# Art Deco - good or bad?



## Scrit (11 Jan 2007)

I have to admit to being a fan of products and designs from the Art Deco period. My particular likes are actually some of the pieces by Bauhaus (such as some of Brauer's designs like this) although I'm also drawn to many of the forms used in what some refer to as British machine modern, or mass-market Art Deco pieces, such as Epstein's cloud suite of which this is a derivative.

Does anyone else favour this sort of stuff, and for those who don't, why not?

Scrit


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## Alf (11 Jan 2007)

Can we have an option of "This is all way over my head but I know what I like when I see it"?


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## Paul Chapman (11 Jan 2007)

I really like the Art Deco period and work produced by people who attended the Bauhaus. I think it was a very exciting and influential period. When I was a young lad and starting to become very interested in all forms of art, I found myself attracted to much of the stuff produced by the Bauhaus before I even knew what it was. In particular, some of the anti-Nazi montage work was absolutely stunning.

Cheers :wink: 

Paul


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## wizer (11 Jan 2007)

it's hard to answer this questions with a vote. But I chose the second option as that is the closest to my opinion on the Art Deco movement. I think generally art deco is not to my taste. There are occasionally pieces that I do really like. I think some art deco pieces look extremely modern. Certainly art deco has influenced current modern furniture. I think generally my tastes are very modern.


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## wizer (11 Jan 2007)

Beautiful


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## Roger (11 Jan 2007)

Not to my taste at all generally, barring a *very* few pieces


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## Shultzy (11 Jan 2007)

WiZeR - that's a lovely chair, but what's weird is that I've just seen it in an 1988 copy of "Practical Woodwork" I was browsing this afternoon!


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## mailee (11 Jan 2007)

No I have to agree I have no time for Art Deco myself. I love lots of intricate bits and panels. :wink:


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## LyNx (11 Jan 2007)

pipper me, something we agree on.. :wink: .i too like the Marcel armchair, i want one for home.
Also a fan of this Chair which we used for our last photo shoot. £1200 each and bloody heavy too, but how i would love 6 of these around the dinning table.






Another classic in the making (well, already a classic), but been upgraded to a crappy chrome effect is the Aeron (herman Miller). I have the size C and it's the best chair (Humanscale "freedom" chair is close) that anyone who sits on he buttocks all day could own. :wink:


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## Colin C (12 Jan 2007)

I do like some of the Art Deco pieces but more like your second pic Scrit, I am not so hot on most of the metal stuff.

Horses for courses I guess


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## Scrit (12 Jan 2007)

I suppose that's the thing about the period - a wide range of new designs came to the fore as well as being a period when we began to see the emergence of the "known" industrial designer. The chair shown by WiZeR (is it by Aalvar Aalto?) is typical of the use of industrial plywood lamination which became possible through the introduction of new glues (UF/RF/PF) - a spin-off of aircraft production - and new technologies to work wood, such as the radio frequency glue press (of "wood welder"), high-speed router, etc. and looking around I still see a lot of the iconic design pieces of the time in everyday use today - for example Raymond Loewy's Coca-Cola bottle. It is interesting to note that there are still a large number of Bauhaus designs still being made and that you can still buy many of the plywood designs (such as Aalto's) originally introduced by Jack Pritchard's firm, Isokon.

Scrit


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## dedee (12 Jan 2007)

The chair in Wizer's post is very pleasing to my eye. The bent metal stuff is not.

Andy


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## StevieB (12 Jan 2007)

Sorry, Art Deco generally is not to my taste - that extends to the 1920s and 30s architecture as well. guess I am just a grumpy old thing :wink: 
It just all looks so uncomfortable!


Steve.


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## wizer (12 Jan 2007)

I was specifically looking for AD furniture made out of wood when I commented above. I do like some of the metal stuff. Infact I will almost definitely buy one of these at some point:






Maybe not in red tho 

In terms of Architecture, I like what was happening at the end of the Art Deco era. Mid to late 30's Semi-Detatched houses (locally at least) would be my choice amongst all other later periods. I like the shape and size of the rooms and gardens. They are simple but comfortable.


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## Paul Chapman (12 Jan 2007)

Scrit":17r5nwpi said:


> It is interesting to note that there are still a large number of Bauhaus designs still being made and that you can still buy many of the plywood designs (such as Aalto's) originally introduced by Jack Pritchard's firm, Isokon.



I think that's one of the features of good design - it has a timeless quality and still looks good years later.

Cheers :wink: 

Paul


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## Shivers (12 Jan 2007)

I dont like much of it --the parallel bauhaus i like though,

one thing art deco did was to introduce new manufacturing techniques,with plywood forming, & gave a new industrial design look to furniture.


skivers


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## Anonymous (12 Jan 2007)

When I think of art deco etc I visualise like hercule poirot set's, or cinema foyers from the 1930's. or busby berkley type films, rich toffs sipping cocktails on luxury cruise liners etc :lol: I never thought much of the style, a sort of waterd down british compromise of the new internationalism. However I happen to think that the orange chair is actually a very nice piece (and wizer's red chair come to that 8) ). Was it designed by _Jacob_ epstein? If it was that would explain its strong sculptural form. I like the lack of superfluous ornament, yet the piece isnt austere. There is nice contarast of materials, eg matt leather, shiny figured wood. The actual method of construction has created part of the "ornament" (the lines of stitching on the up holstery) Both these chairs looks inviting and comfortable and dont look stale and dated like the movie prop stuff I mentioned earlier.

I'm not so keen on the breuer chair, even though it was unbelievably daring and inovartive back in the 20's when it apeared. You can almost imagine the old menuisiers spluttering zut alors, mon dieu sacre bleu c'est merde when confronted with it for the first time I mean using _bent steel tube_ to make a carcass?? I always think its ironic that the original pioneering design's which were planned as socialist attempts to promote a new universal utopia are now remarketed in small batches as exclusive fashion statements for the better off. :?: It was a very heady time though, with cars/aircraft/film's/radio etc all coming into use, and adopting new industrial mass production method's to suposedly deliver good design to the masses in furniture/architecture/consumer products etc. Form follows function, show the constructin as part of its character instead of hiding it, no illusions, no ornament etc etc the modernist ethos. As for bent wood lamination, Aalvar alto takes some beating he did it all often imitated but rarely surpassed, ecxept possibly that american architect whose building's are all wonky and wavy (cant recall his name but built a prison on the simpson's?? :lol: ) who uses thin laminated strips to build light see through forms where most of the "volume" is thin air :lol: 
Mies van de roe's Barcelona chair is an excellent timeless piece, one of my all time favourite's, also a lot of the Danish stuff, not afraid to celebrate the warmth and tactile quality of wood, and use traditional joinery.
I'm rambling now, but this is great stuff to discuss
cheers Jonathan 

PS edit it was Frank Gehry  This is an example of the bent wood forms he did in the early 90's. Sort of cut up an aalto form and reassemble it like a thonet type chair form
http://www.retromodern.com/images/knoll_5489.jpg


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## Shivers (12 Jan 2007)

> Mies van de roe's Barcelona chair is an excellent timeless piece, one of my all time favourite's,



one of my all time favourits along with a bugatti chair & also an eilene gray chair.



> ecxept possibly that american architect whose building's are all wonky and wavy,



frank loyd wright maybe.--if so (some) nice stuff.


shivers


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## woodbloke (12 Jan 2007)

Some of the stuff I like but generally it don't do allot for me - can't see WiZer's pic.

Shivers wrote:


> a bugatti chair


....rather have a Bugatti motor, like the one Clarkson hammered across Europe - Rob


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## Shultzy (12 Jan 2007)

The chair in Wizer's first photo is credited to Gerald Summers, birch plywood, 1933-34. It is pictured in an 1988 edition of Practical Woodworking in an article entitled "Constructivism in Art and Design"


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## Anonymous (12 Jan 2007)

Hi Nige  

The barcelona looks ancient and modern at the same time. It fits into almost any setting from airport's (open public spaces) to mountain log home retreat's (private domestic space's). The curved x leg's remind me of the greek klismos form, and the up holstery is just simple classic elegance. The design arrangement isnt contrived or attention seeking; Hard to beat 8)


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## Shivers (12 Jan 2007)

mr spanton":383cbili said:


> Hi Nige
> 
> The barcelona looks ancient and modern at the same time. It fits into almost any setting from airport's (open public spaces) to mountain log home retreat's (private domestic space's). The curved x leg's remind me of the greek klismos form, and the up holstery is just simple classic elegance. The design arrangement isnt contrived or attention seeking; Hard to beat 8)



I remember reading about it years ago,i believe that was the original commision--for public buildings & such,they also did a bench version & (footstool i think),fantastic timeless design,industrial design at its apex.

regards.


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## Jake (12 Jan 2007)

Wasn't it for the pavilion he designed for some Expo-like thing in Barcelona?


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## Shivers (12 Jan 2007)

Jake":2jslm5c8 said:


> Wasn't it for the pavilion he designed for some Expo-like thing in Barcelona?



not 100% on that--but i know it was for public buildings, i also think there might have been a daybed version as well.


regards.


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## Scrums (12 Jan 2007)

If your linked webaddress was working scrit, I would love to take a look ! (later maybe)

Mailee wrote:


> I love lots of intricate bits and panels.


 aarrrgh !!.....I run a mile when customers start wanting twiddly bits and things that serve no actual purpose - functionality is the name of the game.

Everybody to their own though.

Chris.


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## Anonymous (12 Jan 2007)

Hi Jake 8) 



Jake":ab5yiu0t said:


> Wasn't it for the pavilion he designed for some Expo-like thing in Barcelona?


It was originally designed & made as a special for the german pavilion at the barcelona exposition in 1929. There seemed to be a lot of that going on in those day's, daring inovation, confidence, optimism etc and showing it off to the public. It often strikes me the number of time's you get architect's who also build chairs (or chairmaker's who also do buildings :lol: )


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