Art Deco is a term you are sure to hear if you are at all interested in antique or vintage jewelry. The jewelry designs of the 1920s to 30s were greatly influenced by the Art Deco movement that was taking place around the world. The term Art Deco was actually taken from the International Exposition of Modern Industrial and Decorative Art which was organized in 1925 in France. Many famous designers and artists presented their wares to the public at this famous show.
One of the biggest historical events to influence Art-Deco jewelry design was the discovery of King Tut's tomb. This inspired a wave of design that was very Egyptian in nature. Pyramids, serpents and spiders emerged as design elements. Advances in technology were also a definite influence as well which can be seen reflected in the designs of autos and airplanes that found their way into pieces of jewelry.
Then, coming out of the First World War, the country was ready for a bit more flash and pizzazz. There was a lot of geometric and abstract design used in all types of jewelry. Favorite colors were black onyx, blue sapphires, green emeralds, and red coral and of course white diamonds. Designs were bold and pieces were often big. Pendants were often long and free flowing while bangle bracelets and cocktail rings were extremely popular. The boyishness of the female wardrobe of the day also led to incorporation of other costume pieces such as cigarette cases and holders.
There was money to spend at the end of the war and prior to the stock market crash, a lot of it was spent on jewelry and jewelry making. As a result, many of the designs of the Art-Deco period were very luxurious. Some of the world's most renowned names in the industry emerged during this period. Lalique, Cartier, Chanel, and Van Cleef are just a sampling.
The economic times played the greatest role in the end of the Art Deco era. The downturn of the early thirties led to a more restricted production of jewelry and designers were forced to turn to cheaper materials to produce jewelry items that a less affluent society could afford.
Art Deco had another surge in popularity during the 1960's when a new show was organized based on books that had been written about the original Art Deco movement. The phrase Art Deco was actually first coined during this period.
Today Art Deco reproduction jewelry is a very popular choice among wholesalers of jewelry both in rings and other pieces.
No comments:
Post a Comment