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took was a quick wipe with a soapy cloth, The dawn of Art Deco never resulted in a
then a quick rub with a dry one, and a wholesale junking of all that came before.
chrome canapé plate was once more During the 1920s and ‘30s, the majority of
bright and shiny. More importantly, at American homes combined the familiar
$7.20 per dozen, the appeal of chrome with the futuristic, an amalgam specifically
canapé plates over solid silver ones was suited to the needs and desires of the
immediately obvious. individual householder.
Rather than relying on just one or two That analysis is borne out by the
designers for its output, Chase offered colorful interior illustrations which
design assignments to many; at least 21 are punctuated advertisements of the era. In
known to have made contributions to the the days before advertising photography
line. Some, like Director of Design Harry was the norm, glamour art sold the
Laylon, his predecessor Helen Bishop product, placing each featured item in an
Dennis, and Development Engineer idyllic locale. If you’re hawking something
Howard Reichenbach, were on the Chase as mundane as a “Herman Nelson Invisible
payroll full-time. Others, such as Walter Radiator,” for instance, why not feature
Von Nessen, Ruth and William Gerth, it in a boudoir illustration so lavishly
Lurelle Guild, Russel Wright, Rockwell Guess what this ad is for: not lingerie … not coffee sets … and enticing that the radiator itself becomes …
Kent, and Dr. Albert Reimann, were given not loveseats. Instead, it promotes the “Herman Nelson Invisible well … invisible?
freelance contracts to create specific pieces. Radiator: the radiator that says ‘this home is modern.’” House Many of these illustrations appeared in
Their work demonstrated resoundingly Beautiful, May 1930. popular decorating magazines of the time,
that functional objects could also be such as House Beautiful. Others came from
attractive to the eye. Working within the same framework—metal consumer-oriented “helpful hints” publications, issued by specific
giftware—each designer contributed his or her own unique vision. manufacturers, such as Armstrong and Sherwin-Williams, or were
In 1936, Walter Von Nessen told House Beautiful that “a designer splashed across the pages of that annual wish book, the Home
today must be an inventor too” – and the designing minds at Chase Owners’ Catalogs.
were definitely inventive. Since other Chase divisions focused on the In Deco-contemporary images such as these, modernistic and
company’s more mundane tasks—producing such everyday necessities traditional design influences manage a harmonious meld, just as they
as plumbing pipe and electrical parts—discarded shells, elbow joints, did in actual Art Deco era homes. The image of a Gay ‘90s granny,
and the like soon found their way to the Chase storeroom. It took an warming up her starkly modern living room by draping a doily over the
industrial designer to see the artistic possibilities inherent in these odds back of a tubular chair, made for an amusing Saturday Evening Post
and ends. Efficient re-use of unlikely components by the giftware divi- cartoon in the 1930s. In reality, however, the present augmented,
sion proved a cost-effective means of fighting the Depression. rather than replaced, the past.
Director of Design Harry Laylon
recalled that one of his ongoing assign- Durable Deco
ments was to introduce guest designers to “There is nothing more important in mak-
the Chase inventory warehouse, in hopes ing a home out of a house than to be able to
that a spare part might spark their imagina- put into it the qualities that mean livableness,
tions. The success rate was astounding. A restfulness, and your own individuality.”
simple toilet floater, for instance, served as – Helen Koues, How To Be Your Own
the focal point for a variety of products, Decorator, 1926
including a “Syrup Jug.” Brass bedstead
balls found new life as Russel Wright- Livableness, restfulness, and individuality.
designed salt and pepper spheres. And What better blueprint for the ideal home,
Walter Von Nessen’s “Diplomat Coffee then and now? Exquisite Art Deco acces-
Set,” on view in the movie Design for sories, chosen to reflect individual taste,
Living, and recipient of an “Award of complement all that surrounds them. And,
Merit” from the National Alliance of Art while there are many options to choose
and Industry, began life as an extruded The perceived Art Deco penchant for sparse modernity from, there is really only one question:
chromium-plated pipe! receives a homey touch in this Daly cartoon for which Art Deco items will enhance your
Industrial designers were, of course, The Saturday Evening Post, 1936. personal environment? A happy fusion of
much more than Deco Dr. Frankensteins, old and new awaits today’s collectors, just as
cobbling together spare parts in hopes of coming up with something it awaited aspiring home decorators of the 1920s and ‘30s.
marketable. Their task was to reinterpret standard household items in In the Art Deco home, past and present combine. The
ways that would increase attractiveness, convenience, and marketability. result? An invigorating, visually stunning future.
As Russel Wright told Design magazine in 1933, “the designer can Art Deco. It’s not all black and white.
take a dull product lacking in sales appeal, and with the magic touch
of artistic imagination vamp it into an exciting product packed with “Remember: it costs no more to manufacture handsome
sales appeal.” products than it does to make ugly things.”
– Metal Industry, 1934
Decorative Deco
Adding additional charm to Art Deco homes were those objects
created primarily (if not necessarily solely), for decorative purposes.
Certainly, a Robj decanter or a Schneider vase performs a function, but Photo Associates: Hank Kuhlmann, Ramón Piña
so could a moonshine jug, or a jelly jar, and much less prettily.
Enhancing the beauty of a specific home environment was their reason Donald-Brian Johnson (text) and Leslie Piña (pho-
for being. That they could also actually prove useful was merely a pleasant tos) are the co-authors of numerous Schiffer books
side benefit. Many were “statement” pieces, purchased as gifts to mark Perfume lamps added on art and design, including Deco Décor, and a 4-
an important occasion, such as an anniversary or a wedding. atmosphere to many a volume study of the Chase Brass & Copper Co.
Porcelain, glass, and metal decorative objects of the period highlight Deco-era boudoir. This Please address inquiries to: donaldbrian@msn.com
the ways in which old and new could co-exist – and co-exist they did. slightly devilish fellow is
by Robj.

34 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles