Art Deco Furniture Feb 12

Antiques
Demand soars
for Art Deco
decadence…
By Vivienne Milburn
FRICS Independent Antiques Auctioneer & Valuer
A 21st Century audience is craving 20th Century items, as Vivienne explains.
A
ll things Art Deco
seem even more
exciting now we are
in the 21st Century. There
is no doubt that Art Deco
and 20th Century modern
design items are becoming
increasingly desirable.
Things that were only a short
time ago discarded as ‘old
furniture’ are now making high
prices in specialist auctions.
From an auctioneer’s and
valuerss point of view, if there is
an important name or designer
connected with an item, then
it is all the more valuable. For
example, with 1930s furniture,
birds-eye maple bedroom
suites, of which there are many,
only become significant in
terms of value if designers or
companies such as
Epstein Brothers,
Heal’s,
Frederick Restall of
Birmingham or Robin Day
and Ray Hille originally
designed or sold them.
The Art Deco or deco style
began in Paris in the 1920s
and flourished nationally and
internationally throughout the
1930s, up until the outbreak
of World War Two. Art Deco
is a diverse artistic style and
influenced all areas of design,
including architecture and
interior design, fashion and
jewellery, as well as painting,
graphic art and film. The term
Art Deco was first used widely
in 1926, after an exhibition in
Paris and was the culmination
of the moderne style. At its best,
art deco represented elegance,
glamour, functionality and
modernity.
Above: An Art Deco bird’s eye maple cocktail cabinet that is
attributed to Ray Hille. It is in demi-lune form, with the top
section opening to reveal a glitzy interior of three chromemounted shelves and a mirror back, over one-and-a-half metres
high. It made £2,900 in a recent specialist auction.
Left: A dynamic Art Deco fan-shaped mirror with radiating green
tinted and clear glass panels. It is nearly a metre wide and would
make a powerful impression in any home. This vibrant piece
made £400 in a specialist sale.
1 Reflections February 2012
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Antiques
Art Deco with its linear
symmetry was a distinct
departure from the flowing
asymmetrical organic curves
of its predecessor style,
Art Nouveau; it embraced
influences from many different
styles, including neo-classical,
cubism and modernism plus a
sprinkling of inspiration from
ancient Egyptian and Aztec
forms. Although many design
movements have political
or philosophical beginnings
or intentions, Art Deco was
purely a decorative ornamental
style, and its lavishness
is attributed to reaction
against the forced austerity
imposed by World War One.
Art Deco experienced a decline
in popularity during the
1940s, but had a resurgence
to a limited extent during the
1960s. It continued with the
popularization of graphic
design during the 1980s.
Art Deco had a profound
influence on many later artistic
styles, such as the Memphis
Group and their post modern
furniture, and also on Pop Art.
Art Deco is characterised by
the use of materials such as
aluminium, stainless steel,
lacquer, Bakelite, chrome
and inlaid wood. Exotic
materials such as sharkskinshagreen and zebra skin
were also used. The use of
stepped forms and geometric
curves where completely
unlike the sinuous, natural
curves of the Art Nouveau;
with chevron patterns,
fountains and the sunburst
motif typical of Art Deco.
The furnishings of Epstein
Brothers are important as
they were quite prolific and
advocated a conservative
Art Deco style that became
the company’s trademark.
After the war, most pieces
were made from bleached
walnut. Art Deco pieces are
not signed but some pieces
are labeled ‘H. & L. Epstein’
or ‘Epstein & Goldman’.
Epstein furniture was founded
in East London by Polish
immigrants in the 1890s. The
firm passed to brothers Harry
and Lou Epstein and the pair
turned their attention to the
production of Art Deco forms
from the 1930s until the 1950s.
Finished to high standards,
most pieces were custommade in veneers of burr maple,
sycamore or walnut. The
design of the famous ‘cloud’
seat furniture is credited to
Epstein and the company
also popularised the uniquely
British taste in suite furniture.
Following World War Two,
Epstein had showrooms
in London, Manchester
and Glasgow.
Cruise liners were significant
during the early 20th Century
and their furnishings where
often the personification
of opulence. One of the
companies responsible for
Above: This Art Nouveau mahogany bookcase is by Shapland and Petter of Barnstaple
and is surmounted with an embossed copper panel that reads, ‘The Sweet Serenity of
Books’ - a quote from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. It is stamped S&PB on the lock
and it made £1,770 in a recent sale. When I first saw this bookcase at a house near
Sheffield, it was difficult to distinguish what it was as it was so laden down
with books.
fitting out many of the inter-war
liners was Shapland and Petter
(they are known as Leaderflush
Shapland today and make
doors). They were established
in the 19th Century in
Barnstaple, North Devon, with
Henry Shapland introducing
a machine for creating
‘wavy’ timber mouldings
efficiently and accurately.
This philosophy of seeking
engineered techniques to create
high quality, crafted products
remains fundamental to the
company today. During the 20th
Century, they were involved
with hand-carved furniture
and the fitting out of cruise
liners and Pullman railway
carriages. The Art Nouveau
cabinet pictured is a classic
example of their early work.
Perhaps this article has made
you think that some of your
own items might be valuable.
If so, it is always worth getting
the advice of an independent
antiques valuer. For further
information, contact Vivienne
on 01629 640210 or 0114
2830292 or 07870 238788; or
go to www.viviennemilburn.
co.uk or email vivienne@
viviennemilburn.co.uk.
An Art Deco bird’s eye maple and cream leather three-piece ‘Cloud’ lounge suite in the Harry and Lou Epstein design. The threeseater sofa and pair of armchairs are trimmed with bands of birds eye maple and it made £4,300 at auction.
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2 Reflections February 2012