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THE SHOWCASE OF HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES A reflection of commercial structures in 1950s France Through the study of the presentation of household appliances in showcases, the author investigates commercial practices in the 1950s, a period when the emergence of mass consumption was attended by the constant fragmentation of the structures of distribution. The showcase was used by small retailers as a resource in the internal management of competition, in establishing more distant relations with consumers, and in the regulation of their relations with manufacturers. Compared to a traditional aesthetic designed to promote the retailer's reputation among consumers, more sober forms of presentation tended to prevail, under the growing influence of manufacturers. The focus was thus shifted to the products themselves and their brand names.