A Hundred Years Old and Still Exciting: Art Deco Design

Clean lines, geometric shapes, stylised forms, and rounded corners form the basis for the Art Deco movement that could be found in architecture and the decorative arts from the 1920s to the 1940s.

This Shelley Bubbles pattern in yellow and black is a rare set with Art Deco vibes and a funky style that makes me smile. This set was made between 1921 and 1926. FOR SALE

I think the reason that people like me are drawn to the Art Deco style is that it's so different from other art movements that can be a bit blurry and sometimes blend into other styles. You can see the Art Deco clearly in the shapes and forms of décor pieces and particularly in buildings. What immediately comes to mind are the iconic historic pastel-coloured buildings in South Beach, Miami, or the famous skyscrapers in New York, like the Chrysler Building or the Empire State Building. In Durban, South Africa, where I live, several Art Deco buildings along the beachfront stand out from the other (more drab) buildings due to their prominent architecture.

To find out where this style came from, we have to look back at the times that shaped it and how it became a movement. For something to become a movement, there needs to be conflict, and in the 20s, it was about the darkness of war and trying to brighten up lives. World War I officially ended in November 1918, but the effects of the war took much longer to overcome. Many items during the war were made for functionality more than for decorative purposes. After the war, it was time to get back some of the style and fashion that would excite people and get them interested in buying.

Burleigh Ware Sunray pattern milk/creamer jug, dating from the Art Deco period. The Zenith shape is typical of the Art Deco style. The Sunray pattern, registered in 1929, is characterised by its stylised depiction of a sunrise or sunset with flying birds, in shades of yellow, orange, and black against a cream-colored background. The handle is angular and features black and red accents, typical of the Art Deco aesthetic. BUY HERE

It is widely agreed that the movement started in Western Europe, specifically France. There were conflicting theories at the time – designers like Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann and Pierre Laurent stuck to high-end designs in furniture and interior design items that were made by hand. In contrast, designers like Jean Despres embraced industrialisation and the possibility of the style being mass-produced for the middle class.

This also introduced stylish designs in alternative man-made substances like plastic (especially Bakelite), reinforced concrete, stainless steel, and vitaglass (a type of glass developed in the 20s that transmitted ultraviolet and was believed to have healing properties). Unusual natural materials were added into the mix that included jade, obsidian volcanic glass, chrome and rock crystal, as well as the usual materials like silver, gold, aluminium, ivory, silk, onyx, leather, mother-of-pearl, and exotic woods like ebony and mahogany. Many materials were chosen for their ability to be shaped using machinery, and relying on the symmetry and simplicity of the design to make it unique.

This vintage glass ‘Rocket’ vase, circa 1930s, explored the idea of space exploration in its form. This vase was made in Czechoslovakia. BUY HERE

The International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts held in Paris in 1925, showcased many of the Art Deco designs, and the movement exploded onto the international scene.

To try and get some happiness back into design, the forerunners of this movement took inspiration from the Art Nouveau period from around 1890 to 1910, the Bauhaus movement (Germany) from 1919 to 1933, and from art movements like Cubism (France), 1907 to 1914, Futurism (Italy), 1909 to the early 1940s, and De Stijl, or Neoplasticism (Dutch) 1917 to 1931. Although inspired by each of these and others, the art and design started an entirely new movement.

This set of Chameleon Ware made by Clews & Co Ltd, Tunstall, England, shows off the vibrant colours of some of the Art Décor pieces, and they have lovely silver-plated lids. The style of the mark was introduced around 1935. BUY HERE

Flowing lines from previous design styles gave way to strong, straight lines and geometric shapes. Muted shades became bright and vivid. It was perhaps not a style that could be sustained for long, and as time went on, the designs did move back to a more organic look. But history was made, and the Art Deco movement left a lasting legacy.

The Great Depression (1929 – 1939) significantly impacted the movement, causing the luxurious and opulent side of Art Deco to be replaced by simpler forms and cheaper materials. The designs became streamlined and more practical, reflecting the realities of the time.

A typical Art Deco design in a geometric teapot made by Grindley, England. The mark suggests that this teapot was made between 1936 and 1954. BUY HERE

There was a brief resurrection of the Art Deco style in the 1960s as can be seen in many buildings and kitchenalia of the time. In fact, it was only in the sixties that the name for the movement was used as a positive thing. Modernist architect, Le Corbusier, who was at the time a very influential urban planner, called the style ornate and unnecessary. That didn’t phase designers like master glass and jewellery designer René Lalique, Louis Comfort Tiffany, known for his stained glass, ceramicist Clarice Cliff, or Jean Dupas, known for amazing murals, to name a few. The sunburst pattern on the Chrysler Building in New York City, designed by William Van Alen, is one of the most striking buildings in the world, along with the landmark Empire State Building, designed collectively by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon. The works of these people have made a positive impact on the world and forever set a period of time as Art Deco.

Some of Clarice Cliff’s hand-painted pieces add more natural touches, like this vase from her Romantic Period (1937 - 1938). The vase rests on three feet, an extension in the form of roots of the tree. BUY HERE

Many suggest that these waves of nostalgia come in 50-year cycles, which means we are due for a resurrection soon.

This incredible stainless steel coffee/tea set comprising a coffee pot, teapot, milk jug, and sugar bowl was designed by Oliver Hemming (1999-) in the art deco Bauhaus style. BUY HERE