Category: Art Deco

The New PAD

Pictured: A stunning wing chair designed by Frits Henningsen, Denmark, circa 1940s, Modernity
The Park Avenue Armory reopens its doors to another antique fair this past Thursday, November 8th. The show will end on Monday, November 12th. Salon Art + Design was created by veteran show producer Sanford Smith. It is the first American fair to collaborate with the Syndicat National des Antiquaires, Europe’s most prestigious association of dealers. Most of the dealers were in attendance at the renowned Biennael des Antiquaires in Paris, this past September. Altogether the mix of genres, periods and styles reflected the eclecticism of today’s collector.
While this show highlighted 20th century and contemporary art and design, historic design were represented by the oldest decorative arts gallery in Paris, an Old Master dealer with multiple European locations, and a selection of dealers in ethnographic and Asian material. Collectors in attendance welcomed, once again, the opportunity to pair a Brueghel with a Jean Michel Frank table or a tribal mask with a Le Corbusier painting. The range and caliber of material at the Salon will attract discerning collectors, designers, and art enthusiasts  around the world.
The venerable Tribal art dealer from Paris, Bernard Dulon
Top left: A Teke People Mask, congo, before 1920
Luba: Shankadi people, D.R. of Congo, 19th Century – wood, Galerie Bernard Dulon

Clean lines, overwhelming elegance: Top left – a Jean-Michel Frank’s wooden X lamp covered with tobacco-colored leather, L’arc en Seine 
Galerie Valois
Victor Vasarely, Naissance-Pas, 1958, Painting on panel
Yayoi Kusama “Pollen” chair, circa 1984, Vivian Horan Fine Art
Left: A rare and unique Gaston Suisse, Wooden dark gray and black lacquer furniture (c. 1939) opening with three doors and eggshell on the handles,  Galerie Felix Marcihac
Carpenters Workshop Gallery
An extremely rare large drawing of Le Corbusier
Galerie Downtown
Two door cabinet of welded aluminum, black enameled steel from Paul Evans, Bernd Goeckler Antiques
Wendell Castle
A masterful sculpture by Wendell Castle from “A New Environment”, Barry Friedman
The insightful and playful art dealer Jason Jacques
Horror Vacui from Morten Lobner Espersen, Jason Jacques Gallery
A very whimsical Jean-Marie Fiori bull-dog, lacquered bronze, and signed from Galerie Pierre Dumonteil
A series of stained pine Zig Zag chairs from Gerrit Rietveld, circa 1950s – early 1960s

A single Otto Wagner, post chair from Modernity
A favorite pair of Andre Sormay armchairs, circa 1925, Galerie Alain Marcepoil
Images courtesy High End Weekly™
All rights reserved

My Kind of Town

The Empire State Building
Illustrated by Ollywood
Deco City

New York, once again, took center stage in the world’s scene this week. Hurricane Sandy came, and left a devastating impact, not only in this great city but throughout the east coast. New Yorkers are no strangers to tragedy, and overall, they are to be saluted not only for the spirit they showed, but also for how they handled the latest dark chapter in their lives. This hurricane was the biggest storm that ever hit the big apple, and nothing can take away the tragic consequences that it left in the lives of so many whom were directly affected. But in the face of this horrible experience, I couldn’t help but notice the beauty that still surrounds us, whenever I walked down the streets of this whistle stop. I marvel at its famous skyline. The sheer size of it all is simply astonishing!

The prodigious Art Deco architecture that is now an intricate part of so many of our lives is a clear reminder that in a resilient town like this one, New Yorkers themselves have an uncommon knack of being survivors. In the face of adversity, they too can become a beacon of hope that is synonymous with these prominent buildings. Sandy baby, you can never take that away from us.

The Wonder City
Historical: The 1934 State Fair in the Big Apple
   
Never overshadowed: The Chrysler Building under fog. New York is arguably one of the most popular jazz cities in the world
Gotham City: Every town needs a hero. We love this poster of the 1989 film Batman 
Iconic: An Art Deco poster from the 1930s
The Chrysler Building
A stunning illustration of the new World Trade Center
NOTE: Please notify us directly, if you believe that certain images on this post are alleged to infringe upon the copyrights of others, according to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Thank you.

Defining Art & Substance

Florence Vacher, Bangwa, 2012, Fabric
Tambaran Gallery

Photo courtesy High End Weekly™

Much of the art that I deeply appreciated at this year’s International Fine Art & Antique Dealers Show had a strong masculine feel to them. And that’s a good thing, I think. Frou-frou interiors have never been my thing, so I am a big advocate for adorning my clients’ homes with various pieces of art that make a bold statement and continue to enrich their imaginations as the years go by. So this much anticipated fair met my expectations with its extraordinary attention to detail, breathtaking variety and exacting standards.

The grande dame fair brought together works of art that spanned continents and millennia — among them many of museum quality, furniture, paintings, sculpture, textiles, ceramics, glass, clocks, watches, arms, armour, rare books, manuscripts, jewelry, objets de vertu, Fabergé, silver, antiquities and ethnographic art, are among the many different categories exhibited and for sale. Prices start from as little as a few hundred dollars but rise into the millions. With that much said, here are some of the most desirable and interesting pieces that I liked.

Axel Verdoordt Gallery
Douglas Dawson Gallery
Bernd Goeckler Antiques
Maison Gerard
Tomasso Brothers Fine Art

Michael Goedhuis Gallery
Phoenix Ancient Art
Phoenix Ancient Art
Whitford Art

Tambaran Gallery

Trinity House
Martin du Louvre
 My friend Cole Harrell admiring the art, but also stopped to “smell” these gorgeous orchards.


The International Fine Art & Antique Dealers Show opened on Friday, October 19th until Thursday, October 25th, 2012.

Images courtesy High End Weekly™
All rights reserved

Aesthetically Speaking

Ralph Lauren Modern Art Deco Fine Jewelry Collection features bold geometric pieces made from 18-karat white and rose gold with diamonds, emeralds, green agate and black onyx. Designed to represent the distinctive simplicity of the 1930s Art Deco era. Right: Salvador Dali Spanish, Fish Service, marked by Pierre Hugo, Paris, circa 1957, Silver gilt and sapphire. Twelve forks and twelve knives from Doyle New York October 2012 Design Auction.

Left: From Waterworks‘ latest collaboration with Roman and Williams Atlas: An elegant Metal Two Leg Single Washstand. Right: Crinkle bag vase from the Fall Collection at MOMA Store.

From Top Right: Rare English Regency papier mâché tray, circa 1820, on later stand. A capriccio view painted on a green ground – from Patrick Bavasi. Whimsical Duck Feet Lamp by Porta Romana. Available in gold and silver finishes.

Art Deco Jewels in The Modern World

I still find it hard to believe that at one point in time, jewelry was often regarded as a trivial luxury. ‘Just that extra touch that completed your outfit – that’s all. The right type of jewelry often makes the outfit. Especially Art Deco Jewelry. Back then as it is now, art deco jewelry truly reached the zenith of its stylishness. The details of such jewelry mimicked the fine craftsmanship often seen in the works of furniture from artists such as Ruhlmann and Dunand. I imagine that’s why this style of jewelry continues to do so well today throughout the most noted auction houses, and posh antique fairs.
Platinum Art Deco bracelet consisting of approximately 11.00 carats of single cut and old European cut diamonds set with 1.01 carats natural unheated Burma ruby and 0.75 carats of calibrated rubies
David & Company

Art Deco platinum dress clips; total diamond wight approximately 7.35 carats; circa 1920s
McTeigue
Art Deco pieces such as the ones featured on this posts stole the stage at the 6th Annual New York 
Antique Jewelry & Watch Show
Platinum Art Deco bracelet consisting of approximately 10 carats total weight of Old European cut diamonds, set with 3 round cabochon moonstones approximately 8.50 mm in diameter 
and accented with engraving and mill grain edges.
David & Company

“Antique jewelry is back in style with interest at an all-time high from US, European and Asian buyers, antique jewelry [Art Deco] is finally being appreciated in the general jewelry market. Buyers are now open to adding these fabulous antique and estate pieces to their jewelry inventory and personal collections.”
      Ronald Kawitzky
      D.K. Bressler & Company, Inc.

The luxurious items showcased at the this year’s Antique Jewelry & Watch Show throughout the aisles revealed the latest trends including bold gold jewelry, large statement pieces and classic watches. Also featured this year were items ranging from all categories of jewelry such as cameos, tennis bracelets, decorative necklaces, gemstones and pendants from various time periods including the Renaissance to Art Deco eras.

The Hoover Dam: Why Is It Art Deco?


A TIME TO SOAR

Even though I have an ardent connection for everything art deco, I’ve often wondered why a place like the Hoover Dam is all art deco. Don’t get me wrong – this is by no means a complaint. My initial research led me to believe that when the design was first presented, it was severely criticized by many as being too plain and unremarkable for a project of such immense scale.

Dedication Plaque by Henry Yim

And I think we can all agree that this is a grandiose piece of architecture. The Hoover Dam graceful curve and Art Deco style contrasts with the stark landscape of the Black Canyon of the Colorado River over which it was built. Back in 1935, Los Angeles-based architect Gordon Kaufmann was brought in and assigned to streamlined the design, and he applied an elegant Art Deco style to the entire project (this was done with some much needed help from Denver artist Allen Tupper True).

Majestic 
Details of the Art Deco Hoover Dam Statue
Photo credit: Saint 1604’s Photostream, via Flickr
Soaring Figure 
Photo credit: Prof. Moreaus Photostream via Flickr

Kaufmann also incorporated motifs of the Navajo and Pueblo tribes of the region, as well as sand paintings, textiles, baskets and ceramics. Sculptor Oskar J.W. Hansen designed many of the sculptures that you see today when you visit this magnificent, and majestic place. My husband visited HD back in the late 90s and was quite taking by the sheer beauty of his surroundings. This architectural wonder has been compared to the great pyramids of Egypt and belongs to the sagas of the daring. Sadly, many men have lost their lives building this great monument. Gordon Kaufmann, who was also known to design the Los Angeles Times Building, simplified the Dam’s design with a strong reference to Modernism and Art Deco. Fabulous!

NOTE: Please notify us directly, if you believe that certain images on this post are alleged to infringe upon the copyrights of others, according to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Thank you.

The Genius of Leleu

This particular cabinet illustrates how Jules Leleu adapted rather than absorbed the modernist ideas that was so prevalent during his time. Born from a business oriented father in 1883, Leleu boldly opened his own studio in Paris in 1922, while he was in his mid twenties. He exhibited at the historical Exposition Industrielle et Arts Decoratifs in 1925. By the way, he won the coveted grand prize at that exposition. When most people thank about art deco, they naturally think of french art deco because of that grand 1925 exhibition in the city of lights.

Jules Leleu’s walnut cabinet

Rare and important walnut four door cabinet from Leleu
Details of the cabinet
For many, the furniture of Jacques-Emile Ruhlman will forever remain the epitome of Art Deco. He gets high praises for the elegant contours of the exotic woods that he used, most of them inlaid with mother of pearls. And if you’re fortunate enough to own one or two pieces of his work, I’d say you are well and truly in a higher league than most. Having a Jules Leuleu piece of furniture grace your home is not too shabby either. His furniture is aggressively pursued by art deco lovers, museums, and interior designers with big budget clients. Today, I’m featuring this exquisite and extremely rare walnut cabinet, which I first came across earlier this year, while I attended the Winter and Antiques Show at the Park Avenue Armory. This cabinet, from Maison Gerard, stopped me dead in my tracks because it had so much presence. And although it can be the most assertive piece of furniture in a room, somehow because of its elegance, it manages to look a bit understated. Understated elegance goes a long way, trust me. 

Cover Image
Photos courtesy Maison Gerard
Leleu was an illustrious furniture designer who adroitly used some of the following materials in his decorative pieces, iribe rose together with blond shagreen, and walnut. You will often find that Art Deco furniture of the 1920s and earlier often featured shagreen, mother of pearl, eggshell, ivory, tortoiseshell, ormulu, painted parchment, snakeskin, exotic animal hides and silver and gold leaf.

Why does Tamara de Lempicka still matters?


Her avant-garde paintings have been collected by celebrities like Madonna, and Barbara Streisand. It could be because both of these alpha females are well known for their progressive thinking, and at times, been viewed as feminists. Tamara de Lempicka was certainly a pioneering artist whom such women (and men) would be attracted to. Her work occupied an important position in the “Roaring Twenties” Paris. Her aesthetic embodied the spirit of the Art Deco era and its sense of style and modernity. When she completed the Nu adossé I in 1925, she was just establishing herself as a painter of serious consideration. On the evening of May 2nd 2012, Sotheby’s New York will be auctioning Nu adossé I, a work which most art historians have thought to be lost since the 1920s. The last time anyone have seen this painting in public was more than 85 years ago!

Striking Beauty
Tamara de Lempicka, Nu adossé I, Painted in 1925
Est. $3/5 million

Photo of 1925 Exhibition
Alain Blondel, Tamara de Lempicka, Catalogue raisonné 1921-1979, Lausanne, 1999,
no. 73, illustrated p. 26

Photos courtesy Sotheby’s

It is a classic example of the artist’s elegant and sensuous aesthetic and was included in her groundbreaking solo exhibition at Milan’s Bottega di Poesia gallery in 1925, the same year it was painted. Following that exhibition, the painting effectively disappeared from view until Sotheby’s was contacted by the owner late last year. The work will be shown in London, prior to exhibition and sale in New York this spring. The whereabouts of Nu adossé I have been unknown for most of its recorded history. The catalogue raisonné for the artist, published in 1999, included an image of the present work (pictured above) taken at the Milan exhibition in 1925, and listed it as “location unknown.” In an era of modernity, de Lempicka still matters, and Nu adossé I was an exciting discovery, which fills an important art historical gap in the artist’s work.

The Weekender: Shanghai: the Art Deco pearl of Asia

Please join me in welcoming our guest blogger, Richard Rabel. Richard is a New York-based interior designer and art advisor, with a keen eye for some of the most exquisite objets d’art and design. A multi-linguist with a ten-year career as a senior officer and specialist in a London-based international auction house, twenty years of art and design study and over thirty years of international travel, Richard has lived in seven countries and has had access to some of the most exquisite and exclusive spaces. From San Francisco to Mexico City, Sao Paulo to Geneva, Istanbul to Delhi and Sydney to Shanghai, the breadth of his travels has cultivated his eye and contributed to defining his exacting taste and modern aesthetic.
Shanghai in the 1920s and 1930s was a bustling international city with government officials and businessmen from England, France and Germany rubbing shoulders with Russian aristocrats exiled from St. Petersburg, American gangsters from Chicago, not to mention the glamorous remnants of China’s Imperial Court. So it is no surprise that with money flowing freely into this capitalist hub, fashion and styles from the West followed too.
The star of the city was (and still is) the Bund, a riverside promenade graced by hotels and offices of the foreign banks and businesses that made Shanghai the most important city in Asia in the first half of the 20th Century. But where did this melting pot of aristocrats, starlets, international business moguls and government officials converge? They did so at The Cathay Hotel, built in 1929 and one of the best examples of Art Deco architecture and decoration in the city.

Can you imagine the feeling as you came in from the crowded, grimy streets into the elegant octagonal lobby? This was the most luxurious hotel in the city and was known for the jazz band that played in the 9th floor restaurant. The interior was decorated with Italian marble and Lalique glass, while the furnishings were imported from France. This was the jazz age on speed!

Photos courtesy Fairmont Hotel Group

Today, after a half century of communist ownership as the Peace Hotel, the Canadian Fairmont Hotel group has restored the hotel to its previous glory and has once again, made this THE hotel to stay in Shanghai. History repeating itself! 
Written by Richard Rabel from the Modern Sybarite™

NOTE: Please notify us directly, if you believe that certain images on this post are alleged to infringe upon the copyrights of others, according to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Thank you.

Vintage Posters from Aspen

My latest acquisitions are these “vintage” posters from various online sites. Not too sure whether I’ll be able to use them in our current place, but surely I can find room for them in another house? Preferably one in the middle of the mountains…

   
Aspen Winter Jazz Festival poster from Jazz Deluxe Vintage Posters
Top: Vintage Aspen Posters from All Posters

NOTE: Please notify us directly, if you believe that certain images on this post are alleged to infringe upon the copyrights of others, according to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Thank you.