Schools of design come and go—sometimes they evolve, sometimes they just expire. And major world events (or changes) can precipitate the start (or end) of an aesthetic movement. The Arts & Crafts movement had a glorious couple of decades which began in the late Nineteenth Century and (pretty much) ended with World War One. Such a major event (WWI) would, naturally, turn human attention away from the “frivolities” of the decorative arts (and rightfully so). When the Great War had concluded, and the people were ready to resume their peacetime pursuits, the fashion had moved-on; it was time for the new Art Deco.
The hand-hammered pewter tray, shown above, was probably made just after the War. Its designer was still motivated by the Arts & Crafts (see the hammered texturing and the gothic-inspired quatrefoil silhouette). But there’s a glimpse of the powerhouse design movement to come: Art Deco handles. When a piece shares elements of the two periods it overlaps, it is often called “transitional.”
This tray is part of my new shipment from England, now in-stock and waiting (on-line) for its future owner. To learn more about it, please click upon the photo above. And keep checking the LEO Design website. Many new acquisitions will be listed to the on-line store in the next several days.
LEO Design's Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed. While we contemplate our next shop location, please visit our on-line store which continues to operate (www.LEOdesignNYC.com).
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