a part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts department.

Black and Decker, today one of the largest manufacturers of power tools and accessories, had just incorporated the United States power tools business as a wholly owned subsidiary in 1979. In that year, its annual sales topped one billion dollars for the first time. Such enormous growth in the industry was made possible by inexpensive yet durable materials such as the molded synthetic plastic used in this flashlight, a material born in the twentieth century.

This object was donated by Max Pine. It is credited Gift of Barbara and Max Pine.

  • Grip Flashlight
  • silicone rubber, led light source.
  • Gift of George R. Kravis II.
  • 2012-20-1
  • Mini-Maglite Flashlight
  • machined anodized aluminum alloy, krypton lightbulb.
  • Gift of Max and Barbara Pine.
  • 1994-59-14

Our curators have highlighted 1 object that are related to this one.

Its dimensions are

H x diam.: 10.5 x 4 cm (4 1/8 x 1 9/16 in.)

It has the following markings

On left side of body: "(logo) BLACK & DECKER/ Lite Years"; on opposite side, molded in plastic: "Cat no UFL100 Type 1 Caution: Do not incinerate / Black & Decker Inc. Shelton, CT 06484 U.S.A. Made in Mexico"

Cite this object as

Lite Years Flashlight; Mexico; molded plastic, metal; H x diam.: 10.5 x 4 cm (4 1/8 x 1 9/16 in.); Gift of Barbara and Max Pine; 1993-133-4

This object was previously on display as a part of the exhibition IDEO Selects: Works from the Permanent Collection.

There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian’s Terms of Use page.

For higher resolution or commercial use contact ArtResource.

If you would like to cite this object in a Wikipedia article please use the following template:

<ref name=CH>{{cite web |url=https://collection.cooperhewitt.org/objects/18643665/ |title=Lite Years Flashlight |author=Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum |accessdate=19 April 2024 |publisher=Smithsonian Institution}}</ref>