Pink Flamingos

[Pepperoni]

http://tinyurl.com/qdo2pr9


Tropical elegance in a box': how the pink flamingo became an American icon

Edward Helmore in New York
Wednesday 24 June 2015 11.29 EDT

Sculptor Don Featherstone, who died on Monday aged 87, was the inventor of the plastic pink flamingo lawn ornament that became an icon of aspirational suburban values of the 1950s and, later, a symbol of postmodern, ironic detachment that more than hinted at a sense of cultural superiority.

For Featherstone, who designed the bird for Union Products’ Plastics for the Lawn line from pictures in a National Geographic magazine spread, the bird was a surprise hit – and the start of a cultural craze.

The company had tried marketing ducks, geese, swans, even ostriches, but nothing came close to the success of the flamingo, with its echoes of Florida exotica, that went on to sell 20m pairs.

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Featherstone’s contribution was recognised in his home state in 1987 when the governor of Massachusetts proclaimed the plastic bird “an essential contribution to American folk art”. That’s certainly the way Waters, who received dozens of them as gifts from fans, would like to see the pink flamingo garden ornament. “After they became a hipster thing and people would put a hundred of them on their lawn, I gave mine away.”




http://tinyurl.com/qdo2pr9

[wannavolunteerF]

there was an article about him and the pink flamingos on "Sunday Morning" on CBS this morning, I guess because he passed this week.

[shakyjay]

[Gonzo42]

Remember Pee Wee Herman and his front yard full of all sorts of plastic gimcracks?


Pee Wee Herman

[Gene_Ginny]

Southwest Harbor on Mount Desert Island (Acadia) has a pink flamingo festival every year with lawns decorated to the max with pink flamingos. :C :C :C

[Halmfamily]

The campground host at Chewacla SP in Alabama must have had over 100 pink flamingos around his site. He had a vintage trailer and truck and it look like you stepped back 50 years when you look at his site. I took pictures of it but my phone went swimming on that trip.

[jfkmk]

We were in a big box home improvement store recently and saw pink flamingos. Waiting in line I looked them over and sadly noted they were one of the few items in the store made in the U.S.A.

[Shadow_Catcher]

There are more of the plastic ones than real ones!

[cbshoestring]

downtheroad wrote:
It just doesn't get any better than this....

COME NOW....you can do better. How about some lighted birds, so they can be enjoyed well into the wee hours.

[downtheroad]

It just doesn't get any better than this....

[gbopp]

I remember, as a kid, the Pink Flamingo craze of the late 50's.
I've never heard the story behind the plastic birds.
Neat article, thanks for sharing.