James Mont’s life as an unmistakably talented furniture designer and interior decorator could fill the pages of a best-selling novel or be reimagined as a Hollywood feature film. From the 1930s through the 1960s, Tinseltown’s glitterati and Manhattan’s Mafia underworld coveted his sofas, coffee tables and table lamps.
Mont was born Demetrios Pecintoglu in Istanbul, Turkey, in 1904 to a family of artists. He reportedly studied architecture and art in Spain and France, and during the 1920s, Mont immigrated with his family to the United States.
Mont and his family settled in New York, where he found work in a Brooklyn electrical supply shop. There he sold hardware and designed his own lighting fixtures. The latter caught the eye of a gangster named Frankie Yale, who commissioned him to refurnish his house. Mont’s opulent designs drew on Art Deco, Hollywood Regency and were occasionally marked by chinoiserie, then a very popular trend in decorating. He created the kind of low-profile side tables and sofas that are frequently associated with mid-century modernism, and he is credited today with helping popularize the integration of Asian influences in modern American design.
Mont soon attracted New York City’s most infamous crime bosses, including Charles “Lucky” Luciano and Frank Costello. For a range of mobsters, he created fashionable, functional and sophisticated pieces such as collapsible home bars that would fold down and out of view — a particularly convenient feature during Prohibition — and tables and desks with secret drawers, which were also handy to Mont’s shady clientele.
“You bought a bar from him, and he would also deliver booze in a baby carriage,” antiques dealer and furniture retailer Todd Merrill told New York about Mont in 2008.
Mont designed a room for the World’s Fair in 1939 and later befriended Hollywood celebrities such as Bob Hope, who was best man at his wedding, Irving Berlin and Lana Turner. During the 1940s and ‘50s, Mont continued designing furniture, mastering finishing techniques such as lacquering and incorporating a distinctive “leafing” print effect with silver and gold into his pieces.
Mont’s designs enjoyed a resurgence in the 1990s, and his pieces continue to be sought after by collectors.
On 1stDibs, discover a range of vintage James Mont sideboards, tables and storage cabinets.
Set of Four Signed James Mont Black Drink Glasses with Hand Drawn Caricatures
By James Mont
Located in New York, NY
This whimsical and sophisticated set of James Mont glasses were realized by James Mont, circa 1960. Realized in translucent glass, these water glasses feature four unique hand drawn ...
Enamel
Set of Four Mid-Century Modern Crystal Champagne Glasses, Silver Rim
By Dorothy Draper
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Vintage footed drinking glasses crystal goblets, glassware. Elegant vintage midcentury crystal champagne footed glasses, silver rimmed...
Crystal
$960 / set
H 8 in Dm 3 in
fferrone Contemporary Czech Minimal Carafe Pitcher with Four Water Glasses Set
By Felicia Ferrone
Located in Chicago, IL
This contemporary Czech set includes one Dearborn carafe and four Dearborn Water glasses. Perfect for everyday or formal dining settings or cocktails, the minimal and contemporary ...
Glass
$1,525 / set
H 8 in W 8 in D 8 in
fferrone Rare Presenter Set with Four Contemporary Whiskey Glasses Handmade
By Christopher Gentner, Felicia Ferrone
Located in Chicago, IL
Includes one rare presenter and four rare whiskey glasses Inspired by the pleasures of fine whisky, the rare presenter, by gentner design, elevates the experience through the art of presentation. The suspended tray with a unique handle allows it to be carried with one hand and prevents spillage of the rare glasses which are by ferrone. Material • borosilicate glass and tarnished brass type...
Brass
$980 / item
H 8 in Dm 3 in
fferrone Contemporary Czech Minimal Carafe Pitcher with Four Collins Glasses Set
By Felicia Ferrone
Located in Chicago, IL
This set includes contemporary, minimal 1 Dearborn Carafe and 4 Dearborn Collins Glasses. Perfect for everyday or formal dining settings, minimal Dearborn will enrich any occasion. It inverts tradition with intricate detail on the interior of the glass. Made without the use of molds and created with the finest quality fluted borosilicate glass, the Dearborn collection is innovative in its use of materials. Perfect for cocktails or drinks of any kind. Each piece is handcrafted by master glassblowers of fluted borosilicate glass allowing for thermal resistance for a range of hot and cold applications. The collection is oven, microwave, and dishwasher safe. In stock. Designed by: Felicia Ferrone, 2014 Handcrafted in Czech Republic Dearborn Carafe Material: borosilicate glass Size: 765 ml (26 fl oz) H 20 cm (7.87in) ø 8cm (3.15in) Dearborn Collins medium glass Material: borosilicate glass size 385...
Glass
Vintage Crystal Footed Drinking Glasses Silver Rimmed Goblets
By Cristal d' Arques 1
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Vintage Crystal footed drinking glasses, goblets. Crystal glasses with platinum silver rim. These crystal champagne glasses are a versatile home bar essential...
Crystal
Set of Crystal Glass Ribbon Motif Drinking Glasses, Set of 30
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
A set of 30 crystal ribbon motif drinking glasses. This set includes eight wine goblets, 12 tea glasses, and 10 coupe champagne glasses. The stem...
Glass
$1,370 / set
H 8.75 in Dm 3 in
fferrone Contemporary Czech Glass Cocktail Set with Four Rocks-Martini Glasses
By Felicia Ferrone
Located in Chicago, IL
The contemporary Czech glass minimal Revolution collection set includes a cocktail mixer carafe, strainer, stir stick, and four double-ended Rocks Martini g...
Stainless Steel
Set of Four Vintage Cocktail Glasses by Libbey with Gold Leaf Design
By Culver Ltd., Libbey Glass Co., Georges Briard, Dorothy Thorpe
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Set of four vintage cocktail glasses. Manufactured by Libbey, 1950s Hollywood Regency. Decorated with a classical gold leaf pattern on frosted...
Glass
$600 / item
H 10.83 in Dm 3.15 in
Lot of Red Art Glass of Nine Drink Glasses, Vodka, Liqueur Glasses and Decanter
Located in København, Copenhagen
Lot of red art glass, nine drinking glasses, vodka, liqueur glasses and a decanter. Monica Bratt for Reijmyre, Swedish design, 1960s. Glass measuring 7-9 cm. Decanter measures 27.5...
Etched Circle Crystal Wine Glasses, Set of 6
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
Up your bar game and entertain with this beautiful set of glassware. This set includes six wine glasses, each with circular etching around the bodies...
Glass
Set of Four Vintage Federal Glass Game Bird Pilsner Glasses
By Federal Glass
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Vintage set of 4 silver rimmed federal glass pilsner glasses game bird. Classic style for the outdoor enthusiast, tall pilsner beer glasses set in the "...
Blown Glass
$695 / set
H 4 in Dm 3.25 in
Vintage Culver Set of Six Rock Glasses Frosted Gold and Black Regency Pattern
By Culver Ltd.
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Elegant exquisite vintage set of six rock glasses designed by Culver ltd. Vintage Culver Set of Six Rock Glasses Frosted Gold and Black Regency Pattern They will create a dramatic display for a back bar or table setting. Midcentury low ball cocktail glasses frosted glass decorated with 24 K gold leaf and black. Size: 4" tall, 3 1/4" mouth opening diameter. Signed in gold "Culver Ltd "on each glass. Description: Wide Frosted, Silver And Gold Bands Pattern: Regency by Culver Status: Discontinued. Culver Glass Company – Lavish and Opulent Cocktail ware of the 1950s – 1960s Culver Ltd was a glass company famous for their stunning decorative glassware in 22-karat gold. Culver Ltd was founded in Brooklyn, New York in 1939 by Irving Rothenberg. Culver Glass features real 22-karat gold decoration used effusively and magnificently especially from the late 1950’s on through the 1960’s. The company gained notoriety and its products became highly collectible and only sold at high-end department stores. In 1980, the company moved to downtown Rahway, New Jersey. Irving Rothenberg passed away in 1987 and his son, Mark ‘Mickey’ Rothenberg, continued the Culver Glass Company. Mickey ran the company until he sold Culver Ltd. in 1996 to Moderne Glass Company, Inc. Mickey Rothenberg continued in the glass manufacturing business by running another glass company until his death on 9/11. He was one of the passengers on the hijacked Newark-to-San-Francisco flight that crashed in Pennsylvania. The company’s early production line featured acid etch, decalcomania, sandblasted, hand-painted, banded, sand-cut monogramming and silk screen. In the late 1950’s, Culver Ltd started the application of the 22-karat gold to their glassware. The super-heated, roll-on process of gold remains a secret today. By the 1980’s, Culver stopped making its own glass and began using glassware...
Glass
Sold
H 11.82 in Dm 10.44 in
Mid-Century Modern 1960s Burmese Ice Bucket by DesignerJames Mont in Faux Bronze
By James Mont
Located in COLMAR, FR
A mid-century modern design icon: the desirable ice bucket by American designer James Mont made in the 1960s. Due to its ethnic design and elaborate, exotic relief pattern, this mode...
Metal