Air Stream Turkey by Patti Warashina dates from 1969. It’s made of earthenware with low-fire glaze and low-fire luster. It’s about 9 inches in height and width, and about 1 foot 8 inches in length.

The shiny silver glaze gives this sculpture the appearance of a sleek metallic object. The form is abstract but it’s possible to interpret it as suggesting various – very different – visual parallels.

The sculpture is roughly the shape of a loaf of bread, or bread pan – rectangular but with curved ends. These curved ends, together with the shiny silver glaze, evoke the form of a caravan or trailer – in particular, the vintage Airstream aluminum travel trailer. This likeness has been enhanced by a panel, like a glass window, in the side. Inside the window, it’s possible to make out tent-like forms. A soft light can be seen glowing from the inside. Above the window, in red letters, are the words Air Stream Turkey, and thin red parallel stripes. The red stripes are echoed, at the bottom rear of the sculpture, by five raised parallel bands, lying horizontally, rather like the wing feathers of a bird. And, in front of this – what you might call – wing is a form suggesting both a gear stick and a turkey drumstick: it’s a rod sticking diagonally upwards, with a rounded knob on the end. There are two of these ‘drumsticks’ – one on either side – as they would be on a Thanksgiving roast turkey served up on a platter.

At the front end of the sculpture is a circular dial, with MPH written above in red. A red arrow points to a range of speeds.