Etched Glass and Lucite Tray by Dorothy Thorpe, circa 1941
View Similar Items
Etched Glass and Lucite Tray by Dorothy Thorpe, circa 1941
About the Item
- Creator:Dorothy Thorpe (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 2.75 in (6.99 cm)Width: 20.25 in (51.44 cm)Depth: 11.75 in (29.85 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1941
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. No chips, cracks or deep scratching.
- Seller Location:Los Angeles, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU148424570043
Dorothy Thorpe
Dorothy Thorpe glassware was a chic staple of every mid-century modern wet bar, paricularly her festive Roly Poly silver-banded tumblers. Although not as widely known as such contemporaries as Eva Zeisel and Edith Heath, Thorpe was one of a group of creative and entrepreneurial women whose designs captured the imagination of the postwar homeowner with her modern and festive designs.
Thorpe was born in Salt Lake City in 1901 and settled in Los Angeles as a young woman. She began creating her signature glassware using the trade name Dorothy Thorpe Originals in the 1930s. Thorpe was a designer, not a glassblower. To create her shimmering wares, she purchased glass blanks from a variety of manufacturers and subjected them to various techniques, including sandblasting, etching and silver overlay. Initially Art Deco in style, the pieces were signed with a large T and smaller D. Thorpe also worked in ceramics and, in the 1940s, with Lucite, producing a line of household items, such as magazine racks, sculptural lamps, candlesticks and umbrella stands.
After World War II, Thorpe was inspired by the new interest in the flowers and animals of the South Pacific to begin incorporating tropical floral motifs into her work. She traveled to Hawaii and studied local irises, roses, azaleas, narcissus and eucalyptus. The decorative patterns based on these studies were created primarily by sandblasting, which makes a glass surface appear frosted. From the 1930s through the ’50s, Thorpe’s designs won her many fans among the members of café society, including Princess Grace of Monaco and the Shah of Iran. They were also widely imitated. Vintage tumblers that bear a silver stripe around the rim but lack the “DT” signature on the bottom are not Thorpe originals.
In the 1950s, Thorpe created the glassware line Atomic Splash, which featured the energetic geometric patterns that were so popular at the time. Atomic Splash patterned drinking glasses and serving dishes bore a silver overlay that evoked an explosion. She also designed a line of ceramic tableware decorated with a wreath of spring flowers in collaboration with Crown Lynn Pottery, in New Zealand, and, in the mid-’60s, created coffee sets for the Santa Barbara and Monterey companies. Among her own ceramics products were lines glazed iin the eye-catching shades Orange Persimmon and Blue Periwinkle.
- Dorothy Thorpe Frosted Lucite Resin Fruit Bowl Mid CenturyBy Dorothy ThorpeLocated in Lège Cap Ferret, FRLovely frosted resin cabbage bowl by Dorothy Thorpe. Signed under the object. Beautiful decorative object. Good condition.Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls
MaterialsLucite
- Mid-Century Glass and Gold Overlay "Angel" Platter by Dorothy ThorpeBy Dorothy ThorpeLocated in San Diego, CAMid-century glass with 18KT gold overlay "Angel" platter by Dorothy Thorpe, circa 1960s. The piece measures 13"D x .5"H and is super hard to find piece. Original foil tag is attached...Category
20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls
MaterialsGlass
$220 Sale Price20% Off - 1960s Cast Resin Flower Shape Bowl / Centerpiece by Dorothy ThorpeBy Dorothy ThorpeLocated in Buffalo, NY1960s cast resin flower shape bowl / centerpiece by Dorothy Thorpe, retains original label.Category
Vintage 1960s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Centerpieces
MaterialsResin
- Cast Lucite Cat by Dorothy ThorpeBy Dorothy ThorpeLocated in New York, NYChic 1940's cat sculpture in translucent yellow tone lucite, by design immortal Dorothy Thorpe.Category
Vintage 1940s American Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
MaterialsLucite
- Dorothy Thorpe Lucite Knot CandlesticksBy Dorothy ThorpeLocated in New York, NYPair of modernist Dorothy Thorpe lucite knot candlesticks perfect for any modern or traditional decor. Currently 3 pairs available.Category
20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Candlesticks
MaterialsChrome
$506 Sale Price / set25% Off - Vintage Dorothy Thorpe Lucite Candlesticks, a PairBy Dorothy ThorpeLocated in Farmington Hills, MIWe are very pleased to offer a modern pair of candlesticks by Dorothy Thorpe, circa the 1970s. These eye-catching sculptural candlesticks are crafted from beautiful Lucite and twisted for a structural display piece that is sure to make a statement. A stainless-steel finish collar at the end draws the eye, with or without candlelight. They hold standard size taper candles. A beautiful example of Thorpe’s work, this set of taper holders turns a dining table, mantel, or console table into a perfectly appointed display. Stainless steel is clean and polished, a few inclusions on both pieces consistent with age and wear of Lucite; overall, in good vintage condition and ready to be used for years to come. Please see all attached pictures. Single Candelabra: 7.75” W x 6.75” D x 6.75” H Double Candelabra...Category
Vintage 1970s Mid-Century Modern Candelabras
MaterialsStainless Steel