Art Deco Clocks
Art Deco furniture is characterized by its celebration of modern life. More than its emphasis on natural wood grains and focus on traditional craftsmanship, vintage Art Deco dining chairs, tables, desks, cabinets and other furniture — which typically refers to pieces produced during the 1920s and 1930s — is an ode to the glamour of the “Roaring Twenties.”
ORIGINS OF ART DECO FURNITURE DESIGN
- Emerged in the 1920s
- Flourished while the popularity of Art Nouveau declined
- Term derives from 1925’s Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes (International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts) in Paris, France
- Informed by Ancient Egypt, Cubism, Futurism, Louis XVI, De Stijl, modernism and the Vienna Secession; influenced Streamline Moderne and mid-century modernism
CHARACTERISTICS OF ART DECO FURNITURE DESIGN
- Bold geometric lines and forms, floral motifs
- Use of expensive materials such as shagreen or marble as well as exotic woods such as mahogany, ebony and zebra wood
- Metal accents, shimmering mirrored finishes
- Embellishments made from exotic animal hides, inlays of mother-of-pearl or ivory
ART DECO FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW
VINTAGE ART DECO FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS
Few design styles are as universally recognized and appreciated as Art Deco. The term alone conjures visions of the Roaring Twenties, Machine Age metropolises, vast ocean liners, sleek typography and Prohibition-era hedonism. The iconic movement made an indelible mark on all fields of design throughout the 1920s and ’30s, celebrating society’s growing industrialization with refined elegance and stunning craftsmanship.
Widely known designers associated with the Art Deco style include Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann, Eileen Gray, Maurice Dufrêne, Paul Follot and Jules Leleu. The term Art Deco derives from the name of a large decorative arts exhibition held in Paris in 1925. “Art Deco design” is often used broadly, to describe the work of creators in associated or ancillary styles. This is particularly true of American Art Deco, which is also called Streamline Moderne or Machine Age design. (Streamline Moderne, sometimes known as Art Moderne, was a phenomenon largely of the 1930s, post–Art Nouveau.)
Art Deco textile designers employed dazzling floral motifs and vivid colors, and while Art Deco furniture makers respected the dark woods and modern metals with which they worked, they frequently incorporated decorative embellishments such as exotic animal hides as well as veneers in their seating, case pieces, living room sets and bedroom furniture. From mother-of-pearl inlaid vitrines to chrome aviator chairs, bold and inventive works in the Art Deco style include chaise longues (also known as chaise lounges) and curved armchairs. Today, the style is still favored by interior designers looking to infuse a home with an air of luxury and sophistication.
Find a collection of vintage Art Deco dressers, coffee tables, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.
1920s British Vintage Art Deco Clocks
Chrome
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Clocks
Marble, Brass
1930s Vintage Art Deco Clocks
Marble
Mid-20th Century Swiss Art Deco Clocks
Marble, Chrome, Brass
Early 20th Century Art Deco Clocks
Glass, Bakelite
Mid-20th Century German Art Deco Clocks
Chrome
1950s German Vintage Art Deco Clocks
Metal
1930s Japanese Vintage Art Deco Clocks
Brass, Iron
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Clocks
Chrome
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Clocks
Crystal, Brass
1930s French Vintage Art Deco Clocks
Sterling Silver, Steel
Mid-20th Century English Art Deco Clocks
Brass
1930s French Vintage Art Deco Clocks
Marble
20th Century French Art Deco Clocks
Stone, Marble, Metal, Bronze
Early 20th Century British Art Deco Clocks
Chrome
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Clocks
Onyx, Metal, Chrome
1940s French Vintage Art Deco Clocks
Crystal, Marble, Bronze
1950s Swiss Vintage Art Deco Clocks
Enamel, Gold
1940s American Vintage Art Deco Clocks
Metal
1920s Swiss Vintage Art Deco Clocks
Silver, Sterling Silver, Enamel
1930s English Vintage Art Deco Clocks
Chrome
1910s French Vintage Art Deco Clocks
Agate, Gold, Platinum, Silver, Sterling Silver, Enamel
1920s Czech Vintage Art Deco Clocks
Brass
1930s Swiss Vintage Art Deco Clocks
Brass, Other
1930s Swiss Vintage Art Deco Clocks
Brass
Mid-20th Century English Art Deco Clocks
Brass, Steel, Chrome
Early 20th Century American Art Deco Clocks
Brass, Nickel
1920s American Vintage Art Deco Clocks
Stained Glass, Wood
1920s Dutch Vintage Art Deco Clocks
Brass
Early 20th Century Russian Art Deco Clocks
Crystal, Metal
1930s German Vintage Art Deco Clocks
Metal, Chrome
1930s French Vintage Art Deco Clocks
Marble, Silver, Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century English Art Deco Clocks
Brass
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Clocks
Onyx, Marble, Bronze
Mid-20th Century English Art Deco Clocks
Onyx, Marble, Brass
1920s Swiss Vintage Art Deco Clocks
Sterling Silver, Enamel
Early 20th Century Dutch Art Deco Clocks
Brass, Iron
1920s French Vintage Art Deco Clocks
Jade, Gold, Silver, Enamel
1920s German Vintage Art Deco Clocks
Wood
Mid-20th Century German Art Deco Clocks
Brass
Mid-20th Century English Art Deco Clocks
Brass
Mid-20th Century English Art Deco Clocks
Chrome
1930s Swiss Vintage Art Deco Clocks
Chrome
1920s Swiss Vintage Art Deco Clocks
Enamel, Silver, Sterling Silver
1920s French Vintage Art Deco Clocks
Marble, Steel, Chrome
Mid-20th Century English Art Deco Clocks
Chrome
Mid-20th Century English Art Deco Clocks
Chrome
Mid-20th Century English Art Deco Clocks
Brass, Chrome
Mid-20th Century English Art Deco Clocks
Ebony, Satinwood, Walnut
1930s French Vintage Art Deco Clocks
Marble, Bronze
20th Century French Art Deco Clocks
Glass
1990s Swiss Art Deco Clocks
Brass
1930s English Vintage Art Deco Clocks
Plaster
Mid-20th Century English Art Deco Clocks
Brass
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Clocks
Enamel, Brass
1920s French Vintage Art Deco Clocks
Marble
1920s English Vintage Art Deco Clocks
Oak
1920s Vintage Art Deco Clocks
Marble, Bronze