Major Style & Design Movements of the 20th Century
Major Style & Design Movements of the 20th Century
The twentieth century was a bustling time in the United States. Progress and new technological inventions could be seen everywhere. Perhaps this is why the styles of architecture of the time would be a huge inspiration for the interior of the building as well from the glassware in the cabinets to the furniture that filled the rooms, and even to the decor of the interior altogether!
Art Nouveau (1890-1910)
Beginning at the end of the 19th century, we see the emergence of the Art Nouveau design movement. This design style was first introduced to the U.S. when Harper's magazines began to shuffle in from France and England. It was born from the thought the Industrialized world suffered from a lack of beauty in their surroundings. Elements of this design theme included sharp, straight lines combined with more organic forms such as plants and flowers, or other forms found in nature. The colors seen most often were muted shades of yellows, browns, greens, and blues. Art Nouveau was also highly inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement. Women with long flowing hair, birds, insects, and flowers were all featured in Art Nouveau styles.
The following images will help to give you a better idea of exactly what this style looked like.
Art Nouveau Glassware Styles (1890-1910)
When thinking of glassware styles of the late 19th century and early 20th century, two specific companies come to mind, Tiffany and Northwood. These two, along with others produced glassware pieces that feature such beautiful and intricate designs that almost appear unreal, especially when you consider that years they were made and the technology available to them at that time. Tiffany created many beautiful lamps and stained glass pieces during this period and flower vases were more elaborate during this era than any other in history in my opinion. Carnival glass and Opalescent glass both experienced their heyday during this time period. Other companies that produced pieces worth looking out for were Jefferson Glass, Dugan Glassworks, and the Fenton Glass Company.
Art Deco (1910-1940)
Art Deco as a movement, was first introduced to the world in Paris, France at the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in 1925. The style focuses on streamlined looks with shapes and intricate geometric designs. Chrome, jade, gold, silver, black, and ivory dominated the color pallette of Art Deco designs. Furnishings were high quality and ornamental, made from combinations of wood, metal, marble, and lacquer. Every aspect of life during the Art Deco period was made more beautiful and decorative. Each detail was tailored to be especially aesthetically pleasing. The design theme carried over from the architecture to the interior of buildings and onto the fashion of clothing and household items. Many beautiful examples of Art Deco, sometimes just referred to as Deco, architecture have been preserved and can be seen in Los Angeles, California.
The best way to describe the look of Art Deco is to simply show you, so enjoy the following photographs as descriptions of just what Art Deco style looks like.
Depression Era Glassware (1930-1940)
Amid the most glamourous time in America's history, the greatest economic hardships were also experienced across the country. The Great Depression lasted from 1929 through the late 1930s. During this time, stock prices plummeted and many Americans lost their jobs, homes, farms, and everything they owned as a result. It was a dark time in history, but there is one silver lining- Depression Glass. Depression Glass was a mass produced glassware that was made to be more affordable to the general public. It was produced by many different companies in many different patterns and colors, but a few of the bigger names were Hazel-Atlas, MacBeth-Evans, Hocking Glass, Jeannette, and Federal Glass.
Depression Glass was available in a variety of colors with pink and green being the most abundant, and thus, also most easily collected. Pink and green were not the only colors however, and many companies also produced their glassware in more vibrant colors including cobalt, amethyst, black, ruby, yellow, light purple, light blue, amber, and clear.
Another really cool feature about some depression glass is that when it was produced, it was made using uranium, which causes it to glow a bright neon green when exposed to UV Blacklight. This type of depression glass can be found under the names of uranium glass or vaseline glass.
Mid-Century (1945-1969)
The time period in American history known as Mid-Century was from 1945-1969, quite literally the years in the middle of the 20th century. This is the period just after World War II. The style of this type of this design demonstrates a clear shift away from the decorative elements of Art Deco to a more minimalist, functional design with clean lines and a more organic overall feel. The architecture of homes and buildings during this time prioritized spacious, open floor plans with simple materials such as hardwoods being used. Simplicity is a central theme found in Mid-Century design as well as an effort to combine the elements of indoors and outdoors.
The following pictures show great examples of Mid-Century architecture and design.
MCM Glassware (1950-1965)
Mid Century glassware was dominated by bold bright colors and design themes that largely dominated the living and working spaces at that time. Many styles of mid century modern glassware are easily recognized by most people. Patterns such as "Moon and Stars" by Smith Glass and "Epic" by Viking Glass are iconic mid century glassware styles.
Viking Glass also produced many items that are classified as art glass, such as figurines, vases, smoking sets, and candy dishes with lids featuring elaborate long tailed birds. These type of items remain highly desirable even today.
Post Modernism (1970-1988)
Postmodernism incorporates a general distrust of art as well as the grandiose ideas and theories from the previous decades of modernism. Essentially, postmodernism opposed ideas rooted in tradition and instead opted for more diversity and pluralism. Design styles of this era are more centralized in the future rather than in tradition and feature many futuristic elements. It rejected ideas of perfection and instead focused on differences and standing out from the crowd. Bright colors, odd, twisted shapes, and the combination of more traditional elements fused with more modern to create a totally new and unique design.
These pictures should give you a better idea of what postmodernism looks like in actuality.
Postmodernism Glassware
Glassware of the postmodernism era is quite artistic, much like the architecture and interior design of homes of that time. Perhaps, one might even say it is artistic to the extreme, with its impossible shapes, bright colors, and bold patterns.
What To Watch Out For
When purchasing vintage glassware either to resell or for your own collection, there are several factors to take into consideration before you buy. Any of these factors will affect the value of a piece significantly.
Condition- Refers to the overall piece and any scratches, cloudiness, or other discoloration.
Damages- Are there any chips, cracks, or rough edges?
Reproductions- Many popular antiques and popular vintage glassware items have unfortunately been produced, mainly in Asia, and some are pretty difficult to discern from the real thing. The best way to ensure you are not buying a reproduction is to educate yourself on the distinguishable characteristics of your favorite styles or makers.
Subtle Differences in Quality- In most cases, the reproduction will be of slightly lesser quality or the pattern may appear somewhat faded, or worn away.
Be sure to come back next week when we start our series on vintage dinnerware styles. Learn how to use the knowledge you gained this week to identify the time period certain dinnerware styles were made in. And don't forget to be on the lookout for this week's Think You Know Thursday!
Until then, Happy Hunting!
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