The End of History: 2016

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Winter Whites

Michael Andersen & Son, 1950s, Bornholm, Denmark, 1950s
4" x 6"

Pedal Vases by Per Lilienjren, 21st Century Editions, Sweden
7.5", 9", 10"

Early Gunnar Nylund for Rorstrand, Sweden, Circa 1930s
4" x 4", 6" x 7"

Michael Andersen, Bornholm, Denmark, 1930s
6" x 5"

Gunnar Nylund & Carl Harry Stalhane, Sweden, 1950s
from 6"- 8"

Friday, December 16, 2016

With the Holiday fast approaching, might we suggest Murano Christmas trees to decorate the mantel or credenza?
All glass made in Venice in the 50s
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Thursday, December 15, 2016

Bronze Brutalist Beauty

A beautiful example of the kind of strong brutalist bronze mid-century table sculptures we love. This example is by American artist Abbott Pattison (1916-1999) and is signed but undated, probably late 60s, 13 inches tall on a white marble base. Abbott Pattison's work is represented in many major American museums, inclusing the Whitney Museum of American Art and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Have a Blue Christmas

Among our blue period pieces..

An Art Deco group by Boch Frères , Belgium, 1920s
A Great European 20th-Century Cobalt Collection
Bowl by Thomas Toft, Denmark 1950s
Mix of 50s French & Italian Light Blues

Friday, December 9, 2016

Hot in Atlanta

A selection of our wares have a new home at the Atlanta Decorative Arts Center in Tim Hobby's showroom Hobby Astrop Modern. Our vintage goods mix beautifully with the supremely modern Minotti Italian furniture he showcases...but, they are also for purchase. If you live in "Hot-lanta" swing by and check them out!
http://adacatlanta.com/

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

WPA Adonis

In 1935 the WPA (Works Progress Administration) was formed by the Federal government to commision out of work artists to create works of art such as murals and sculptures for public buildings and spaces, icluding schools, post offices and other government buildings.
During its years of operation, the government-funded Federal Art Project of the WPA hired hundreds of artists who collectively created more than 100,000 paintings and murals and over 18,000 sculptures. The Project was part of President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal during the Great Depression (1929-1943). Some of the 20th century's greatest visual artists were employed by the Project under the auspices of the WPA, before going on to create Abstract Expressionist artworks in the post-World War II era. Some of those artists were Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, Lee Krasner, Mark Rothko, Arshile Gorky, Philip Guston, Thomas Hart Benton and Stuart Davis.

Here we have a large ceramic sculpture of a falling male nude, very much in the Art Deco style of the WPA. Although unsigned we feel this is an American piece from the late 30s to early 40s.

Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Italian Trio

From the Fratelli Fanciullacci factory - a family name known for Italian ceramics dating back to 1862! These were made a century later in the 60s in a playful pattern signature to the company. Highy textured and illustrative in design with bright accent stripes that just jump off the pottery.
Tallest 15", Tray 17.5 in diameter, Vase - 7.5"

Friday, December 2, 2016

Striation Sensation

A wonderfully striated vessel by Gertrud Lönegren for Rörstrand. Notice the myriad colors throughout her design, giving the piece an almost ombre effect. Her tenure at the renown Swedish factory only lasted from around 1936-1942, resulting in only a small selection of studio pieces. All this makes her work during this period rare and highly desirable.
At 10" x 10" - a perfectly spherical shape.

Monday, November 28, 2016

Vintage Ornaments

Tree trimming finery at The End of History

Thursday, November 24, 2016

Mid-Century Holiday

Happy Thanksgiving from The End of History

We will re-open Friday- Sunday 12-6

Saturday, November 19, 2016

Sensacion de Vuelo

A monumental 1960s gilt bronze sculpture titled:"Sensacion de Vuelo" by Mexican artist, Leonardo Nierman. Features an abstract design in which Nierman attempts to depict the "Sensation of Flight". Signed:"Nierman I/VI". Includes original certificate of authenticity from the artist himself.
An imposing piece at 3 feet tall.

Friday, November 18, 2016

Brazilian Brilliance

A very good, large 18K yellow gold Sputnik ring by H Stern circa 1955. The legendary Brazilian jeweler established in Rio de Janeiro in 1945 has always been known for cutting edge modernist jewelry designed by well known Brazilian artists and designers such as Roberto Burle Marx who was resposible for the world famous mosaics on Copacabana and Ipanema beaches.
The dome is studded with a variety of bezel-set tourmalines, amethysts, citrines, aquamarines and garnets. Stern popularized the style in the 1950’s to show off the variety of gemstones mined in the company’s native Brazil.
The rings were made in a variety of dome sizes, and this example is exceptionally large. The inside of the shank is marked with Stern’s hallmark and with 18K hallmarks, size 4 3/4.

Sunday, November 13, 2016

Mod Moretti

This is the best pair of cased glass table lamps we've had in 19 years, made in Murano in the 1960s these space age beauties are from the workshop of Carlo Moretti and come complete with original gold foil label. In 20 years I have only ever seen one other and that one is in my own home. Bold and striking at 18 inches tall, sold as a pair.

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Treasure Trove Arrival

Our biannual shipment from Scandinavia has just arrived! An embarrassment of riches awaits your in-person perusal. Come see the greatest goods dating from the 19th to the late 20th centuries, amassed from Denmark, Sweden and beyond...

Friday, November 4, 2016

All the News That's Fit...

There is no better stamp of approval than a mention in The New York Times. For the upcoming Sunday Travel Section (released early online ) their regular "36 Hours in..." feature focuses on our hometown this time around. According to the writer, Manhattan is the center of the world, and we are in great company as a required stop for the sophisticated traveler to The Big Apple...or the local bruncher-about-town. THANKS NYT - See you this Sunday!

http://nyti.ms/2ei5WzG

Haussmann's Paris

A pair of gilt bronze and marble tazze from the middle of the 19th Century. This beautiful French pair date to the same period when Paris was being transformed into the city we know today.
In 1863 Baron Haussmann's plans to demolish the narrow ancient streets of Paris commenced, with wide boulevards and classically inspired buildings of uniform height. Our pair are 10 inches tall.

Thursday, November 3, 2016

Mixed Metal Arts

We strongly believe in mixing - whether it's decorative objects from various eras or metals that one wouldn't think to pair. Above is a trio of objects from the 60s in metalic tones ranging from copper to bronze to gold.
l: Italian Ceramic with Copper Glaze, Made in Italy for Joseph Magnin - 6"
r: German Porcelain with Gold Decoration - 7"
f: Bavarian Porcelain tray by Bjorn Wiinblad for Rosenthal - 5" in width

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Stig Lindberg Towering Achievement

A monumental sculptural vase by one of the greatest Swedish ceramic artists, Stig Lindberg (1929-2004)
Our unique example has applied figures and fish and is 19 inches tall, with an original paper label and dated 1959, this was made in his studio at Gustavsberg.

Thursday, October 27, 2016

French Brutalist Glass

This monumental and heavy acid etched sculptural bowl was designed by French/Italian artist Cesar Baldaccini (1921-1998) for the illustrious French glass manufacturer, Daum in the 1970s, 12 inches wide.

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

British Bronze

William Plunkett (1928-2013) made a memorable and lasting contribution to postwar British design in the the 1960s as an artist and furniture designer, some of his designs are still being manufactured today. Working in a Modernist idiom but in a highly individual style, he combined engineering skills with sculptural flair to create striking metal-framed seating and tables that won a string of design awards.
Our sculpture is a one of a kind bronze abstract piece signed and dated 1963, 23 inches tall.

William Plunkett on one of his signature designs the WP01 lounge chair, designed in 1966 and manufactured by his own firm.

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Big in Italy

A monumental Italian ceramic mid-century table lamp by Antonia Campi. Her works can be found in many museum collections including MoMA in New York, the Staatliches Museum in Munich, the Museum of Modern Art in Philadelphia, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Cerro Museum in Laveno, Italy. An all over yellow crackle glaze and sensuous biomorphic shape make this giant lamp one of the most spectacular lamps we've ever seen, 42 inches tall.

Friday, October 14, 2016

Stripy Fratelli

Sometimes it's all about standing out in a crowd - like this stunning cobalt and white confection from the 1950s. Created in Murano by Fratelli Toso, this stopper bottle has a playful, circus-like, quality...a popular look in the mid-century. Personally, I love how the pattern in the glass accentuates the glass blowing process. You can see the piece being stretched into shape while still molten, and as it cools, the design is set for eternity.
21" to the top of the stopper

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Funky Cool Mdina

No one does abstract art glass better than Mdina - the Malta based glass factory founded by Brits Eric Dobson and Michael Harris. The company, Mdina Glass, became an active glassmaking company in 1968 and its unique style remains among our favorites. This piece is an unusual shape, a heavy, almost paperweight quality bulb vase with four facets, making the base more square than round. The sophisticated color mix is signature to the company's aesthetic.
7.5"

Friday, October 7, 2016

Genius Sculpture

Titled "Rooster" & acquired from the artist's own estate, this bronze sculpture is by the late, great, Robert Metzner, circa 1970, who in his near century on earth achieved more than a dozen mere mortals. Aside from his art, which can be found on display at UCLA, Caltech and in private collections, he was a great inventor. He held patents on all sorts of audio equipment from transcribers used by the US Army during WWII, to school audio equipment used by teachers and students nationwide. His Metzner Starlight Turntable is still praised and collected by serious audiophiles. If that was not enough, he also invented the first modern gas/electric hybrid automobile, the prototype which is now at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. This is a chance to own a brilliant sculpture by a true genius.

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

Happy Anniversary to Us!

Celebrating 19 years in business! Thanks to all our followers, Interior Designers, Prop Stylists, Magazine Editors, and Private Clientele for the nearly two decades of support and for joining us on our design journey. There seems to be no end in sight to The End of History!