Surrealist Lalanne Sculpture

In 1966, Claude and Francois-Xavier Lalanne became known as the co-creating duo “Les Lalanne” (The Lalannes). The husband-and-wife creators created surrealist dream-like sculpture, bridging the real and the unreal to create unique hybrid sculpture. Francois-Xavier is best known as a creator of sculptural animals that were not only pieces of art but also were furniture. […]

Cabaret Cups Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright

To attract western travelers to Japan, the government of Japan commissioned American architect Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959) to design the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo. Wright’s all-encompassing designs for his buildings included almost every item, including dinnerware. Known as the Cabaret pattern, this porcelain dinnerware was designed for the Cabaret Dining Room of the Imperial Hotel, […]

Early Apple Peeler

Between 1803 and 1900, approximately 250 U.S. patents were filed for designs of apple peelers. One of the first designs was in the late 1700s. Apples were a major crop in the U.S. and the evolution of kitchen tools like apple peelers significantly sped up fall harvesting chores. Apple peelers were taken to neighbors’ houses […]

Convertible Desk and Chair

The nineteenth century was a time of innovation in wooden furniture. New inventions, such as the jigsaw, and construction methods, such as mass production, opened up previously unheard of possibilities for architects and designers. One such designer was Stephen Hedges of New York, whose patent for a “combined table and chair,” filed in April of […]

Lucite Trunk

It’s essential for designers to stay on the cutting edge of fashion, which often means finding innovative uses for new materials. Lucite, a clear acrylic resin made by DuPont, was available for commercial use by 1937. By the 1960s, it was used in furniture. Designers often added accents made of smooth, reflective materials like chrome […]

Quilt-inspired Cabinet with Patchwork Panels

If the colorful panels on this cabinet remind you of a patchwork quilt, that’s exactly what the artist wanted. Jim Rose makes furniture and art objects out of aged steel. His work is original and innovative, and his inspiration comes from centuries-old American styles like folk art and Shaker furniture. This “Quilt” cabinet, which sold […]

Trompe L’oeil Screen

The term “trompe l’oeil,” meaning “fool the eye,” is an art style that was popular in the 19th century. By then, artists and audiences had enjoyed optical illusions for thousands of years. The original trompe l’oeil style dates back much farther. An ancient Greek story tells of the legendary painter Zeuxis, whose still life paintings […]

Blinking Eye Clock

Clocks all have hands that move to tell the time, but a group of clocks that also had moving eyes were poplar about 1850. Most of these figural iron clocks were made by Bradley and Hubbard of Meriden, Connecticut. A few others were made by Chauncey Jerome. The clocks are popular with collectors because they […]

Coal Scuttle

A fireplace takes a lot of watching and “feeding” if it is going to keep a room warm. Today’s fireplace uses logs cut to the right size to fit into the fireplace. A metal basket holds the logs behind andirons, and a fire screen blocks the ashes and cinders from spilling out into the room. […]

Betty Lamp

Think how difficult it was before 1800 when you had to have light to work at night and there were only candles or several kinds of oil lamps. By the 1850s, it was easier. There were kerosene lamps, gas lamps and finally electric lamps. Today, we get a hint of what that was like when […]