Library
Here we will add some videos where we will tell you a little more about the objects and hopefully share our passion for MCM, Hollywood Regency, European Jet-Set, and Vintage goods in general. We are just starting out so bear with us, until we get this up and running.
In the meantime, we've put some information together on some of the designers and makers featured in our portfolio:
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Aldo Tura:
Aldo Tura is known for this distinctive, sleek design that includes high-quality materials and finishes. Items were often made with goatskin or lacquered wood, and featured bold geometric shapes and shiny brass or chrome accents.
Aldo Tura's designs were handmade by skilled Italian craftsmen, which means each object is unique and of exceptional quality. The meticulous attention to detail is evident in every piece produced.
The production of Aldo Tura bar carts was limited, and they are now considered collector's items and have a significant value on the vintage market.
Designed in the 1950s and 1960s, Aldo Tura bar cabinets and bar carts have a timeless quality that has held up over the years. They continue to be popular among interior designers and collectors today, adding a mid-century modern touch to any home decor.
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Emil Stejnar:
Stejnar was an Austrian designer known for his distinctive lighting designs. He gained recognition and became special for several reasons:
Emil Stejnar was known for his innovative and avant-garde lighting designs, particularly his chandeliers. He combined various materials such as metal, glass, and crystals to create unique and visually captivating pieces. His designs often featured intricate details and organic forms, pushing the boundaries of traditional lighting designs.
Stejnar collaborated with prominent lighting companies, including Rupert Nikoll and Lobmeyr, which helped popularize his designs further. His collaborations allowed his innovative designs to reach a wider audience and gain international recognition in the design community.
Stejnar's work emerged during the mid-century modern period when there was a focus on clean lines, organic forms, and exploration of new materials. His designs exemplify these characteristics, and they continue to be sought after by collectors and enthusiasts of mid-century design.
Stejnar's designs have stood the test of time and continue to maintain their appeal even decades after their creation. The combination of innovative design, high-quality craftsmanship, and timeless aesthetics contribute to his enduring reputation as a notable designer.
Overall, Emil Stejnar's innovation, collaborations, mid-century modern influence, and enduring appeal have solidified his status as a special and influential designer in the lighting design field.
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Hans Kögl:
Kögl was a notable German furniture designer who specialized in Hollywood Regency style and worked for Maison Jansen.
Maison Jansen was a prestigious French interior design and decoration firm founded in 1880. They were known for their luxurious and opulent designs, often catering to elite clients worldwide. Hans Kögl worked as a designer for Maison Jansen during the mid-20th century, creating furniture pieces in the Hollywood Regency style, which was characterized by glitz, glamour, and a blend of classic and modern elements.
While specific information about Hans Kögl's designs and his contributions to Maison Jansen may be limited, his work likely encompassed creating furniture with intricate detailing, rich materials, and a touch of Hollywood glamour.
Unfortunately, detailed information about Hans Kögl's individual designs or his personal background remains scarce. However, his association with Maison Jansen and specialization in Hollywood Regency design would have positioned him as an important figure within the realm of luxurious and high-end furniture in the mid-20th century.
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Hans-Agne Jakobsson:
Hans-Agne Jakobsson was a renowned Swedish designer and entrepreneur who made significant contributions to the world of lighting design. He was born in 1919 and passed away in 2009. Jakobsson is best known for his innovative and elegant lighting fixtures, which often featured a harmonious blend of form, function, and craftsmanship.
In 1951, Jakobsson founded his own company, Hans-Agne Jakobsson AB, which became a significant player in the Scandinavian design scene during the mid-20th century. The company collaborated with various Swedish and international designers to create a range of lighting designs that embraced the principles of simplicity, organic forms, and high-quality materials.
Hans-Agne Jakobsson's designs often showcased a combination of light and shade, incorporating materials like brass, glass, and fabric to create captivating lighting effects. His fixtures were known for their timeless appeal and ability to bring warmth and ambiance to any space.
Hans-Agne Jakobsson's work has become highly collectible, and his lighting designs are highly sought after by vintage design enthusiasts. His contributions to the field of lighting design have left a lasting impact, and his designs continue to be celebrated for their craftsmanship, beauty, and enduring style.
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Max Bill:
A renowned Swiss architect, artist, product designer, and graphic designer Max Bill is recognized for his significant contributions to the fields of art, design, and architectural theory. Bill's work reflects modernist principles, characterized by simplicity, functionality, and geometric forms.
Born in Winterthur, Switzerland, Max Bill studied at the Bauhaus in Dessau, Germany, under influential figures such as Walter Gropius and Wassily Kandinsky. He later became a crucial advocate for the Bauhaus movement. In the 1930s, Bill returned to Switzerland, where he worked as an architect and taught at the influential design school, the Ulm School of Design (Hochschule für Gestaltung Ulm).
Max Bill's design philosophy emphasized the integration of art and technology in everyday life. His creations spanned a wide range of disciplines, including furniture, industrial and product design, graphic design, sculpture, and even watchmaking. He had a keen eye for clean lines, proportional harmony, and functional elegance.
Bill's industrial designs often featured a minimalist aesthetic and reflected his interest in modular constructions. For example, his "Ulmer Hocker" or "Ulm Stool" was an iconic piece of furniture designed at the Ulm School of Design. It showcased his belief in the optimal use of materials and efficient production methods.
In addition to his design work, Max Bill was known for his contributions to concrete art and kinetic art. He believed in the power of art to convey universal principles and sought to bring aesthetic and mathematical order to his creations. His artworks often incorporated precise geometrical forms, primary colors, and visual variations in shape and movement.
Max Bill's impact on design and art, along with his commitment to the principles of modernism and functionalism, has left an enduring legacy. His work continues to inspire and influence contemporary designers, and he is regarded as one of the most significant Swiss designers and artists of the 20th century.
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Vereinigte Werkstätten für Kunst im Handwerk:
(Established 1897)Like a number of other design initiatives in the late 19th century, the Vereinigte Werkstätten für Kunst im Handwerk (United Workshops for Art in Craft) was established in Munich in order to gain greater recognition for the applied arts.
The Vereinigte Werkstätten quickly became a successful commercial enterprise with international appeal, being awarded a Grand Prix at the Paris World Exhibition in 1900 and showcasing their furniture at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in Ohio in 1902 and at the First International Exposition of Modern Decorative Art in Turin.
In the late 1920's the company supplied furnishings for many ocean liners (incl. the Columbus which later sailed as the Homeric for the White Star Line). Throughout the the 1930s and 40s their designs unfortunately featured prominently in the private quarters as well as in offices of the most senior Nazi leadership.
In the post-war era the company struggled to return to its former success but continued to produce well designed high-end furniture in small series. A cooperation with contemporary artists in the 1980s could not halt the inevitable and the company finally closed its doors after almost 100 years in 1991.
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Kalmar Franken KG:
Founded in Vienna, Austria, in the 1880s, Kalmar’s origins lie in hand-cast bronze which soon lead to creating chandeliers and other cast bronze objects which found international recognition at world fairs and exhibitions.
From the early 1930s, Kalmar focused on creating innovative high-end light fixtures in collaboration with the Austrian Werkbund and contributing to the modernist “Viennese style”.
Kalmar’s chandeliers and light fittings illuminated such illustrious places as the Vienna Opera House, the Burgtheater, the Vienna stock exchange as well as new theatres across Austria.
During the 1960s and 70s, Kalmar started producing decorative glass objects such mouth-blown and moulded relief glass elements.
While the company still exists today the focus has shifted away from own production lines to custom designed lighting installations for prestigious clients around the world such as the Kremlin in Moscow, Dubai Airport, a plethora of 5-star hotels including the Ritz Carltons in Berlin, Doha and Osaka and a number of cruise ships for the Royal Caribbean Group amongst other cruise lines.