Vintage Bermuda King "84" Salesman’s Sample Pool Display in Case

Details

Description

c. 1960s-1970s; Bermuda King, Inc. - Indianapolis, IN

Salesman's portable display case with miniature swimming pool model and promotional graphics.

… Read more c. 1960s-1970s; Bermuda King, Inc. - Indianapolis, IN

Salesman's portable display case with miniature swimming pool model and promotional graphics.

This mid-century salesman's sample case was produced for Bermuda King, an Indianapolis-based manufacturer of above-ground aluminum swimming pools. Designed as a traveling sales aid, the case opens to reveal a three-dimensional miniature model pool encased in plexiglass, complete with figures, ladders, decking, and simulated landscaping. The inside lid is fitted with original Bermuda King advertising graphics promoting the "Solar Round" pool-emphasizing durability with slogans such as "No Wood to Rot, No Steel to Rust" and "Swim Year Round." The exterior is finished in heavy-duty fiberboard with stenciled lettering identifying the company and city of origin, while the fitted handle and latches allow for portability.

This piece exemplifies the bold marketing style of the postwar leisure boom, when backyard pools became an aspirational hallmark of suburban living. As both a salesman's tool and a piece of Americana, it bridges advertising history with mid-century design. See less