Art Deco Table Wares
Art Deco Table Wares
Companies engaged in manufacturing products for preparing and serving food found it necessary to accommodate the new trends in modern design. Streamlined and angular shapes can be found not only in sets of china but in kitchen equipment as well. In this section, table wares are not confined to dishes but include other utilitarian and decorative pieces. Because of the great diversity of this category, it is possible to show only a sample of items, but the pieces illustrated should alert collectors to the many possibilities table wares offer. Photographs are arranged approximately in alphabetical order according to the function of the item, ranging from candle holders, centerpieces and crumbers, to pitchers and a toaster!
Table wares basically are made of pottery, glass or metal. Ceramics include earthenware or semi-china, stoneware and porcelain. Simplified decoration distinguishes Deco china from that produced during the Victorian years. Floral transfer patterns covering the entire surface of china gave way to colored line borders or abstract geometric patterns. Sometimes china was left undecorated with the shape or mold drawing attention to a modern image. Geometric shapes other than the usual circular form are seen here in the rectangular bowl and the triangular shaped cup and saucer.
Ceramic table wares can be found at all price levels. Pieces designed and handpainted by Clarice Cliff for the Royal Staffordshire Pottery during the late 1920’s and early 1930’s are highly regarded by advanced collectors. Price can reach several hundred to several thousand dollars for some examples, especially those with floral and landscape decor. “Bizarre,” “Geometric,” — and “Fantasque” were some of the pattern names. The English artist’s signature was included on most of her work. Pieces which do not have her name or signature as part of the mark are usually considerably lower in price. “The Biarritz” soup bowl shown here is one such example. Although the pattern is quite simple, it also merits consideration as a form of Deco table ware. Deco patterns by other English potters are also quite collectible. Many good examples in the moderate price ranges are surfacing. These may be found mixed in with other miscellaneous dishes by dealers who do not specialize in Art Deco.
“American Modern, ” designed by Russel Wright for the Ohio based Steubenville Pottery is also quite collec
tible and much lower in price. This line was made from about 1939 through the late 1950’s. Solid colored surfaces without other added decoration implied a modern concept. Many other European and American pottery and porcelain factories produced their own renditions of “modern” style. Japanese table ware companies used similar interpretations to reach the large American market. Deco patterned china made by the Noritake firm has been attracting many collectors during the last few years. Prices are still affordable but not inconsequential. Table china, however, is probably the largest source of Art Deco “sleepers” and possible bargains today.
Angular shapes or stylized designs cut or molded into glass table wares were made to grace the dining tables of the period. Art glass by French manufacturers is usually too expensive for moderate collectors. The large blue centerpiece bowl made by Daum and the smoke glass bowl by Verlys are two such examples. These would fall into the “investment” rather than the “fun” class of Deco collectibles. But, like ceramics, many types of inexpensive table glass were made during the 1930’s and 1940’s by American factories. Depression era glass collectors began to salvage pieces during the 1960’s. A number of the patterns have unmistakable Deco characteristics. “Manhattan,” a clear glass pattern made by Anchor Hocking is just one type finding its way into Deco collections. The ruby red, cobalt blue and deep green colored glass made by other American glass companies also qualifies as Deco. Quite a few pieces are very attractive, some are even elegant and others are just amusing.
Flatware, serving pieces and decorative table articles can be found in silver, brass, copper, chrome and plated metals. Chrome and plated metals are the least expensive. Nude or semi-nude figures were made into metal centerpieces or candle holders. Prices are competitive with other figural items and examples are just as much in demand. A number of metal Deco items were originally silverplated. Because the plating wears off, items become ugly and lose much of their value. Dealers have found it lucrative to have such objects stripped to the base metal which was usually copper or brass. The copper centerpiece with a pot metal nude is an example which was once silver plated. Do not automatically disregard badly worn plated pieces which have obvious Deco signs. It may be wise to have them stripped and polished by a commercial firm which specializes in that kind of work.