In the landscape of the small community of collectors of industrial design, George R. Kravis II stood out for his passion, generosity, curiosity, commitment, and for his contribution to the development of connoisseurship in industrial design. He was certainly a pioneer. When he passed away last spring, a memorial was held at the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum, which is only one of several museums that benefited from Kravis’ generosity, and his warm, loving character was illuminated as well. I clearly remember when we first met. It was a snowy New York day, one of those stormy days that keep everyone at home, when I made my way to meet him at the home of his friend and curator David Hanks. We spent two hours together and it was not only a beginning of friendship, but also a discovery of a unique type of collector. To George, the love for design was a long journey that started in his childhood in Tulsa Oklahoma, but collecting had come to connect him with parts of history that he loved, with people, museums, transforming design into an eternal quest and lifestyle. He was often called the ‘Radio Man’ for his love for collecting Art Deco radios and for his career in radio stations in Tulsa. Now, that a part of his collection will be offered by Heritage, it will be great opportunity to get a piece of this extraordinary man.
