“Ruspan Originals, Russell Spanners first line of furnishings were designed to appeal to young families, outfitting their homes for the first time. To accommodate the changing needs of these growing families, most of the line was modular (based on the same basic geometry), so that elements could be combined together and new pieces could be added at any time.”* The buffet, like much of Spanners work is endearingly simple; clean, but not cold (maybe it’s the classic splayed legs). Creative repurposing of ready-made components (produced in the Spanner Products factory for other uses, such as battery boxes and other lines of furniture) is a recurring theme in Spanners work.* To me, this particular buffet is most noteworthy for it’s inventive use of perforated masonite, a material we’re more accustomed to seeing in garages and woodshops cluttered with hanging tools. Robert Fones, A Spanner in the Works: The Furniture of Russell Spanner, 1950-1953* (Toronto: The Power Plant, 1990)