Why the Skyline is Art Deco

[Artie]

Did you know that the Eiffel Tower was the first man made object in the history of the world to be taller than the Great Pyramid in Egypt? What made it possible? Iron and steel. Buildings began to be built with in inner skeleton of iron and steel. Even with the most advanced techniques used in the building of Gothic Cathedrals, stone had its limits.

 

In New York, building codes mandated that these new “sky scrapers” must be tapered so as to allow sunlight to reach the pavement below. These new buildings not only had tremendous verticallity, physically, the optical illusion was intensified with the tapering perspective.

 

These new architectural forms presented challenges to designers. They looked for modern decorative ideas and found those ideas expressed in the 1925 Paris World’ Fair exhibition “Exposition Internationald des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes” The verticality of these buildings demanded verticallaty in the decorative elements as well.

 

In the meantime, trains became faster, changed from the steam Iron Horse to the Diesel Locomotive. Airplanes went from the Sopwith Camel to the Douglas DC 3. Steamships transfromed into luxury ocean liners. The Modle T became the Model B. All these industrial developments occured along side each other and were inflluenced by the same design principles but the trains, planes and automobiles weren’t vertical, the designs, still influenced by the same ideals emphasised the horizontal aspects instead.

 

These vertical elements transitioned to everyday items as trivial as a cocktail shaker or vertical elements transitioned to toaster designs.

 

There was no conscious effort to label these new trends as anything other than Modern Design.

 

It was not until the 1968 when Bevis Hiller coined the term Art Deco for the title of his book on the subject that the term was applied to that era. It included Streamline Moderne as part of the style.

 

From

 

http://www.nytimes.com/1995/08/27/arts/architecture-art-deco-still-not-forgiven-for-being-fun.html

 

The term Art Deco was coined in the mid-1960's to describe the exuberantly ornamented, highly geometric design style that reached its apex in the 1925 Exposition des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris. Bevis Hillier, in his 1968 book "Art Deco," was the first to popularize the term and to extend its definition to include the style's 1930's Streamline Moderne and Classical Moderne evolution.

 

 

Streamline Moderne, sometimes referred to by either name alone, was a late type of the Art Deco design style which emerged during the 1930s. Its architectural style emphasized curving forms, long horizontal lines, and sometimes nautical elements.

 

From http://www.louisvilleartdeco.com/whatisartdeco/index.html

Part 3 - What Are Art Deco's Identifying Architectural Features?

Specific architectural features employed on Art Deco buildings included:

• Vertical lines, then later a transition to horizontal lines (see Art Moderne/Streamline Moderne discussion below)

• Simplicity: relatively stripped-down in terms of the facade and its features.

• Set-back: upper levels of buildings set back in stages from the vertical to allow sun to reach the sidewalks below - due to New York City zoning laws in the early 1900s.

• Different use of materials: combinations of stone, brick, metals (steel, aluminum, bronze, etc.), tiles, opaque glass (Vitrolite), terracotta, etc.

• Geometric ornamentation: use of circles, diamonds, chevrons, zig-zags, triangles, pyramids, spirals, octagons, etc.

• Frequently used symbols/motifs: sunbursts; "frozen fountain reliefs"; plant & animal life; gears; lightning bolts; relief sculptures embodying justice, truth, knowledge, industry, labor, man's strength, work ethic, achievement, commerce and bounty.

• Decorative methods: relief sculptures (in limestone, terracotta, metal (iron & bronze)), painted murals, tile mosaics, decorative metalwork (grills, various covers, railings, door frames), flat-against-the-wall fluted columns if used.

 

Part 4 - What is Art Moderne and Streamline Moderne?

During the 1930s Art Deco made a slight transition into Art Moderne (also known as Streamline Moderne). Most people, including me, view it all under the Art Deco banner. Purists, however, like to be specific. The forms all pretty much overlap during the same time frame, however.

The transition primarily took the form of a change in emphasis from the vertical to an emphasis on the horizontal - to denote speed. It was during this time period that the golden age of aviation took place - air races, trans-continental flights, etc. Cars, trains and oceanliners took on a more streamline design - to actually reflect the increase in speed of that era's transportation. Some buildings reflected a horizontal, streamline, speed appearance. Pretty soon even household items reflected a streamline look - small appliances, pencil sharpeners, decorative items, furniture, etc

 

 

From http://www.invitinghome.com/art-deco/art-deco-modern.htm

Types of Art Deco Architecture

Left

• Stepping Type

• Classic Moderne

• Streamline Moderne

 

From http://pricetower.org/architecture/tulsa-art-deco/

 

After the Great Depression, Streamline Art Deco became popular. The style emphasized speed and motion. Buildings were simple and paid homage to the automobile and the sea with travel and nautical designs.

 

From http://artdecopb.org/whatis.html

The term Art Deco was first coined in November 1966 by Hilary Gelson in The Times as the United States was experiencing a reemergence of the streamlined style. It was made popular by Bevis Hillier in 1968, when he wrote Art Deco of the 20s and 30s, published by Studio Vista. Art Deco was taken from the Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes held in Paris in 1925. Art Deco became a "catch all" phrase for everything that was designed or built from 1925 until 1939. The outbreak of World War II required the halt of frivolity and all manufacturing was concentrated on the war machine.

 

From http://artdecopb.org/whatis.html

Architecturally there is a myriad of styles categorized under the umbrella of Art Deco. All of these styles have their own unique qualities, although the names are often interchanged. These include Art Moderne, German Bauhaus, Depression Moderne, International Style, Jazz Age, Machine Age, Moderne, Moorish Deco, Nautical Deco, Neo-Classical, Pueblo Deco, Roaring Twenties, Streamline Moderne, Tropical Deco, Zig-Zag, and more.

 

In a previous discussion, it was said that Norman Bel Geddes was an Art Deco designer who incorporated streamlining in his designs but Henry Dreyfus who designed the Skyline was a Streamline Modern designer so his iconic streamlined trains and the Skyline pens were not Art Deco, yet Dreyfuss was an apprentice to Bel Geddes until he opened his own design studio and became a competitor to Bel Geddes.

Edited December 16, 2009 by Artie

[sumgaikid]

At best,I would have to agree to disagree. I read the other thread in which this subject was brought

up,and felt that the idea of "streamline moderne"(as in the style of the Eversharp Skyline)was tran-

sitional,moving towards the "jet age" or "atomic age" of fountain pen styling(metal and movement

with few embellishments). IMHO,true Art Deco looks at the part,not the whole. Streamline Moderne

looks at the whole and not the part.

 

 

This however,is the problem with Art--no matter how many people get a gazillion degrees behind

their name,when they say that "this"should be put in "that" movement there will always be someone

else with two gazillion degrees who will think just the opposite. They end up canceling each other

out--and then a third person with no degrees will bring up a third possibility that's just as plausible.

 

 

It's like trying to nail down mercury--it just can't be done.

 

 

End of story.

 

 

 

John

Edited December 16, 2009 by sumgaikid

[Artie]

One aspect of commercial design that was popular in the early 20’s is now identified as from the Zig Zag style. In the 30’s another style became popular and it was later called Streamline Modern. Each is distinctly and easily recognized as different from each other. The mistake being made here and which I am amazed at how hard it is to get across to people here that i consider intelligent is that the term Art Deco was coined decades later and is intended to be an umbrella term that encompasses both design concepts.

 

Yes Zig Zag is not Streamline modern but Streamline Modern is not excluded from beirng in and of the Art Deco era just because it is not part of the Zig Zag styling.

 

A respected pen reparman who knows a lot about pens is not a Gazillion experts. He is one person whose view of the subject is based on the fact that he “has a book”

[sumgaikid]

One aspect of commercial design that was popular in the early 20's is now identified as from the Zig Zag style. In the 30's another style became popular and it was later called Streamline Modern. Each is distinctly and easily recognized as different from each other. The mistake being made here and which I am amazed at how hard it is to get across to people here that i consider intelligent is that the term Art Deco was coined decades later and is intended to be an umbrella term that encompasses both design concepts.

 

Yes Zig Zag is not Streamline modern but Streamline Modern is not excluded from beirng in and of the Art Deco era just because it is not part of the Zig Zag styling.

 

A respected pen reparman who knows a lot about pens is not a Gazillion experts. He is one person whose view of the subject is based on the fact that he "has a book"

 

 

 

As I figured,my comment about Art would be misconstrued................it wasn't pointed at previous postings

or posters,but just a general fact that Art is subjective and no amount of degrees from someone will change

another's mind. We all have viewpoints that are to be respected,and life doesn't rise or fall on who's right

and who's wrong.

 

 

 

John

[Artie]

I understand that it is a waste of time to try to change a mind already made up. It is sad that closed minds can’t accept scholarship from other credible sources.

 

What I am hoping to do is provide people who do still have open minds with the possibility that there is a broader, valid, and more inclusive intrepretation of this subject.

[Wahlnut]

Artie,

Your scholarly investigation into the blending and combining of art forms is very interesting and commendable. I saw your the post/thread on the Wahl-Eversharp forum of course. Now that I see it cropping up here too, maybe it still calls out for more discussion. As a person who was brought up in a total art environment (my grandparents and parents owned picture framing and art galleries and my mom was a AID/ASID interior designer), I have to say I learned something new from your investigation. I too held the belief that Art Deco was primarily hard line geometric shapes with new age materials that were metallic, iridescent and otherwise decorated with early 20th Century industrial age visual enhancements that came from scientific discoveries of that 1920-early 30's era. Your post demonstrates to me at least that many art historians have broadened their definition to include the streamlined design elements too. Thanks for that.

 

As for the Skyline pen, and speaking as the Wahlnut, here, I have another element to add. Henry Dreyfus, the designer of the train (the NYC Hudson train that pulled the 20th Century Limited train in its later years)) and the Skyline Pen, was not strictly speaking an artist nor did he ascribe to any particular art movement like "Deco" or "Streamline". Design-wise he was a pragmatist, and ergonomist (before his time) and designed things that were tailored to their function. The Skyline pen was a practical design. It's tapered barrel tail slid into pockets easily, the domed top and strap-over hook in ring pocket clip was industrially simple, extremely sturdy and easy to make and the rounded cap dome shape was less likely to get caught on things. AND it was progressive and up to the minute, emphasizing a sort of buck rogers kind of futurism that said the latest idea. I do imagine Buck and Dr. Zarkhov running to or from Emperor Ming when I look at a Skyline, but that is my own fantasy running away with me.

 

So while you may be correct to retrospectively to put the Skyline into a genre that was temporally speaking 10 or 20 years prior to the time of the Skyline, and even though others since 1966 have tried to lump together Deco and Streamline one way or another, it is we who do the lumping. And lumping is somewhat arbitrary. As an art dealer for most of my younger life, what mattered most was "what was in the mind of the artist when he did the creating. What did the artist think he was doing, or trying to express, or trying to develop that connected him or her to whatever movement or commonality of thought that exists in the eye of the historian to decide who belongs in what group. Are Cubists Deco? Maybe Yes and Maybe No (lump-wise), but they are definitely Cubists. And so it goes. that if an artist who belonged to that school of thought as the artists in Paris did who thought and designed alike enough for later historians to call their work Deco, were trying to express an idea about streamlining through their designs then that is what they were about. So if they started out to produce "classic" deco stuff then I guess there is an intellectual basis for extending their "deco-ism" into the streamline era too. It is just that Henry Dreyfus was not at the heart of his work a streamliner...he was a Skyliner as in aerodynamics, as in airplanes and rockets and those scientific, technological elements were his industrial design while looking for practical solutions.

 

It is fun to go through these things, and I thank you for the opportunity to discuss.

Syd

[Artie]

Dear Wahlnut. I could not agree more with everything you have said. Thank you for your putting it so objectively. Art Deco was more of a design concept than an art movement and neither Dreyfuss or other designers thought of themselves as Art Deco people. The term did not exist at the time, it is only later that the term was coined and only then did it become an umbrella term that included all the different styles, intellectual approaches to solving design challenges of the 1920's and 30's and it continued to influence industrial, commercial designers into the 1950;s. It had a comeback seen in some art work from the 1980's too.

 

edit: Even though no one thought of themselves or others, at the time as Art Deco artists, since 1966, when the term was coined and especially since 1969 when the term became popularized, the majority of art historians do not limit the term as strictly as it has been interpreted by a lot of people. By the standards imposed on the term since it was invented, It is imprecise to say that one aspect of the era is and another isn't.. It is more accurate to say that Streamline Modern is an aspect of Art Deco than to say it isn't.

Edited December 17, 2009 by Artie

[Vintagepens]

Might I add that Dreyfuss must be read critically? Like many modernists, he was very self-consciously crafting his own image in his writings. That stuff about his designs putting function first is self-promoting claptrap, quoted uncritically by readers of his Designing for People of 1955 (2nd edition, 1967) -- a widely-disseminated book that effectively papers over Dreyfuss's earlier work as a leading practitioner of streamline design.

 

Read more about this in my 2002 article here.

 

I'd also take issue with any claim that the Skyline puts function over form -- it is, in fact, one of the pen designs I'd single out as the exact opposite, with its puny ink capacity, lever located so as to guarantee brassing from posting, unnecessarily complex and delicate clip, and truly clumsy appearance with cap posted.

 

And there is no overlap between Cubism and Art Deco. None.

[Ray-Vigo]

I am reluctant to group 1930s era Streamline industrial design together with the more vertical Art Deco of the 1920s. I honestly believe the prewar streamline style to be a school of design unto itself. Art Deco has that "gilded" sort of feel to me-- somewhat ornate and often concerned with space and vertical lines. Streamlining, I think has a simpler feel and an emphasis on the horizontal-- that the design imparts lateral movement and speed to the viewer. What I am less sure about is where streamlining ends and jet-age popular design begins. I would have to guess somewhere in the 1950s, but I'm not sure. What I will say is that I honestly believe the Skyline to be the culmination of prewar streamline design. A trend in pens that found its early voice in the Sheaffer Balance was refined and pushed forward. I have a number of Balances around. The very early ones tend to be somewhat of an oddball design-- not symmetrical and having a longer barrel style, with a rounded cap. The later ones show striking symmetry and pointed ends-- far more aggressive than the early ones. I think this transition culminates in the Skyline-- taking its design cues from both the earlier Balance style pens and the Dreyfuss 20th Century Limited. I tend to regard the Skyline as a design firmly rooted in the 1930s, but which carried over to the 1940s. Many products in 1946 looked a lot like the ones from 1940-41-- it seems the War did cause an interruption in certain design aspects in the sense that work was devoted to the war effort rather than new consumer products (we didn't have much choice). So, I regard the Skyline as a 1930s or at least early 1940s (prewar) design that continues on after the War. It strikes me as prewar streamline in nature, though a high development of that lineage. I set it in a group with the Balance rather than, say the Symphony or the Touchdown (1940s era designs).

Edited December 17, 2009 by Ray-Vigo

[Artie]

I started this new thread because I felt I had not been able to complete my thoughts on the subject during the first thread. I have now stated everything I wanted to say and feel any further comment would be a repetition of what I have said already. I will withdraw from the discussion but look forward to seeing any new comments. I will iterate that the term Art Deco is a modern term, coined by modern art commentators and the majority of them intended the term to encompass several styles that emerged between the wars. These include but are not limited to Art Moderne, German Bauhaus, Depression Moderne, International Style, Jazz Age, Machine Age, Moderne, Moorish Deco, Nautical Deco, Pueblo Deco, Roaring Twenties, Streamline Moderne, Tropical Deco,and Zig-Zag.

 

Any of these styles can be discussed separately and considered distinct from one another but they still remain under the general category of Art Deco. Also the style did not die a sudden death with the onset of WWII. Design elements from the era continued on for some time

Edited December 17, 2009 by Artie

[rhosygell]

As one who knows little or nothing about art does it really matter what school of design any object belongs to?

 

It matters more to me whether I like the thing or not. It transpires that I like both "Art Deco" and "Streamline Modern" after reading this series of postings since I have a fondness for both the Skyline and the Ink Vue for their looks and function.

 

Do we really need to categorize everything?

[framebaer]

I will iterate that the term Art Deco is a modern term, coined by modern art commentators and the majority of them intended the term to encompass several styles that emerged between the wars. These include but are not limited to Art Moderne, German Bauhaus, Depression Moderne, International Style, Jazz Age, Machine Age, Moderne, Moorish Deco, Nautical Deco, Pueblo Deco, Roaring Twenties, Streamline Moderne, Tropical Deco,and Zig-Zag.

 

Any of these styles can be discussed separately and considered distinct from one another but they still remain under the general category of Art Deco. Also the style did not die a sudden death with the onset of WWII. Design elements from the era continued on for some time

 

Artie,

I spent my whole life managing designers for a large commerical Consumer products company and i will tell you that after years and literally hundreds of "Style boards" created to pin point current design trends (which often were old styles being recycled or reinvented), the important thing in all this is "the subtle differences" not the umbrella category name.

 

 

In fact, Art Moderne, German Bauhaus, Depression Moderne, International Style, Jazz Age, Machine Age, Moderne, Moorish Deco, Nautical Deco, Pueblo Deco, Roaring Twenties, Streamline Moderne, Tropical Deco,and Zig-Zag are what matter--- not Art Deco.

 

Designers of products are interested in the specifics not the generalities--- that's what gives great ( or not so great) design it's essence or "look"!!

 

So to me, and the 15 Product designers who worked for me, Streamline Moderne was what would be important about the Skyline---- not that it might also be defined under the Art Deco umbrella!

 

 

Edited December 18, 2009 by framebaer

[Artie]

I have no problem with that. The problem came up when someone said Art Deco was dead by the time Streamline Moderne was being created so the pen and everything designed by that designer was not Art Deco. That is what got me started on this jag. It was my intent to let people know that the term is often misused out of ignorance of the full scope of what the term was coined to encompass.

Edited December 18, 2009 by Artie

[Vintagepens]

Do we really need to categorize everything?

 

Actually, yes.

 

It's human nature. We're wired to make sense of the world through pattern recognition.

[Pepin]

IMHO, everything is Art Deco. Therefore, the skyline is Art Deco.

[kps]

IMHO, everything is Art Deco.

On eBay, everything is Art Deco.

[eric47]

Do we really need to categorize everything?

 

Actually, yes.

 

It's human nature. We're wired to make sense of the world through pattern recognition.

 

And as some research indicates (or at least the researchers drew the conclusion) we often do so poorly.

[Vintagepens]

And as some research indicates (or at least the researchers drew the conclusion) we often do so poorly.

 

Imperfectly, yes. Poorly, no.

At least not in context -- it's not as if we rank low in this regard in the history of evolution.

[Richard]

The problem came up when someone said Art Deco was dead by the time Streamline Moderne was being created...

I hope you're not painting me with that brush. I said that Streamline Moderne grew out of Art Deco and that Art Deco was passé. And that much is true; the Chrysler Building/Wahl-Eversharp Doric/blue-mirrors style that most people think of now, and thought of then, as" Art Deco" was in the decline -- and it was, as evidenced in the 1940s by the then-modern buying public's lack of enthusiasm for the Eversharp Fifth Avenue -- but I never said that Art Deco died and was buried by Streamline Moderne.

 

I have a quiz for you. Here are six pens, arranged as three pairs in which the second pen is from the same manufacturer as the first but is more recent. For each pen, tell whether it's Art Deco, and explain your reasoning. This is not a joke or a tease, I seriously want to learn from you here.

 

1. http://www.richardspens.com/images/coll/zoomed/dollar_black.jpg

 

2. http://www.richardspens.com/images/coll/zoomed/j_ss_pdag.jpg

 

3. http://www.richardspens.com/images/coll/zoomed/wd_snr_flat_jade.jpg

 

4. http://www.richardspens.com/images/coll/zoomed/wwii_vf_carmine.jpg

 

5. http://www.richardspens.com/images/coll/zoomed/protopatriot.jpg

 

6. http://www.richardspens.com/images/coll/zoomed/patriot_usaac.jpg

[Artie]

This is what you said. If I mischaracterized your meaning, I apologize. I don't want to play your time/space continuum game.

 

The Skyline is not, repeat NOT, Art Deco. Art Deco was dead before the Skyline was designed.

 

Art Deco is characterized by stylized shapes, often geometric, frequently classical in sensibility. Here's a partial list of Art Deco pens:

 

Wahl-Eversharp Equi-Poised

Wahl-Eversharp Doric (a classic)

Wahl-Eversharp Pacemaker

Wahl-Eversharp Coronet

Wahl-Eversharp Fifth Avenue (oopsie!)

Parker Parkette Deluxe

 

Here's a partial list of NON-Art Deco pens:

 

Parker "51" (blind cap jewel is added ornament, "51" was not Bauhaus inspired but rather a product of practical engineering -- the Lamy 2000, utterly devoid of added ornamentation, is true Bauhaus design)

Eversharp Skyline (classic post-Art Deco streamlined modern)

Sheaffer's Balance (ergonomics, not Art Deco)