[7] A self-described late starter whose professional acclaim began as he approached age 50,[8] Teague sought to create heirlooms out of mass-produced manufactured objects, and frequently cited beauty as "visible rightness".

To earn money upon his arrival in New York, Teague checked hats at the Young Men's Christian Association in Manhattan, where he also began sign painting.

His lettering work evolved into illustration projects for mail order catalogues, for which he drew apparel items such as neckties and shoes.

Teague became known for his distinctive frames for advertising art, which blended Baroque and Renaissance influence with a simplicity ideal for high-volume printing presses.

[5][6] As the Great Depression loomed in America and mass-produced, machine-made objects intensified, large companies were desperate to find measures of survival.

[6][9][13][14] Shortly before Teague concluded his 18-year advertising career, he partook in several commissions in product design, for which a growing number of clients sought counseling.

[1] Richard Bach, a curator of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, had recommended Teague to Adolph Stuber, a top manager of Rochester, New York-based Eastman Kodak, when the company was considering the assistance of an artist to design cameras.

[15] While design culture sustained a rather elitist attainability through the 1930s, Teague pursued strategic relationships with large businesses selling products to the masses.

[2] In the 1930s and 1940s, corporate identity was prolifically popularized in America through elaborate fairs and expositions, which showcased industry sponsors' contributions to modern living.

[6] Teague commenced his deep involvement in exhibition design with his work on the Ford Building at Chicago's Century of Progress 1933-34 fair,[20] for which he prepared for three months, commuting between Detroit and New York.

[12][20][24] Teague, along with fellow industrial designer pioneers Raymond Loewy and Henry Dreyfuss, experienced monumental success following World War II.

In 1944, Teague successfully defended the assertion that industrial design was a profession, citing its contributions to the public good before the appeals court in New York State, setting a national precedent.

[12][27] By 1959, WDTA's client list included Ac'cent, Polaroid, Schaefer Beer, Procter & Gamble, UPS, Steinway, General Foods Corporation, Boeing, Con Edison, Du Pont, US Steel, NASA, and the US Navy.

[12] Accredited with iconic designs such as the UPS truck, Pringles Potato Chips canister, Scope Mouthwash bottle, Reagan-era Air Force One, Polaroid Land Camera,[18] and more.

The privately held Seattle-based company is most commonly recognized today for its work in consumer electronics, aviation, digital, virtual reality, and autonomous vehicle interaction design.

[1] Teague died in Flemington, New Jersey[16] on December 5, 1960, less than a year after addressing the Royal Society of the Arts,[6] and less than two weeks shy of his 77th birthday.

[31] Such recommendations are for members in good standing who have earned the special respect and affection of the membership through distinguished service to the society and to the profession as a whole.

"[32] In 2014 the feature documentary film "Teague: Design & Beauty" by independent filmmaker, Jason A. Morris, premiered in Austin, Texas.

The film documented Teague's life, his rise to prominence, his turbulent relationship with a rebellious son, and the stories behind some of his greatest designs.

[19] Teague also wrote Land of Plenty, A Summary of Possibilities (1947), and, with John Storck, Flour for Man's Bread, a History of Milling (1952).