In praise of small things Whether you live in in an apartment or a chateau, small decorative antiques can have a big impact if chosen carefully and artfully displayed. And all the more so since maximalist decor has made a comeback. But why were these cherished miniatures made in the first place? Fit for a…
Charles Schneider glass – modern luxury for the 20th century In the 1970s, you could pick up sublime Charles Schneider glass for a song in the fleamarkets of Paris. But that was then, when collectors had eyes only for Gallé and Lalique. Nowadays, Charles Schneider’s reputation has been restored, as one of the most innovative…
The brilliance of Daum From Daum Nancy, through post-war Daum crystal, to today’s exquisite pâte-de-verre creations, Daum has become a legend in glass. But unlike other glass families such as Schneider or Legras, Daum’s founder, Jean Daum had zero experience of glass. In fact, he more or less fell into the business. A solicitor by…
Wear a piece of Jean Painlevé bakelite jewellery, and you’re not just wearing Art Deco, but also a slice of cinema history.
Art Deco cocktail stick sets were a French speciality. They were made for canapés, snails, shellfish, cherries in eau-de-vie and other morsels – but most of all, for admiring… Trust the French to turn spearing an olive into an art form!
Pierre D’Avesn: designs on Art Deco Les Mouettes vase c1925 by P. D’Avesn, available to buy In an Art Deco world, all seagulls would be elongated and elegant, like the ones that cruise around this vase by Pierre d’Avesn (1901-1984). It was made around 1926-1930, when D’Avesn was working as an independent designer. Unlike René…
Opulent, opalescent, Etling In the spotlight this month: a gorgeous French Etling opalescent glass bowl from around 1925. The pattern is Les Veloutes, model number 251. It has everything you’d look for in Art Deco opalescent glass – shades of milky turquoise and transparency, the sweeping sense of motion, the contrasting textures. It’s easy to see…
Twinkle, twinkle, Pierrefonds pottery I do love crystalline stoneware, so I was thrilled to find this exceptional Art Deco Pierrefonds pottery vase (available to buy here). The rotund shape gives it Art Deco gravitas, and the crystalline glaze is deep and scintillating. It’s a bit of a star turn, even by Pierrefonds standards. Few people use the…
Roger Méquinion, Art Deco ceramist This splendid Art Deco charger by Roger Méquinion is a story in itself. It’s a fascinating example of the crossover between one medium (glass) and another (clay.) It’s also an example of the creativity that drove the Art Deco movement, a willingness to experiment and extend the boundaries of traditional…
A late Art Deco mosaic vase by Jean Gerbino This large mosaic vase was made by the naturalised French ceramist, Jean Gerbino. With its stylish triangular handles, it has a whiff of Art Deco about it. That fits, since Gerbino produced this shape around 1940, though he continued making it into the next decade. Like…