Art-isans

The top ten list: (top to bottom, left to right, details below)  #10 – Ecstasy of Saint Teresa; #9 – Pieta; #8 – David by Donatello; #7 – The Great Sphinx of Giza; #6 – Christ the Redeemer; #5 – Manneken Pis; #4– The Thinker; #3 – Venus de Milo; #2 – David by Michelangelo; And coming in at #1 – The one and only Statue of Liberty!!!

Artist.  Creators.  Sculptors.  Words you may not acquaint with your heat treat partner (I beg to differ).  Last week I had the opportunity to accompany my team to resurging Detroit MI and attend the HEAT TREAT 19 – 30th Heat Treating Society Conference and Expo.  What a show it was, with a record number of great suppliers and great companies, all together to share their expertise.  Yes, KHT was there – proudly bragging about our customers and our solutions to your PIA (Pain In The @%$) Jobs!  Tons of booth traffic, fun and of course amazing food!  At a show of this prominence, only one booth can be brave enough to display a piece of art – yep you guessed it, your friends from KHT.  With the help of my awesome team, and incredibly creative business partners, we were able to unveil an amazing sculpture. A special thanks to Walder Studios for the creative vision, Dynamic Design Solutions the fabrication and Cleveland Black Oxide and American Japanning for the surface protection!   Part Michelangelo, part David (pron.  dah veed), we took some of your amazing products and created … well, a masterpiece.  Of course, we couldn’t let it just sit there, so we added motion (scroll to the bottom to see the video).  Many thanks to you our customers, that inspire us to be art-isans (part artists, part heat treating craftsmen).  Here are the 10 most famous sculptures in the world (could KHT be an up and comer? – if I make the list, you can refer to me as “steph aahn).  Please help me name it (email me your ideas at skowalski@khtheat.com).  Enjoy and thanks newtonic.com for the info.

  • Among the oldest sculptures discovered to date is the Lion-man, which was found in 1939 in a German cave. It is between 35,000 and 40,000 years old and belongs to the prehistoric period, or the period before the invention of writing.
  • Another iconic prehistoric sculpture is Venus of Willendorf, a 4.4 inch figurine portraying a woman. It was found in Austria and is estimated to have been carved between 24,000 and 22,000 BCE.
  • The earliest sculpture on our top 11 is the Great Sphinx of Giza, the oldest known monumental sculpture from ancient Egypt. In ancient Greece and Rome, sculptures were often made to honor the various Gods or to show the greatness of the kings.
  • Venus de Milo, portraying the Greek goddess of love and beauty, is perhaps the most famous work of ancient Greek sculpture.
  • During the reign of the Roman Emperor Constantine (AD 306 – 337), Christianity began to transition to the dominant religion of the Roman Empire and, with time, European sculpture began to depict Biblical characters and stories. Among the most famous of such artworks are the statues of David by Renaissance artists Donatello and Michelangelo.
  • The most famous piece of modern sculpture is perhaps The Thinker, created by the French artist Auguste Rodin.

#10 – Ecstasy of Saint Teresa (1652)
Location: Santa Maria della Vittoria, Rome, Italy
Sculptor: Gian Lorenzo Bernini
Saint Teresa of Avila was a Spanish nun who claimed to have experienced divine visions in which she would suddenly feel consumed by the love of God, feel the bodily presence of Christ or of angels, and be lifted to an exalted state of ecstasy. She described these visions in her writings. In 1622, forty years after her death, Teresa was canonized by Pope Gregory XV. This sculpture depicts one of the visions described by her in her spiritual autobiography. In it, an angel carrying a fire-tipped spear appears before her. He pierces her heart repeatedly with the spear, an act that sends her into a state of spiritual rapture. Gian Lorenzo Bernini is regarded as a pioneer of Baroque sculpture, a style the flourished in Europe from early 17th to late 18th century. In this masterpiece, Bernini takes the principles of the Baroque; drama, emotion and theatricality; to unparalleled heights. Ecstasy of Saint Teresa is the most renowned work of one of the most influential sculptors of all time.

#9 – Pieta (1499)
Location: St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City
Sculptor: Michelangelo
Michelangelo, active during the Renaissance, is widely regarded as the most influential sculptor of all time. He was just 24 at the time of completion of the Pieta, which was soon regarded as one of the world’s great masterpieces of sculpture. Pieta, as a theme in Christian art, depicts Virgin Mary supporting the body of the dead Christ after the Crucifixion. Though the subject is not a part of the Biblical narrative of the Crucifixion, it has been widely represented in both European painting and sculpture. This famous work depicts Virgin Mary grieving over the body of Jesus who is lying on her lap after the Crucifixion. At the time of its completion, some observers criticized Michelangelo for showing Mary too youthful to have a son who was 33 years old. Michelangelo defended himself by saying that her youth symbolizes her incorruptible purity. Pieta is the only sculpture ever signed by Michelangelo. The sculptor’s signature can be seen across Mary’s chest.

#8 – David (1440s)
Location: Bargello Museum, Florence, Italy
Sculptor: Donatello
The Bronze David is renowned for being the first large-scale free-standing nude statue since antiquity. It is also the first unsupported standing work of bronze cast during the Renaissance. It depicts David, of the story of David and Goliath, holding the sword of his defeated enemy and with his foot on Goliath’s severed head. David is completely naked, apart from a laurel-topped hat and boots. The well-proportioned and delicate figure of David bears contrast with the giant sword in his hand, perhaps indicating the assistance of God in his achieving the incredible feat. Donatello is regarded as one of the founding fathers of the Renaissance and he was the leading sculptor of its early period. Among other things, he gave a different direction to Western sculpture taking it away from the prevalent Gothic style to the Classical style. Donatello produced a clothed marble statue of David in Gothic style in 1409 but it is nowhere as famous as the Bronze David, which is executed in Classical style and considered his greatest masterpiece.

#7 – The Great Sphinx of Giza
Location: Giza Plateau, Giza, Egypt
Sculptor: Not Known
One of the most famous monuments in the world, the Great Sphinx of Giza is a giant limestone statue of a sphinx, a mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head of a human. It is 240 feet (73 m) long from paw to tail; stands 66 feet (20 m) high from the base to the top of the head; and is 62 feet (19 m) wide at its rear haunches. The Great Sphinx is the oldest known monumental sculpture in Egypt and, for centuries, it was the largest sculpture in the world. However, not much in known about the monument. Scholars remain in disagreement over when the Great Sphinx was constructed and for whom. The most popular view is that it represents the Pharaoh Khafre of the 4th dynasty during the Old Kingdom and thus it was constructed during his reign which lasted from 2558 BCE to 2532 BCE. According to some recent studies the Sphinx was built as long ago as 7000 BC suggesting that the statue was the work of an advanced civilization predating the ancient Egyptians. However, traditional Egyptologists reject this view.

#6 – Christ the Redeemer (1931)
Location: Corcovado mountain, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Sculptor: Paul Landowski
In 1921, the Roman Catholic Circle of Rio de Janeiro proposed the construction of a statue of Jesus Christ on Mount Corcovado. The commanding height of the summit, 2,310 feet (704 m), would make the statue visible from anywhere in Rio. Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costawas chosen to design the statue while French sculptor Paul Landowski created the work. Silva Costa worked in collaboration with French engineer Albert Caquot while Romanian sculptor Gheorghe Leonida fashioned the face of the statue. Christ the Redeemer, known as Cristo Redentor in native Portuguese, was completed in 1931. It stands 98 feet (30 m) tall excluding its 26 feet (8 m) pedestal. Horizontally, the outstretched arms of Christ span 92 feet (28 m). Christ the Redeemer has become a symbol of Christianity across the world. It is a cultural icon of both Rio de Janeiro and Brazil. The statue was voted as one of the New Seven Wonders of the Worldin a 21st century poll with more than 100 million votes.

#5 – Manneken Pis (1619)
Location: Museum of the City of Brussels, Belgium
Sculptor: Hieronymus Duquesnoy the Elder
The name of this statue literally means “peeing little man” or “peeing boy”. It is a small bronze sculpture depicting a naked little boy urinating into a fountain’s basin. It is located in the center of Brussels at the junction of the road Rue du Chene and the pedestrian Rue de l’Etuve. The Manneken Pis is considered an emblem of the rebellious spirit of Brussels and it is one of the most famous attractions in the city. The statue gained in importance by the end of the 17th century and its popularity has grown since then making it “an object of glory appreciated by all and renowned throughout the world”. There are numerous legends associated with the Manneken Pis. He is dressed in costumes several times each week and his wardrobe consists of around one thousand different costumes. He has received gifts from lords and kings and has been abducted and saved several times. The current statue is a copy which dates from 1965. The original is kept at the Museum of the City of Brussels.

#4 – The Thinker (1904)
Location: Musee Rodin, Paris, France
Sculptor: Auguste Rodin
Auguste Rodin was a towering figure in the field of sculpture who is widely considered the father of modern sculpture. He originally conceived this statue as part of a large commission, begun in 1880, for a doorway surround called The Gates of Hell. Rodin based this commission on The Divine Comedy of Dante and some critics believe that The Thinker originally intended to depict Dante. Many marble and bronze editions of The Thinker in several sizes were executed during the lifetime of Rodin and even after his death. However, the most famous version is the 6 feel (1.8 m) tall bronze statue that was cast in 1904 and that sits in the gardens of the Rodin Museum in Paris. This image of a man lost in thought, but whose powerful body suggests a great capacity for action, has become one of the most celebrated sculptures ever known. The Thinker was originally named The Poet and it is often used as an image to represent philosophy. It is the most famous work of the greatest modern sculptor.

#3 – Venus de Milo (between 130 BCE and 100 BCE)
Location: Louvre Museum, Paris, France
Sculptor: probably Alexandros of Antioch
It is generally believed that this statue was discovered on 8th April 1820 by a peasant named Yorgos Kentrotas. He found it in pieces on Milosa Greek island in the Aegean Sea. The sculpture was subsequently presented to King Louis XVIII of France who then gave it to the Louvre, where it is on display to this very day. Also known as Aphrodite of Milos, Venus de Milo is thought to represent Aphrodite, the ancient Greek goddess of love, beauty, pleasure and procreation. The Roman goddess counterpart to Aphrodite was Venus. The statue is believed to have been carved by Alexandros of Antioch, a sculptor of the Hellenistic period. Apart from the much discussed mystery about its missing arms, it was originally draped in jewelry including a bracelet, earrings and a headband. However, all these things have been long lost. Venus de Milo is perhaps the most famous work of ancient Greek sculpture. It has been widely referenced in popular culture and has greatly influenced modern artists including Salvador Dali.

#2 – David (1504)
Location: Accademia Gallery, Florence, Italy
Sculptor: Michelangelo
In 1501, the city government of Florence commissioned Michelangelo to create this statue as part of a series to adorn the roof-line of Florence’s cathedral dome. However, upon its completion, they were so overwhelmed by its beauty that it was decided to place it in wide-view next to the entrance to the Palazzo Vecchio, the town hall of Florence. The marble sculpture was moved in 1873 to the Gallery of the Academy, an art museum in Florence. A replica was placed at its original location in 1910. Michelangelo’s David most likely represents the Biblical hero David after he has made up his mind to fight Goliath but before the actual fight. This is unlike earlier Renaissance depictions of David which show him after the fight and include some part of the giant Goliath. Michelangelo masterfully depicts the Biblical hero with his brow drawn, his neck tense and his veins bulging out of his lowered right hand. David is the most famous sculpture of perhaps the greatest sculptor of all time. It is one of the best-known artworks in the world.

 #1 – Statue of Liberty (1886)
Location: Liberty Island, Manhattan, New York City, New York, U.S.
Sculptor: Frederic Auguste Bartholdi
Liberty, a personification of the concept of liberty, has existed as a goddess in many cultures. Since the French Revolution, the figure of Liberty is viewed as a symbol of France and the French Republic. This renowned copper statue was a gift from the people of France to the people of the United States. It was designed by French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi and built by renowned French civil engineer Gustave Eiffel. The Statue of Liberty depicts the Roman goddess Libertas holding a torch above her head with her right hand and in her left hand she is carrying a tablet on which is inscribed in Roman numerals the date of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. As an American icon, the Statue of Liberty has been depicted on the country’s coinage and stamps. It has also become an international icon of freedom. It was described as a “masterpiece of the human spirit” and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. One of the best-known monuments, the Statue of Liberty is the most famous sculpture in the world.

 

The Kowalski Heat Treating booth at Heat Treat 2019 in Detroit, MI. The sculpture was a huge hit!!

 

 


 

Poor Old Jack

It’s that time, folks! Get out your tools and start carving your pumpkins. Doing it outside is a good idea but the weather might keep you in. There’s one couple in the third photo at the top who thought it’d be a good idea to carve theirs under water. Makes for easy clean-up. No matter what your skill level, it’s really fun to create your very own jack-o-lantern. I have to say, there are some really clever and talented pumpkin carvers out there.

 

Traditions. Memories and family fun.  Does it get much better than everyone around the table carving pumpkins?  It’s one of my favorites! Growing up, all of my brothers and sisters would be working on carving the pumpkins together, you can only imagine the amount of pumpkin goo and seeds flying around everywhere. It took us as long to clean up the kitchen and dining room as it did to carve the pumpkins. As my own daughters got older, they all came to appreciate my sense of style, especially when using the power tools to REALLY carve the pumpkins. For some unknown reason I have never won any best pumpkin carving awards!   I went on line to get some really fun images and ideas to inspire you – for more, just type in great pumpkin carving ideas, and dozens of websites will pop up.  Here’s just a bit of trivia on Old Jack himself, and some practical guidelines to make your carving time fun, efficient and not too messy.  Thanks to kitchn.com, pumpkinnook.com and jessicagavin for the info.  Enjoy, and send me photos of your masterpieces!

 

The Irish brought the tradition of carving pumpkins into Jack O’Lantern to America. But, the original Jack O’Lantern was not a pumpkin. Pumpkins did not exist in Ireland. Ancient Celtic cultures in Ireland carved turnips on All Hallow’s Eve, and placed an ember in them, to ward off evil spirits.

The Tale of Stingy Jack and the Jack O’ Lantern goes back hundreds of years in Irish History. Many of the stories, center round Stingy Jack. Here’s the most popular story:

Stingy Jack was a miserable, old man who took pleasure in playing tricks on just about everyone: family, friends, his mother and even the Devil himself. One day, he tricked the Devil into climbing up an apple tree. After the Devil climbed up the tree, Stingy Jack hurriedly placed crosses around the trunk of the tree. Unable to touch a cross, the Devil was stuck in the tree. Stingy Jack made the Devil promise him not to take his soul when he died. Once the devil promised not to take his soul, Stingy Jack removed the crosses, and the Devil climbed down out of the apple tree.

Many years later, Jack died, he went to the pearly gates of Heaven and was told by Saint Peter that he was mean and cruel, and had led a miserable, worthless life on earth. Stingy Jack was not allowed to enter heaven. He then went down to Hell and the Devil. The Devil kept his promise and would not allow him to enter Hell. Now Jack was scared. He had nowhere to go, but to wander about forever in the dark Netherworld between heaven and hell. He asked the Devil how he could leave, as there was no light. The Devil tossed him an ember from the flames of Hell, to help Stingy Jack light his way. Jack had a Turnip with him. It was one of his favorite foods, and he always carried one with him. Jack hollowed out the Turnip, and placed the ember the Devil had given him, inside the turnip. From that day onward, Stingy Jack roamed the earth without a resting place, lighting his way as he went with his “Jack O’Lantern”.

On all Hallow’s eve, the Irish hollowed out Turnips, rutabagas, gourds, potatoes and beets. They placed a light in them to ward off evil spirits and keep Stingy Jack away. These were the original Jack O’Lanterns. In the 1800’s a couple of waves of Irish immigrants came to America. The Irish immigrants quickly discovered that Pumpkins were bigger and easier to carve out. So they used pumpkins for Jack O’Lanterns.

What Variety of Pumpkin Should I Choose?
If you’re looking for specific varieties to hunt for, the ladies of The Peterson Sisters Pumpkin Patch suggest the Hobbit pumpkin, especially popular on the West Coast, or the Autumn Gold. Hobbits are 10- to 12-pound pumpkins and are considered a medium-sized variety. Autumn Golds are a very manageable variety, weighing between seven and 10 pounds. They turn a beautiful golden-orange color before fully ripe and are easy to carve, compared to other varieties.

Christy Lehner of Lehner’s Pumpkin Farm in Radnor, OH, says that the Gold Rush and Wolf varieties are popular for people who want larger jack-o’-lanterns. Both of these types of pumpkins weigh between 15 to 35 pounds, although they’re not necessarily the easiest to carve. If you’re looking for a statement-making pumpkin and aren’t afraid of using a little elbow grease, give one of these a try.

How to Pick a Pumpkin for Carving:
1. Pick it up and tap it: It should feel sturdy. When you tap it, you should hear a hollow sound.
2. Check the coloring: Choose one that has consistent coloring throughout.
3. Look for bad spots: Try to choose a pumpkin without any scratches, bruises, or dark spots.
4. Apply pressure: Flip the pumpkin upside down and apply pressure with your thumbs. If it’s not completely sturdy, the pumpkin isn’t fresh and will rot quickly.
5. Set it down: Make sure it sits flat! (Unless you want your jack-o’-lantern to sit a little crooked.) Imagine which side will be the front facing one with your decoration.
6. Be sure to carry it from the bottom: Don’t carry it by the stem — instead, cradle it from the bottom or tote it home in a bag.

Foolproof Method to Carve a Pumpkin
Carving a pumpkin isn’t rocket science, but it’s still wise to have a game plan. Before you lop off the top of that pumpkin and grab a handful of gooey squash guts, take a look through our basic guide to carving the best Halloween pumpkin.  Follow these steps and you’ll end up with a cute and classic jack-o’-lantern with easy, no-fuss cleanup afterwards.
1. First rule of pumpkin carving: Do it somewhere you don’t mind getting messy, ideally outdoors. Line your work surface (a sturdy table or the ground) with something you’ll throw away later — like butcher paper, newsprint, or flattened brown paper grocery bags. If using the latter, simply cut down one side of the grocery bag, then cut off the base of the bag so you have a big rectangle of brown paper. Layer a few of these on the table and you’re good to go.
2.  Once you’ve got your work surface ready, it’s time to assemble the proper tools. You can totally get a pumpkin carving kit from your local drugstore, supermarket, or Halloween pop-up shop. Or you can use a few tools from your kitchen. Make sure you have everything ready so you don’t have to traipse back through your kitchen with pumpkin-gut-covered hands. Two key tools for carving include a good cook 4.5-Inch vegetable knife and a strong ladle/spoon for scooping.  For more elaborate carvings, many creative designers add in an electric drill and multiple smaller carving knives and an X-ACTO knife.
3. Draw Before You Carve – In addition to your carving tools, you’ll need a pen for drawing your design onto the pumpkin, and couple big bowls — one for the seeds (the best part of pumpkin carving!) and one for the rest of the pumpkin goo and throwaway bits leftover from carving.

Whatever you do, save those pumpkin seeds! They’re so, so good roasted simply with oil and salt. It’s not hard, but here’s a link to a simple recipe.

Step By Step Instructions:

  • Set up your workspace: Line a sturdy table with flattened grocery bags, newsprint, or butcher paper. Have your permanent marker, carving tools, and bowls nearby.
  • Draw your design: After you’ve determined the best side of your pumpkin for a face, use the permanent marker to sketch out eyes, a nose, and a toothy grin.
  • Draw your lid: Outline a circular lid around the pumpkin stem, about 5 to 6 inches in diameter. Add a notch in the back if you like — this makes it easier to line up.
  • Cut out the pumpkin lid: With a slim pumpkin carving knife (the carving tool with a toothed blade like a mini-saw) or serrated knife, cut along the outline of your pumpkin lid. Make sure you slice through the pumpkin at a 45-degree inward angle, so you’ll be able to replace the lid without it falling in.
  • Remove the pumpkin seeds: The seeds are all attached to the pumpkin and each other by thin strings. Grab the big bunches of seeds with your hands and place them in one of the bowls, to be cleaned later.
  • Scoop out the insides of the pumpkin: Using a ladle or the scraper that came with your kit (or a metal spoon if you don’t have this tool), clean out the inside of the pumpkin until no stringy bits remain. Discard the pumpkin guts in the second bowl.
  • Wipe off the pumpkin: Use the kitchen towel to wipe off the outside of the pumpkin so that it will be easier and safer to carve.
  • Cut out the design: Make straight cuts into your pumpkin along the lines of your design, removing the pieces and discarding them in the refuse bowl.
  • Clean up the details: Go back in and scrape out any stringy pieces or jagged lines with an X-ACTO knife or the wire tool from your carving kit. You can also scrape off the marker lines while you’re at it, though they won’t be visible in the darkness of night.
  • Light your pumpkin: Insert a tea light candle in the bottom of your pumpkin. Use a long match or lighter to light the pumpkin and replace the lid. Tip: If you’re having trouble lighting the candle, try going through the mouth of the jack-o’-lantern instead of the top.
  • Make roasted pumpkin seeds: Clean and dry the pumpkin seeds, then toss with oil, salt, and any desired seasonings, and roast in a low oven until golden brown.

 

 


 

Orange Ya Glad…

(top half) A snapshot of the Brown’s helmet history—details below. (bottom half) Fans are passionate as evidenced by the efforts put into developing new helmet graphics. I do like that first one with the “Dawg” graphic. But I’m pretty partial to the one at the bottom right.  😉

 

Wow.  My beloved Brownies did it right this past weekend.  In KHT terms, they overcame adversity, did some problem solving, and emerged victorious solving their PIA (Pain In The @%$) Jobs! – by winning over the Baltimore Ravens.  How fun to see them click and really show what the team is capable of.  Afterwards, I went to my closet and moved all of my old orange shirts to the front, realizing it’s “ok” to wear orange again. During the game, I got to thinking about the Brown’s helmets – to some they are plain, almost boring – to me they scream of tradition, simplicity and harken back to the early days when the glitz and glamour of football was more about mud and guts.  I found this great website about the history of the helmets (thanks dawgsbynature.com).  Enjoy the story, and know our Brownies are doing it right and honoring the past, while attacking the future.  One color, no embellishments, just good old orange.  Boring for some – classic for others.  Love it or hate it, here is some of the background that makes it great.  Enjoy!

The Cleveland Browns have arguably the most iconic helmets in the National Football League (NFL). Why? Because they are the only club that is devoid of any logo on the helmet’s sides.  Every single NFL team has their own look and design and sports it proudly on the helmet side.
Some teams even go further and feature some assemblage on their uniform as well. The LA Chargers have lightning bolts across their jersey shoulders and also down the pant legs. The Cincinnati Bengals continue the tiger stripe design with the familiar black and orange streaks on the sleeves and also down the pant legs. The other LA team, the Rams, display a ram head design o their sleeves. The New Orleans Saints display another Fleur De Leis on their sleeve or as an alternate the outline of the State of Louisiana.
The Pittsburgh Steelers offer another iconic helmet design in that their logo is only displayed on one side of their helmet while the other side is vacant. The reason? The answer is: because of luck. From their inception in 1933 and into the 1960s, the Steelers were perennial losers. In the early 1960s NFL and American Football League teams were experimenting with helmet designs. Steelers’ owner Art Rooney asked his equipment manager Jack Hart in 1962 to attach one decal as a test to the side of the then-yellow helmets only to see how they would look. Pittsburgh went 9-5-0 that year to which Rooney called the single decal a sign of good luck. The following season the helmet color was changed to black with the lone decal now a mainstay.
The Browns are famous for their obscure vacated helmet space. And except for those two brown stripes that bookend the center white stripe, it seems that Cleveland has always sported the atmosphere of helmet nothingness forever. Which, isn’t true. In fact, that empty space has been filled several times with several different designs.


1946-1949 – The Browns were a charter member of the upstart All American Football Conference, an eight-team new rival to the NFL in which Cleveland won all four years of the AAFC’s existence. During this time period, the Browns wore solid white leather helmets. The facemask, invented by Browns’ head coach Paul Brown, had not been conceived yet so these hats were devoid of any facemask.


1950-1951 – The Browns along with the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Colts were merged into the NFL for the 1950 season and all other AAFC clubs were disbanded with a player dispersal draft. The NFL used a white ball for night games and instituted a rule that prohibited the use of white or light-colored helmets for games under the lights and because of the use of the solid white football. So, the Browns played in the white helmets for day games and changed to a solid orange helmet for the evening contests during these two seasons.


1952-1956 – During the 1940 season, plastics were being experimented with different applications including the usage in sporting equipment by the Riddell Company. Leather helmets were heavy especially when they got wet and had a tendency to lose their shape and even rot. The plastic application was lightweight and could have color molded into the shell. The first plastic helmets had a flat top which would break the ear hole with sufficient force, which of course the game of football could provide. Next, a round top was adapted which seemed to work much better. But initially, the plastic helmets were simply not strong enough to sustain a full game of impacts.
During the 1951 season, a new design appeared complete with inner webbing and ear hole padding which was then approved by the league. The Browns ordered orange helmets and installed a single white stripe down the center without any facemask.
That changed in 1955 when Coach Brown invented a facemask for his injured QB Otto Graham who had broken his jaw and was now healed. However, Brown’s design was made of Lucite, which would crack sometimes and even broke in several games which sent shards of the material onto the playing field. Using Brown’s initial design, Riddell produced a facemask labeled the BT-5, a single bar device made of a composite of rubber and plastic, whose original intention was to protect the player’s jaw area.


1957-1959 – Along the way, the Browns added the player’s jersey number to the side of the helmet and added a gray single bar facemask to the solid orange helmets with a single white stripe.


1960 – For a single season, the same helmet configuration that Cleveland wore from 1957 to 1959, two brown stripes first appeared on either side of the single white stripe. Most players now adorned a double-bar gray facemask which was designed to close the opening where the face was visible while the player numbers were still attached to the helmet sides.


1961-1974 – The solid orange helmet would become a mainstay for the Browns as beginning in 1961 the player jersey numbers were eliminated. The two brown stripes with the center white stripe remained that has been a mainstay since that same 1961 season. The facemask remained the standard gray that all NFL clubs were using, although the design of the facemasks included other situations such as a center vertical bar used mostly by offensive and defensive linemen. In 1974, the Kansas City Chiefs painted their facemasks white so that the referees could easily see when an opposing player had latched onto the frame.
For the 1962 season, the NFL developed the rule making it illegal for one player to grab another’s facemask.


1965 – Blanton Collier had languished in the shadows of Paul Brown for many years as his top assistant. When Brown was fired prior to the 1963 season, Collier was named head coach. The Browns captured the NFL Championship in 1964 with a 27-0 victory over the Baltimore Colts. Fresh off the championship banner, the NFL asked the franchise to add a logo of some sort in 1965. Owner Art Modell commissioned a “CB” design that was crafted and added to the sides of the helmets to correspond with the duo brown stripes that encased the single white stripe. Products were made, but the helmet design never saw the playing field. The reason for the scraped project remains a mystery.


1975-1995 & 1999-2005 – With the Chiefs’ invention of the colored facemask the Browns followed suit and added a white facemask color-keyed to match the uniform design. Everything else remained the same.


2006-2014 – The Browns celebrated 60 years as a franchise in 2006. As part of the celebration, they still used the traditional orange shell with two brown stripes and a center white stripe, but ditch the white facemask for the 1974 gray facemask.

2006-2008 (alternate) – For three seasons, Cleveland opted for an alternate throwback uniform scheme and chose the 1959 design which featured the solid orange helmet, single white stripe, brown jersey number on the sides plus a gray facemask.


2015-present – The 2015 season brought into the fold a brand new set of uniforms including something added to the helmet design. The orange shell was a mainstay but was now enhanced and with a brighter color, the width of the brown and white stripes were widened a bit and utilized a carbon fiber texture. Also new were brown facemasks – a first.


2020? – The uniform authority website Uni-watch.com broke a story in 2017 that the Browns might be looking at re-introducing a white helmet. The NFL has a five-year rule where clubs cannot make a change and wanted either to re-do the current uniforms altogether or add to what they already have. There aren’t any details on the potential white helmet and the picture shown is for display purposes only.   ALL I KNOW IS THAT THIS WOULD BE AN UGLY CLEVELAND BROWNS HELMET!!!