The End Of Innocence ¦ The Art Deco Period

Post by **jones jones** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 11:18 am

The Art Deco period is a style of design and decoration that peaked between the two world wars and the name is derived from the exposition internationale des arts décoratifs et industriels modernes ¦ the seminal design exhibition that was held in Paris in 1925 ¦

But what makes Art Deco so special? I have clients who detest everything about its clean lines and sharp edges, stylishness and symmetry, much preferring the flowing swirls that characterise the Art Nouveau period ¦ while many others go into raptures at the mere sight of the chrome, enamel, and highly polished stone that is so much a part of Art Deco ...

Art deco ¦ or simply Deco as it is called in the trade, is best known to us thru smaller objects such as furniture ¦ ceramics ¦ glass and jewellery, but it is really the buildings that portray the art at its finest ¦

In the states the interior of Radio City Music Hall (1931) in New York, designed by Donald Deskey ¦ and William van Alen's Chrysler Building (1930, New York), with its sleek faÃ§ades and arched and pointed spire ¦ in Britain the Hoover factory in London designed by Wallis Gilbert and partners in 1932 and in France the Grand Hotel Dax ¦

Due to their rarity and price ¦ furniture at the top end of the scale in the Deco style is the most difficult of all for the collector to acquire and pieces by such masters as Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann ¦ Jean Dunand and Pierre Legrain sell for hundreds of thousands ¦ there are cabinets made of rosewood inlaid with ebony and ivory made in 1925 by Ruhlmann in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and also in the museum des arts decoratifs in Paris which truly show the breathtaking mastery of Art Deco ¦

My own personal favourites are objets d’art including ornaments ¦ statuettes ¦ table lamps and glassware ¦ statuettes in particular by such artists as Lorezl ¦ Chiparus and the famous master of all Ferdinand Preiss are superb works of art that send shivers of deja vu down my spine whenever I see even a picture of them ¦

Made from a combination of materials including gold ¦ ivory ¦ tortoiseshell ¦ silver and cold painted bronze ¦ these elegant semi-erotic dancers are masterpieces ¦ how I wished I owned one!

Ceramics are far more affordable to the average collector of Deco and probably the most sought after and collectable pieces at the moment are the “Bizarre range by Clarice Cliff ¦ very loosely based on flower motifs and landscapes her work is easily the most recognisable and also the most attractive of all ceramics of this period ¦

Art Deco glass is personified by the master Rene Lalique’s opalescent designs and the etching and enamelling of Daum ¦ any item by these designers is extremely valuable as is the work of the talented Englishman Keith Murray who created new standards at Brierly ¦

However it is in the field of jewellery design and creation that Art Deco took stylishness to new heights ¦ the great names of Deco jewellery are now household names ¦ Cartier ¦ Sandoz ¦ van Cleef and others who set unprecedented standards ¦

The new style in womens fashions radically changed jewellery design ¦ sleeveless low cut gown accentuated the two places where women wore jewels ¦ the neck and wrists ¦ short hair styles did away with the need for elaborate combs and hat pins ¦ new and exotic stones and metals came to the fore including platinum ¦ onyx ¦ ebony ¦ chrome ¦ lapis lazuli ¦ bakelite ¦ jet and agate¦

Due mainly to my fascination with the 1920’s and 30’s I love the Art Deco period and to me it is synonymous with sleek, streamlined forms and conveys an elegance and sophistication never seen before or since the end of the age of innocence ¦

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 11:31 am

We still have many original art deco buildings and building interiors intact in my city.

Its always a treat to enter one of these magnificent structures.

Miami of course is the pinnacle of the art deco apex.

Post by **jones jones** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 11:34 am

Nomad;928864 wrote: We still have many original art deco buildings and building interiors intact in my city.

Its always a treat to enter one of these magnificent structures.

Miami of course is the pinnacle of the art deco apex.

yeah i have seen the deco buildings in miami but only on tv ... would love to see them for real ... luckily i have visited new york and london and paris and seen the art deco there ...

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 11:38 am

jones jones;928866 wrote: yeah i have seen the deco buildings in miami but only on tv ... would love to see them for real ... luckily i have visited new york and london and paris and seen the art deco there ...

Theyre especially vibrant because of their location on Miami Beach.

Ive been in a couple of original art deco homes that didnt have a straight wall in it. I really love that architecture.

Im also a huge fan of the clean linear lines of Frank Lloyd Wright.

Miami Beach

Frank Lloyd Wright

RedGlitter · Post by **RedGlitter** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 1:39 pm

JJ, great write-up! I always enjoy these and would love to see you have your own antiques/style section at FG.

I have always had a love-hate relationship with Art Deco. I do appreciate it and I want to like it more than I do but I still lend myself to the curlicues and rounded styles of Nouveau. But i am working on this!

Thank you for taking the time to write this piece! :yh_clap