Beginner’s Guide to Art Deco

Art Deco is geometric, angular and streamlined and the colours are usually bold and dramatic. The Art Deco style was applied to decorative art as well as architecture. Art Deco is associated with luxury, style and high living.

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While Steiff Teddy Bears can sell for several thousand pounds Steiff animals are a lot more affordable and it is quite possible to pick one up for around £20 – very affordable for the smaller purse and also a good start for a collection.

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The fashion for 18th century Swedish furniture was set at court and then filtered down to the homes of ordinary people. King Gustav III was inspired by the interiors of the court of Louis XVI and when returned from France to Stockholm in 1771, he brought drawings, models and objet d’art. He soon acquired gilded chairs and adorned his walls with towering gilded mirrors. The wealthy would ape the grand style of the King while the middle classes settled for a less opulent, painted style.

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Dexterity games are characterized by the simple, but often very difficult aim of trying to get small moving parts into holes or go through hoops. They are often cased in circular or rectangular wood or metal glazed boxes and they often have lovely colour printed graphics. They first became popular during the late 19th century and were exported around the world.

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Walking Ware has been around for about 35 years and seems to get more popular every day -just try doing a search on eBay. It seems to be its very eccentricity that appeals to people. It is quirky and as English as cricket or a pint in the pub.

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Whenever you go to an antiques fair you are sure to see a large collection of Chintz china which seems to be ever popular. The design was originally copied from the colourful floral fabrics which were first imported into Britain in the 17th century. You can make a striking display by grouping a number of pieces of chintz china together on a sideboard or display table.

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Royal Crown Derby has been produced since 1748 and is as popular today as it was when the factory produced their first pieces. William Duesbury acquired the factory in 1756 and employed some of the most talented artists of their day. These included the likes of William Billingsley, William Pegg, George Robertson and George Complin among others.

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When it comes to collecting I’ve often noticed that what once were utilitarian objects and present in just about every house have now become highly desirable and are often used for display. Pie funnels were once an everyday object and while they are still being used today they are also very collectable.

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If you want to collect silver on a budget buttonhooks are an ideal starting point. Although buttonhook handles were made from various materials, including ivory, bone, ebony or semi-precious stones, the type mostly found today have silver handles.

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Clarice Cliff was born in 1899 in Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent and by the time she was 13 she had started an apprenticeship at a local pottery. When she was 17 she had joined A.J. Wilkinson’s who were a successful Burslem pottery. Her talent was soon spotted and in 1922 she was made an apprentice modeller and started working in the factory’s design studio.

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