Area we accept the altitude area absolutely the harbinger is old, area corrugated tubing is old, and area no inventor, during those years, has apparent fit or has been able to break this problem, admitting appellant did, that bearings abandoned is prima facie affirmation of invention.--Legal affirmation submitted to the U.S. Patent Office on November 7, 1936Following a advance from building specialist Peter Liebhold, Lemelson Center archivist Alison Oswald began tracking this apparatus story. After conversations and abundant accord with associates of Friedman’s family, Oswald abstruse that the adjustable harbinger was alone one of a amount of inventions Friedman had developed or had amorphous the action of developing.
In December 2000, Oswald larboard on a fact-finding cruise to Encino, Calif., to actuate the extent, quality, and agreeable of the Friedman papers. Stacked forth the barn walls of the home of Friedman’s earlier daughter, Judith Rosen (the adolescent babe in the soda shop), were boxes that captivated a abundance accession of affidavit absolute abundant facets of Friedman’s life. After several hours of mining the paper straws, Oswald acquainted assured that the boxes absolute the elements of a affluent and textured anecdotal of an absolute artist affected in all aspects of the apparatus process: abstraction and conception, conception of prototypes, manufacturing, and business and sales
.In February 2001, with the approval of the National Building of American History’s Collections Committee, Oswald alternate to California, abiding 16 boxes of abstracts and abiding for them to be alien to the Museum. Friedman’s children--Judith Rosen, Linda Reiss, Robert Friedman, and Pamela Leeds--donated the materials.The Smithsonian has now candy this arresting collection.
Friedman’s animation assets of commercial account for the Flex-Straw, including one with the memorable phrase, “the harbinger of your life”; and several doodles of the Flex-Straw created in the margins of a 1948 pinup-girl calendar.
