My Finest ART DECO Item

[Foofoogal]

:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap
fabulous writing instruments.
http://sandysfancypants.blogspot.com

 

[Shangas]

Thanks FoofooGal,

I bought them yesterday afternoon at the 2009 Melbourne Pen Show. My mistake, the Eversharp Skyline dates from 1943. But it's still 'deco, so it belongs in this thread!

The other two pieces are part of the Wahl-Eversharp 'Art Deco' line of metal pens, made from ca. 1921-1929. The big fat gold one is from 1922. The other one, the small watch-chain pen, I'm not sure how old it is, but I'd guess from the same year ('22), since the decor on the pen-barrel matches the other one.

I didn't buy them to have them as a set, I bought the two pens separately. When I realised later, that they matched, I was thrilled! They look like their own set!

 

[mrfish]

I hope this qualifies as Deco. I'm no expert on the matter at hand, but this is a favorite object. Simply because it is an air compressor, a tool and not an ornament, though it is ornamental. I enjoy the care expressed in the design of a simple object. Those days are gone, I fear.

Isn't she lovely? Still in use in my cluttered work shop.

mrfish

 

[Forgotten Man]

I hope this qualifies as Deco. I'm no expert on the matter at hand, but this is a favorite object. Simply because it is an air compressor, a tool and not an ornament, though it is ornamental. I enjoy the care expressed in the design of a simple object. Those days are gone, I fear.

Isn't she lovely? Still in use in my cluttered work shop.
mrfish

:eusa_clap

I LOVE IT!!! That's one reason why I love the past, so much art in such simple items... there was design in everything back in those days!

Man, I'll have to take photos of my favorite deco pieces I have, I have a few that will be fun to share.

 

[Forgotten Man]

What a piece! The sun rays, the dramatic angles, the numbers, the octagon shape, I just knew it was late 20s! In the late 20s to early 30s geometric design was all the rage! Cut corners were very popular into the very early 30s. Even the mirrors at the Oviatt building inside had cut corners!

A fine Elgin, they are good watches! I use my '33 Elgin daily and it serves me well.

 

[mrfish]

Thanks FM. Love your watch, too. I've an old Waltham pocket piece in the watch box. Not as wonderful as the one shown, but still deserving of admiration. I'll have to try and get a pic.

mrfish

 

[Forgotten Man]

No, that's not my watch, that's Marc's... my Elgin is a wrist watch from 1933.

Your air compressor is a streamlined wonder! Just a unique survivor of many tools and work related items that bore the streamline/deco image of that era.

PS: Love to see your watch, post it sometime soon!

 

[dhermann1]

TOTALLY "Rocketeer"!

 

[Forgotten Man]

That's it! It totally reminded me of something... that's it! The Rocketeer!

 

[mrfish]

Now you've done it. I won't be able to look at it again without thinking "Rocketeer". I may have to make wooshing nioses as it runs.

mrfish

 

[Miss 1929]

I don't know much about furniture, but this looked Art Deco to me so I bought it. I'm fairly certain it's at least 1930s, though it may very well be much newer. It looks "Depression Modern" to me:

It seems to be pretty well made and holds most of my clothing while I still haven't finished my closet.

That is indeed a swell 1930s chifferobe! Nice!

 

[Warbaby]

Haven't posted anything for awhile - had to take a reality break and catch up on some projects.

I'm not sure if I'd consider this my finest Art Deco item, but it's definitely up there at the top of the heap and currently my favorite because I just finished restoring it - a project that I've been trying to complete for six years. More about that later.

This is a 1927 Parker desk pen mounted with a clock that has a 17 jewel Elgin pocket watch movement. Interestingly, the clock/watch has the same dial as the gorgeous Elgin pocket watch that Marc posted at the beginning of this thread.

So what did I need to restore and why did it take six years? Here's the story: About 6 or 7 years ago an antique dealer friend brought the desk set to me and wanted to know if I could fix a chip in the black glass base so he could sell it on eBay. I immediately fell in love with it and offered to buy it as is. Fifty bucks later it was mine. It would have been a great deal if it was complete, but besides the chip in the base, it was missing both the pen and the pen holder, and the clock/watch didn't run. Didn't matter. I wanted it. And it seemed like it would be fairly simple to find the missing bits, get the watch fixed, and end up with a rare and beautiful desk pen at a bargain price. Or so I thought...

After a few months of searching on eBay, I found a 1920s Parker pen and pencil desk set with a rather plain onyx base. It was missing the pen, but it had the mechanical pencil and both holders, and the price was right at $28.

A few months later, we moved to Amsterdam and after we got settled in, I took the Elgin clock/watch to a recommended watchmaker to be repaired. Alas, the movement was rusted beyond reasonable repair. So I started watching eBay for an affordable 1927 Elgin pocket watch with the correct movement in running condition. I searched for over a year, but I finally scored one for the very reasonable price of $60. I took it to the watchmaker to swap movements and install the longer winding stem, hands and dial from the original. He also cleaned and timed it. Cost: $150. At this point my "bargain" desk set was up to $290 and I still didn't have the pen. Oh - and the base still had the chip because it needed to be re-ground and polished and I didn't have the equipment to do it myself.

For the next three years I searched for the correct pen but the few that turned up on eBay went for way more than I wanted to pay, particularly considering how much I had in the set so far. I also looked for someone who could do the grinding and polishing for a reasonable price, but most of the glass shops I contacted wouldn't do it at all for fear of cracking the base - and the ones that would attempt it all wanted around $100 to do the job with no guarantee of success.

Finally, on the trip I made to the Bay Area last month, I found a guy in Alameda (Ken Shelby at Piggery Glass) who, without fear or hesitation, did it perfectly (freehand on 60 year old machinery, no less) while I waited and charged me twenty bucks for the job. (BTW - Ken also does beautiful stained glass window restoration)

Once I got the set all back together, I decided to abandon my search for the pen. I'd been using the mechanical pencil that came with the second Parker parts set almost daily (nice balance and I like the length) and realized that I'd rather have my desk set with a pencil that I'd use daily rather than a pen that I'd let go dry more often than not. Since the pencil is the correct year and color, I don't think it's an unacceptable deviation from the originality of the piece. And if I ever run across the correct Parker Duofold pen from 1927 at a reasonable price and decide to make the switch, I still have the correct pen holder.

Now all I need is a desk...

 

[Shangas]

Hey Warbaby,

A late '20s Duofold (which is what would have gone with that desk-set) isn't too expensive. If you're willing to put up with a few imperfections, you can get a good, working pen for about $250.

 

[PADDY]

Above my Cocktail Cabinet...

 

[Foofoogal]

thunk...me falling out. How astonishingly beautiful. :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

is it signed? Chiparus?

 

[dhermann1]

What are the details on that wonderful piece? I love those Deco figurines, there are SO many of them. Is it bronze? Is it signed? So nice.

 

[Chainsaw]

Art Deco!

No way! No way! You guys are too cool, you guys geek out, awesome man. Really cool. Where's the couch? I'm movin, in.

If I could score furniture like that, I'd put my Malaysian kung fu card table in the fire.

 

[BinkieBaumont]

"This is probably my favourite piece and also amongst the first "Deco" thing I ever purchased as a 21yo back in 1978, the figure is signed P.Sega, and has two matching side pieces that sit at each end of the Mantelpiece, I had gone to Melbourne on a greyhound bus which took 3 days (air travel in those days was way too expensive for the average person) I saw it in an Antique shop in Chapel street, the owner had been to Paris (France) and bought about 50 French clocks, I bought it back in a box under my seat on the Greyhound bus, across the Nullaboor Desert.

Over the years, whenever I have moved home, I always feel settled when the clock is on the Mantelpiece , ticking away and chiming on the Hour and half hour"

BTW the Jaguar is playing with a ball of wool...Cute

 

[Foofoogal]

:eusa_clap
swoon again Binkie.

These Art Deco pieces truly display IMHO some beautiful examples of the greatest of creative minds in history.
As a dealer I have seen many beautiful things but Art Deco like this continues to take my breath away. Getting harder for me to be dazzled but these still do it for me if this makes sense.

I just love this thread.

 

[Amy Jeanne]

These are my two most favourite art deco/moderne items. They are so simple, yet speak VOLUMES about the time they were made:

A powder dish

Salt & Pepper Shakers