Category Archives: Art Deco

Chase Specialty Line – Cocktail & Drink Accessories

 

For this installment about the Chase Specialty Line, Driving for Deco will look at some of the company’s cocktail and drinking accessories.

 

A Variety of drinking accessories made by the Chase Brass and Copper Company.

Chase Iced Drink Cups, Old Fashioned Cocktail Cups, Muddlers and the Cocktail Mixer and Spoon. From the collection of the authors.

 

Liqueur Set

(1935 – 1939)

The Chase Liqueur Set with six cups designed by Lurelle Guild and the chrome and blue glass tray designed by Russel Wright.

The Chase Liqueur Set. From the collection of the authors.

This  attractive set consists of six gleaming chromium Liqueur Cups and a small round tray with a deep English blue glass bottom. The small cups 2 3/8 inches high, hold just enough and will not tip over easily. Furnished in polished chromium.  – 1935 Chase Specialties Catalog

The Liqueur Set is another Chase marriage of two items by different designers. In this case the cups are the work of Lurelle Guild (1898 – 1985) and the Coaster Tray by Russel Wright (1904 – 1976). Originally retailing at $4.00 for the complete set and $0.50 for each cup.

Chase Liqueur Cups designed by Lurelle Guild.

Lurelle Guild’s Liqueur Cups for Chase. From the collection of the authors.

These days this set is becoming hard to find.

 

The Chase hallmark on the bottom of the Liqueur Cup.

The Chase hallmark on the bottom of the Liqueur Cup. From the collection of the author.

Because the tray was originally designed for the Pancake and Corn Set, it is seen much less often with the Liqueur Cups.  Currently on line, the cups have been selling from $45.00 – $200.00 for a set of six. Expect to pay between $45.00 and $75.00 for just the tray online or at antique malls. But with luck one can find a complete set for as little as $45.00 and $120.00 on the high end, which is still quite a reasonable price.

Chase chrome and blue glass Coaster Tray.

Russel Wright’s Coaster Tray for Chase. From the collection of the authors.

Condition is important when considering purchasing Russel Wright’s Coaster Tray. Check to that the chrome is not pitting and the glass in the tray does not have excessive scratching.

Chase Liqueur Set.

Chase Liqueur Set. From the collection of the authors.

Stirring Cocktail Mixer and Spoon

(1934 – 1937)

The Stirring Cocktail Mixer and spoon, designed by Walter Von Nessen for Chase, 1935.

Walter Von Nessen’s (1889 – 1943) Stirring Cocktail Mixer and spoon. From the collection of the authors.

Some cocktails should be stirred – not shaken. This graceful mixer was designed for us by Walter Von Nessen. It holds one quart and has a guard which holds back the ice, but does not prevent perfect pouring. Beautifully finished in gleaming chromium outside, satin silver inside, Complete with long handled stirring spoon to match the mixer. – 1935 Chase Specialties Catalog

This, very modern looking, cocktail pitcher is another Chase piece that is not easy to find in the wild, especially with its spoon. Selling in 1935 for the pretty hefty price of $5.00, the equivalent of $109.00 in 2023, and only in production for about three years, are factors why this is difficult to find today.

 

Chase Stirring Cocktail Mixer and spoon.

Stirring Cocktail Mixer and Spoon. From the collection of the authors.

And when one comes across the Stirring Cocktail Mixer, expect to pay a high price for it. As of this writing there are several selling online ranging in price from $125.00 (with dents and surface scratching) to up to $450.00, and none these come with its original spoon.

 

Iced Drink Cups

(1936 – 1942)

A graceful cup for long, cool drinks, such as mint juleps, planters’ punch, lemonade and ice tea. – 1942 Chase Specialties Catalog

Chase chrome Iced Drink Cups.

Chase Iced Drink Cups a Harry Laylon design. From the collection of the authors.

 

Trademark on the bottom of the Iced Drink Cup.

Detail of the Chase trademark on the bottom of the Iced Drink Cup. From the collection of the authors.

Harry Laylon’s (1911 – 1997) design for the Chase Iced Drink Cups is simple but captures the streamline aesthetic popular in the late 1930s. Tall, shiny and tapered toward the bottom with a flare lip at the top, the only decorative feature is a set of engraved lines on its bottom quarter.

Iced Drink Cups and Iced Drink Mixers.

Iced Drink Cups and Iced Drink Mixers. From the collection of the authors.

While the Iced Drink Cup is not too easy to find today, prices vary greatly. Online these are selling for less than $40.00 for a set of four to $179.00 for eight. If buying them, just make sure that the surface does not have deep scratches. Because of being stored stacked together, the surface chrome can become very damaged.

 

1936 newspaper advertisement for the Chase Iced Drink Cups and Mixers.

Newspaper ad for Chase’s Iced Drink Cups and Mixers. New-Journal, August 3, 1936, Pg. 23, Mansfield, Ohio, from newspapers.com.

Iced Drink Mixers

(1936 – 1939)

These attractive mixers may be used for all iced drinks, tea, highballs, rickeys. They are of polished chromium with gay jade green and lapis blue composition leaf decorations. They are 8 3/8  inches long. Each set includes four mixers (two green and two blue. – Chase Specialty Catalog, date unknown

Chase Iced Drink Mixers, Harry Laylon designer.

Chase Iced Drink Mixers, Harry Laylon Designer. From the collection of the authors.

Though the catalog only mentions jade and lapis Bakelite leaf decorations, some of these mixers exist with white (now darkened to butterscotch) leaves. Aside from the leaf the only other decorative feature of the mixer is the half ribbed ball at the bottom.  A set of four cost $1.00 in the late 1930s (equivalent of $21.50 in 2023). These command a hefty price on the collectors market, with an average selling price of around $100.00 for a set of four.

Detail of the Bakelite leaf on the Iced Drink Mixers.

Detail of Bakelite leaf on top of the Iced Drink Mixers. From the collection of the authors.

Old-Fashioned Cocktail Cups

(1935 – 1942)

The “Old-Fashioned” is one of the most popular American cocktails. It requires a special glass or cup. Each Chase Old-Fashioned Cocktail Cup is furnished with a muddler for crushing the fruit in an old-fashioned cocktail. – 1942 Chase Specialties Catalog

Harry Laylon's Old-Fashioned Cocktail Cups for the Chase Specialty Line.

The Chase Old-Fashioned Cocktail Cups, another Harry Laylon design. From the collection of the authors.

Like the Iced Drink Cups, Laylon’s design is simple, with only two sets of engraved lines. Even though these simple chrome cups had a relatively long production life, they are not too easy to come by today. Originally selling for $0.75 each ($16.30 today), complete with muddler, which seems like quite a reasonable price. Today, expect to pay a pretty hefty price to add these cups to your collection. Currently online, one seller is asking $328.00 for a set of four with their original muddlers.

Chase Old Fashioned Cocktail Cups and Muddlers.

Old Fashioned Cocktail Cups and Muddlers. From the collection of the authors.

Old-Fashioned Cocktail Muddlers

(1935 – 1939)

Chase Old Fashioned Muddlers, chrome plate and Bakelite.

Chase Muddlers for Old Fashioned Cocktails. From the collection of the authors.

Chase cocktail muddlers are 4 inches long and made in polished chromium finish. They are unbreakable and strong enough to stand the pressure exerted on them for crushing fruit in cocktails. The ball tops are finished in red, black, green and ivory composition. Four muddlers in assorted colors are packed to a box. – Chase Specialties Catalog, date unknown

Unfortunately, these sleek little sticks has no designer attribution. A set of four originally selling for $0.75 ($16.00 today), the muddlers are somewhat difficult to find today. Other than the Bakelite knob their only decorative features are concentric circles on the base and two sets of speed lines circle the stem near the top and bottom. When found today the Bakelite knobs has darkened considerably. The green can be almost as dark as the black. And what was once ivory colored Bakelite has turned into a pleasing butterscotch color. Buying a set of these on line will set you back anywhere from $50.00 (in our opinion at very good price) to about $100.00 and sometimes more.

 

Coaster Set

(Pre-1933 – 1937)

The Chase Coaster Set.

The Chase Coaster Set. From the collection of the authors.

Coasters that will not stick to the glass. They may be had in satin copper or polished chromium. Attractively boxed in sets of four. Also sold one dozen to a box. – 1933 Chase Specialities Catalog

With a production life of around five years, these coasters are not too easy to find today. And the satin copper ones much less common than the chrome variety. And that is reflected in the asking price by sellers, ranging from $100.00 for a set of eight on Ebay to $300.00 for six from a dealer specializing in vintage barware for the coasters in chrome. At the time of this writing, no copper ones are available.

 

Danube

(1936 – 1941)

Danube Coaster of the Chase Specialty Line.

Danube Coasters of the Chase Specialty Line.

If the Coaster Set is not easy to find today, the Danube Coasters fall in the difficult to find category. Like the earlier coasters the Danube also had a production life of approximately five years. These, too, were available in polished chrome and copper, with the copper ones being much harder to find today. And to add a set of the Danube coasters to your collection expect to pay a premium price. Currently online one set of five (consisting of 4 chrome and 1 copper) is selling for $300.00, while another set of eight (all chrome) is $250.00.

 

Squeezit Bottle Opener

(1936 – 1941)

Chase Squeezit Bottle Opener.

Chase Squeezit Bottle Opener, a Harry Laylon & Theodore H. Low design. From the collection of the authors.

This very clever bottle opener, designed by Harry Laylon and Theodore Low, works differently from other bottle openers. Standard bottle openers pull the ridge edge out and dent the top of the bottle cap, the Squeezit removes the cap without denting it, making it possible to reuse it. To use it, place the eagle head down over the cap with the beak over one end, then as the name implies, squeeze the handle towards the bottle, the cap lifts off, intact.

Selling for $0.50 in 1936 ($10.85 in 2023) the Squeezit was a bargain. Chase produced this bottle opener for approximately five years, so it must have sold reasonably well, yet it is not an easy piece to find today. But when it does turn up on the collector’s market, it is just as reasonably price now as it was in the 1930s. One can expect to pay in the $10.00 – $25.00 dollar range for it.

 

1936 newspaper advertisement for the Chase Squeezit Bottle opener.

Squeezit Bottle Opener advertisement. New-Journal, August 3, 1936, Pg. 23, Mansfield, Ohio. Image from newspapers.com.

Detail of the bottle opening mechanism of Chase's Squeezit Bottle Opener.

Detail of the opening mechanism of the Squeezit Bottle Opener, showing the Chase trademark impressed on it. From the collection of the authors.

 

Bar Caddy

(1939 – 1942?)

The Bar Caddy by Chase, in its original box.

Harry Laylon’s Bar Caddy for Chase, in its original box. From the collection of the authors.

The Bar Caddy is a combination jigger, bottle opener, corkscrew and ice breaker. The jigger is marked off for measuring 3/4 of an ounce, 1 ounce, 11/2 ounces and 2 ounces. The jigger bottom is extra heavy metal, so you can crack ice cubes with it. The handle is a crown bottle-cap opener. A corkscrew is concealed in the handle, when assembled. – 1942 Chase Specialities Catalog

The later version of the Bar Caddy in its original box.

The later version of the Chase Bar Caddy. From the collection of the authors.

This Harry Laylon design is available in two styles. The handle of the original style featured a smooth pointed end. The later variation featured a flat, ringed end which served as a muddler for making Old-Fashioned cocktails. Also the ribbed band on the handle / bottle opener is higher up on the modified version.

The two styles of the Chase Bar Caddy.

The two styles of the Chase Bar Caddy, the original on the right with the rounded end and the modified version with the muddler end. From the collection of the authors.

Christmas 1939 and the Bar Caddy is introduced.

Christmas 1939 and Chase has introduced the versatile Bar Caddy. Emery, Bird, Thayer advertisement from the Kansas City Star, December 12, 1939, Pg24. From newspapers.com.

The Chase Bar Caddy must have been a very popular and sold well, judging by how easily they are found today. Sales of it continued on into the mid-1940s, beyond the end of the rest of Chase’s Specialty Line. So, either Chase produced so many there was a large back stock or Chase kept making them.

The two styles of the Bar Caddy, one open showing the corkscrew.

The Chase Bar Caddy, the later version open showing the corkscrew. From the collection of the authors.

These days, the Bar Caddy usually sells between $10.00 – $20.00. If it is in its originally box, expect to pay a bit more. The corkscrew was a structurally weak point of the piece and tended to break off, make sure that is intact before making a purchase.

 

 

Anthony & Chris (The Freakin’, Tiquen Guys)

 

Sources

  • Art Deco Chrome Book 2 – Kilbride, Richard J., Jo-D Books

  • Chase Catalogs 1934 and 1935 – Piña, Leslie and Johnson, Donald-Brian, A Schiffer Book

  • Chase Complete – Johnson, Donald-Brian and Piña, Leslie, A Schiffer Book

  • Chase Era, The – Johnson, Donald-Brian and Piña, Leslie, A Schiffer Book

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edgard Sforzina (1881 – 1941)

Union Terminal, Cincinnati

Union Terminal, Cincinnati (Photo via DrivingForDeco)

This article is an exclusive interview with Denise E. Allen, granddaughter of Edgard Sforzina an early French designer, decorator, and architect of L’ Art Moderne ~ Art Deco.

Denise: Anthony and Chris, thank you for the opportunity to discuss my grandfather, Edgard Désiré Sforzina.

How did this project come about?

To preserve our grandfather’s legacy, my sisters and I agreed to establish a collection of his works that we could donate to a museum, design school, or an organization interested in its preservation. We would like this collection to be accessible to all interested parties for the purposes of education, research, and scholarship, particularly for people interested in Art Deco.

….

I would like to express my unbounded thanks to my wonderful, albeit far-flung, family in America, France, Germany, and the Netherlands; my friends, and last but not least, the Art Deco Society of Washington D.C. (ADSW) for all their support in curating the collection and raising awareness of Edgard Sforzina and his contributions to Art Deco.

But back to my grandfather.

Edgard Sforzina He came to America in the Fall of 1922 at the request of his company, L. Alavoine & Co. to work in their New York City office located at 712 5th Avenue. His success continued during the years between the Great Wars and on a number of occasions he was noted in magazines and newspapers for his interior designs and design innovations. Tragically, he died from gastro-intestinal ulcers in 1941 at the age of 59, and leaving behind a legacy of his design drawings and furnishings.

Would you tell us more about his background?

Edgard SforzinaSforzina was born and educated in France as a “dessinateur” (a designer or decorator). He arrived in the Port of New York on November 17, 1922; his first trip to America. Forty – two years old and fresh off the S.S. Rochambeau.                                    …                                                                              For the initial visit, he stayed long enough to confirm that he would take the new position and establish a residence for his family. Once accomplished, he returned to Paris to pack up his household. He returned in February 1923 with his young wife and infant daughter. In making this permanent move to live in America, Sforzina became one of the early French-American designers of L’ Art Moderne, arriving two years before the 1925 International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in Paris, France.

A story my mother enjoyed sharing was that Mémé (grandmother) did not want to leave her family and friends in France. She made it clear to Pépé (grandfather), that he had to bring her younger sister, Tautine (Teresa), and their cat, Mitzi to America, and oh by-the-way, she had to have a mink coat.  All of this he did, except for the mink coat. He tricked her by buying rabbit instead,

When they immigrated to America, he brought his illustrated copy of “La Tour du Monde en 80 Jours”, (Around the World in 80 Days). He won the book as a prize when he was 11 years old, possibly the first prize he ever won. We have no idea what he accomplished to win the book, but on the inside cover page there is a handwritten inscription commemorating the event. Passed down from my Mémé to my Mom then to me, I value the book because it provides insights about his mind set and clues about his personality. ……

How did you become aware of the work of your grandfather’s (1881 – 1941)?

We initially became aware of Pépé (grandfather) and his work from our French / American family. This includes our mother, Lucile Ellison, nee Sforzina; Mémé (Isabelle Sforzina); and our French grand aunt and uncle, Tautine (Teresa) and Ernest.

Edgard SforzinaThey all told us stories about Edgard and pointed out the furniture in our home that he designed and commissioned. Mémé kept a collection of  original magazines, newspaper clippings and articles. Also, professional photos, and two privately published commemorative books showing items he designed and rooms he furnished.

We literally grew up amid furniture he created for his home and possibly for the showrooms of Forzina, Inc., the design salon he owned between 1928 and c.1932.

Edgard SforzinaAfter he passed, Mémé must have put the furniture in storage. In 1954 when our parents first started their medical office, they furnished the waiting room and office area with several show room furnishings from the Forzina Salon.[1] That furniture in the waiting room disappeared years later when my parents moved the office to a new location.

[1]  Our father, David S. Ellison, was a surgeon and our mother the office manager. Like her father, she was ahead of her time. She always paid herself a salary and she provided retirement benefits to their employees, who were all women.

Edgard SforzinaThe office furniture moved to our house to furnish our mother’s home office.  In the picture to the right, the two tables (the smaller one is on rollers) were in our home. I remember most of the other items. It is possible to find all these items in one or more of his designs.

LuLu Bed by Edgard SforzinaThis is the “Lulu Bed.” My children established the name when my daughter Claire used it as her own bed and the name has stuck. Edgard actually designed the bed for my mother when she was a child (c. 1928). It is an excellent example of Moderne style with a variety of beautiful woods veneered atop a thick (heavy) hardwood core, a striking design.

Edgard had our mother’s nick name, Lulu veneered into the face-top of the footboard. And, yes, if you look closely, you can see that our mother personalized the graphic with her own artwork. It is still usable as a bed, and we even have the original mattress springs too. However, his furniture is closing in on 100 years of age. The veneers are chipping off and every time it gets moved there is a bit more damage. These pieces need protection from further wear and tear.

 

LuLu bed by Edgard Sforzina

Detail of “LuLu” veneered into the face of the footboard and the LuLu graphic designed by Edgard Sforzina, note the small drawing by daughter Lulu.

A few months ago, I was a bit stunned to see a picture of the LuLu bed on the Internet! It never occurred to me that Peré may have had professional photos of it taken or that he might have shown the bed in an exhibit before giving it to our mother. We still have all the pieces shown in the photo. It is certainly possible that two sets were made, but knowing the effort he went to make this bed unique for our mother, it seems unlikely.

You can see the entire bed set on the untapped new york website. The site posted an article by Julia Vitullo-Martin on Marilyn Friedman’s book, “Making America Modern: Interior Design in the 1930’s” (Bauer & Dean, 2018). All of the pieces shown in the photo are part of the Sforzina Collection. Just for fun, here is a picture of our mother and Mitzi on the Bed.

Edgard SforzinaAs children, we knew our mother had many of her father’s drawings and designs. Unlike the furniture we grow up with, we rarely saw them. I have vague memories of seeing photostats of the design plans for the Cincinnati Union Terminal executive suite and other drawings. Our Mom did not want to risk damaging them by letting us riffle through them. So, for decades she kept them in a bureau up in the attic. But, we may have peeked into the forbidden bureau a time or two. It may have been as late as 2015 before I had better look at them.

Edgard Sforzina designUntil Art Deco Society of Washington members Deborah Sorensen (curator), Jim Linz (Art Deco author), and I unfolded and unrolled all the drawings, I did not realize how many there were. In truth we saw several of his designs for the very first time as we inventoried the collection. Predominantly, Edgard used pastels or pencils to create his designs. Until 2003, his portable wooden container of design & drafting tools was in our basement. Sometime between then and when we created the collection, it has gone missing. Hopefully it is somewhere in one of the homes among our family.

The variety and beauty of his drawings is impressive. It includes, sketches, architectural elevations, renderings and levels, concept plans and technical plans. The breadth and depth of his design abilities ranged from a simple object (e.g., a lamp, a vase, etc.,) to furniture, a room set, a composite of rooms, houses of varying levels and size, architectural drawings of large commercial buildings and towers. It even includes some of his personal artwork. You see a range of design styles other than Modernism. The collection includes a few designs in Louis XV and French Directorate Style. Other designs could be considered minimalistic; their omission of decor is balanced solely by simple accents from nature.

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When did you realize the significance of your grandfather’s work?

I slowly began to grasp the significance artistry as I worked with the ADSW to establish the collection. Edgard’s works had been a privately shared collection within our family network for over seventy years. Its significance was its familial heritage and its connection to our brilliant and creative grandfather. I did not know how to think about it from historical, social or cultural perspectives.

As our family’s self-appointed historian, I always knew I would write something about our grandfather to let our children’s children learn of him. I wanted to write up the stories and deeds our mother shared, not as a straight repeat of her words, but with more substantiation of the events and accomplishments of his life.  Never did I anticipate where that little thought of mine would lead us.

,,,

Edgard Sforzina

Photo: Designs for Modern Living Rooms. Edgard Sforzina. Sforzina Collection

When Steve, Jim, Deborah and I first started, I was concerned that I was asking the ADSW to investigate a collection that may not have enough cultural significance to merit their time and effort. I felt “aghast” at the thought of that prospect.

At the same time, I felt a strong conviction that we needed to understand this collection, and if merited, then Edgard and his work should be preserved and his story become part of our cultural history.  To me, that translated into, the recognition that we may need to donate his collection.

Steeling myself for possible mortification, I placed my faith in our mother’s trust and moved on. As Jim and Deborah and I worked, and their enthusiasm grew and I felt relieved.

The 2022 Modernism Show in Washington (April 30 – May 1), was the first public viewing of anything created by Sforzina since, well, before 1941. It was the first public viewing of his work in my lifetime. Some people scanned the material and moved on. Others stopped and took their time reading, absorbing the images, pointing, and talking with their companion(s) about the exhibit, or something they noticed, or a memory it invoked. Several people, like you (Anthony), stayed to talk with my sisters and me, and ask questions or to share their story about a connection they felt to one of the buildings he decorated.

,,,

Something happened soon after that was life altering. Can you tell us about that?

Yes. In June 2022, Jim Linz, my husband Harry, and I were invited to meet with the staff and leadership of the Museums of Cincinnati, Ohio which is housed in the Cincinnati Union Terminal.

After giving us a private tour of the terminal, museums, library, and their archives, we sat down and focused the conversation on Sforzina’s work with Fellheimer & Wagner, (F&W) on the Terminal. We were able to show them our copies of our grandfather’s drawings of the Suite.

The historian carefully examined the designs. It may have been the longest few minutes of my life.  Finally, he said that he was comfortable to say that our documents depicted the final plans of the Executive Suite and moving forward his organization would assign attribution to Sforzina for this work (this is not a quote, rather this is what I heard).

It seems silly, but it was so emotional that time went into slow motion. In the expanse of that single statement, in the time it took for the Historian to speak his words, he affirmed for me and my family, forever, that our grandfather drew these designs, something we always believed, and could now speak freely about. We did not have to feel sheepish or make any caveats.

It is so hard to describe that feeling of gravitas that comes over you sometimes. On this occasion, it was accompanied by a deep sense of peace to have this question resolved, and overwhelming feelings of joy for our mother and grandfather.  While I don’t think that anyone noticed, it took me about five minutes before I started processing again.

To clarify for the readers, it was a “matter-of-fact” to our mother that Edgard drew these design plans for the Cincinnati Union Terminal on behalf of F&W. Our grandfather worked with or for F&W from 1930 to 1933 on this project.  During that time, she was 8 – 10 years old and she knew what her father was working on, it was a big deal for him professionally and his projects were a huge focus of this tiny family. We also have his copy of his designs. Unfortunately, he was not given any mention or credit for that work or other design plans and decorations he drew during that time. So, he did not benefit from follow-on work from other large companies. Our research on our grandfather’s career suggests that he and Fellheimer maintained a business friendship from 1929 onward. He was clearly an employee of F&W, as an architect as of 1938 through 1941 when he passed away.

What was your grandfather’s background in art and design?

Our grandfather received both a traditional and a formal background in art and design. His immersion in the world of art and design was lifelong. This is a great topic regarding Edgard.

Family background: We know from family records and French civil documents that our line of Sforzina’s were stone masons, les tailleurs de pierre, and artisans. His forefathers: Antonio (1790–1860), Dominique (1815-1887), and Jean-Antoine (1853–1914) passed down their skills and their trade, father to son, for roughly 100 years and possibly longer. Jean-Antoine Sforzina, grew up in Nice. After completing his formal education, he moved to the Left Bank  in the heart of Montparnasse and lived there for the rest of his life. The only details I know about his career are that he worked in the Notre Dame Cathedrale de Paris on l’ÎIe de la Cité for his entire career.  Apparently one of his duties involved maintaining the Rose Windows.

This is where Edgard grew up. It was also the time when that district was becoming a cultural hub for artists, writers, social reformers, and others.

Edgard was the eldest son of M. Jean-Antoine and Mme. Marie Joachine (Chichaud) Sforzina. By family accounts, he demonstrated an innate talent and a natural affinity for the Arts early in his life.

Traditional Education: Edgard and his brother, Parfait, were born at a time when children could still work side by side with their parents and learn the skills of their trade.

Another book our grandfather brought to the United States when he immigrated was a soft leather-bound textbook printed in both Italian and French. Jean-Antoine received it from his father, Dominique, and passed it to Edgard. On the front page of the book, someone, possibly, Dominique himself, wrote his name, address, and the date “1827”. If the date reflects the year Dominique received the book, then he was 12 years old at the time[2] and well on his way toward learning his trade as a mason.

Edgard SforzinaPublic Education: Edgard received his entire education in Paris, France, largely within walking distance from his home. He earned his Baccalaureate and was then accepted into the L’Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs[3]  (Note: this is the current name of the school) where he studied architecture, design, and decoration. In American vernacular, L’ Ecole Nationale Supérieure” is the name of the institution, and Arts Décoratif is its institutional division.  The school was officially opened in 1767 by letter patent of King Louis XV.  Its goal then, and now, is to develop arts-related professions and thereby to increase the quality of industrial products.”

[2]  In the 18th century the Sforzina family lived in (what is today) Veli Lošinj, Croatia. Dominque moved to Nice (a.k.a. Nizza) before 1853 when it was still part of the Kingdom of Savoy. The family lived there until 1876 when Jean Antoine moved to 76 Boulevard Edgard Quinet in Paris, France at the age of 23. Nizza/Nice did not become part of France permanently until 1860.
[3] “Grande école | French education | Britannica”. www.britannica.com, (accessed 29 May 2022).

The program has evolved considerably since its founding. Since 2010, a diploma from the school is equivalent to a Master’s degree. (see History). Former students from the school include well known figures such as Henri Matisse, Charles Garnier, and Jean-Paul Goude among others (see History).”

 

When Sforzina immigrated to the United States, how did he establish himself in the design field?

He was fortunate because he did not have to start from scratch. He was already established in Paris having totaled 16 years of working consecutively with four of the most highly respected “Maisons” of art, design, and furniture. This includes Alavoine & Co. with whom he worked since 1919 in their Paris office before transferring to their New York office. It is possible that he already knew some of his colleagues in the NYC office through school, previous employment, or inter-office correspondence.

His association with such an eminent firm gave him access to their network of architects, designers, artisans, etc., as well as to their wealthy and sophisticated clientele.

In 1929 the Arts in Industry Group invited 18 of the “most up and coming” New York City designers to compete for the opportunity to display their design in an exhibition being hosted by the Group. Sforzina was one of the designers invited to exhibit. In effect this was a subtle way for the group to enlarge itself and to have some influence over what comprised American Modern Art.

A double page spread in the Upholstery and Interior Decorator Magazine on April 15, 1928, quotes Charles Milgrim as saying,

“When Charles Milgrim first decided to give to the new store a perfect entity of modern decoration, he sent for Edgard Sforzina of Paris, and entrusted to him the scheme of decoration.”

 

Because your grandfather was French, he was at ground zero for the new modern style that has become known as Art Deco. Do you think his work had influence on American designers and the modern design field?

Yes, I think so. Sforzina tended to be an early adapter. In our traveling exhibit, we dedicated an entire panel to his innovations for which we found supporting citations.

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Can you tell us more about your grandfather’s employers?

Yes. The source information for his work history comes mainly from two documents, one written c. 1934 and the other in 1939. The dates are refined by information from family clippings of advertisements, newspapers, professional journals, and magazines during the Art Deco era. Additionally, ADSW members, Mr. Jim Linz, President Emeritus, Board Member, Author, and Proprietor of the on-line store, www.Deco-Rations.net, Ms. Deborah Sorensen, Curator, and I researched his employers and clients and more information.

1902 – 1904 Mercier Frères, (1828 -) At this time most companies offering interior furniture and decor services were primarily art and antique dealers. They started providing other services by hiring the craftsmen and artisans as needed on a commission-only basis. Mercier Brothers, became a well-known and reputable furniture and décor manufacturer.

1905 – Carlhian & Beaumetz, of Paris, France with offices in Cannes, London, New York, and Buenos Aires (1867 – 1988). Like Mercier Frères, Carlhian & Beaumetz started as an Art and Antique company. Sforzina worked there around the time that the firm was transitioning from its two founders to Carlhian’s two sons. The Duveen Brothers were one of their most important clients. They worked with Carlhian as an intermediary for dealings, and export commissions in the French market not involving fine art and antique objects. Sforzina states in his 1939 resume that he worked “almost exclusively for their primary client, Sir Joseph Duveen.”

….

Between 1906 – 1917. In his 1939 resume, Sforzina states that on his own, he worked for Waring and Gillow of Rue de la Boetie, Paris, France, and other large firms. Waring and Gillow were a notable English furniture manufacturing company that also an antique dealer, headquartered in London. He notes that the office was just off the Champs-Élysées. The firm closed in 1988.

1919 – Probably 1927.  L. Alavoine & Co., 9 Rue Caumartin Office, Paris, France
This company transferred Sforzina to their office at 712 5th Avenue, New York City, New York, USA (1922 – c.1927).

1928 – April 12. Sforzina leased the entire 4th floor of the tower at 424 Madison Avenue, New York City to open his Interior Design and Decoration firm Forzina, Inc., (Brooklyn Eagle 1928, 64). The following provides some insights about when he transitioned to working full time with F&W:

1930 – 1933 Sforzina in his 1939 resume states, “3 years, designer, Fellheimer & Wagner, Architects, 42 St. [New York City]– for plans, designs, and decorations….” for the Cincinnati Union Terminal. (Translated from French and verified).

1932 – December 1st. Sforzina wrote a letter of recommendation for his secretary, in which he states that she had worked for him for three years.  He goes on to say he that the only reason she is losing her job is because the “…present bad business conditions compel” him to close his office.

1933/4 – 35/6. Collaborated with Mr. Samuel Mandeville as “Mandeville and Sforzina” though there is no evidence that they were formally partners.

1938 – 1941. Employee of Fellheimer & Wagner

1941 – February 7, Sforzina passed away unexpectedly from Peptic Ulcer disease.

Who were your grandfather’s Clients? 

We have no information about his clients in Europe. We have a growing list of his clients in the United States from NYC, New York State, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Illinois, and Ohio.  Here is a sampling of his clients between 1928 – 1941.

United States: Known Clients, dates unknown but probably completed by 1934:

  • Persifor Frazer III, 3 Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, PA

  • F. G. M., Penthouse, 440 West End Street, NYC, NY

  • Frederick Lewisohn, 730 Park Avenue, NYC, NY

  • Stewart Walker, 369 Lexington Avenue, NYC, NY

  • Stanley Simon, 480 Park Ave., NYC, NY

  • T. A. Goldsmith, 36 East 31 Street, NYC, NY

  • Gimbel Bros., Philadelphia, PA

Unites States: Clients and Dates

  • 1928 – Milgrim New York City, NY, 6 West 57th Street, NYC, NY Forzina, Inc.

  • 1928 – Slattery’s Department Store; Forzina, Inc., Boston, MA

  • 1928 – Hutzler Brothers, Baltimore, MD, Forzina, Inc.

  • 1928/ 29 – Saks Fifth Avenue Department Store, NYC, NY., Forzina, Inc.

  • 1928/29 – Mr. George Gershwin, 33 Riverside Drive, NYC, NY, Forzina, Inc.

  • 1929/30 – Mr. Albert Fellheimer, 110 Riverside Drive, NYC, NY; Forzina, Inc.

  • 1930 – 1933 – Fellheimer & Wagner, Architects, NYC, NY, Forzina, Inc.

  • 1930 – Hirsh Lilienthal Stockbrokers, NYC, NY, Probably Forzina, Inc.

  • 1930 – International Ticket Office, Chicago, IL, Probably Forzina, Inc.

  • 1931 – Mrs. C. B. Harding, 110 Riverside Dr., NYC, NY, Forzina, Inc.

  • 1934 – Lilly Dache, Inc., 485 Madison Avenue, NYC, NY

  • 1934 – Wallach Bros. NYC, NY, Mandeville & Sforzina

  • 1935 – McCarthy Dry Goods, Woonsocket, RI, Mandeville & Sforzina

  • 1935 – Germaine Millinery, 5th Avenue, NYC, NY; Mandeville & Sforzina

  • 1935 –Witherall Department Store, Syracuse, NY

  • 1935 – Brooks, 5th Avenue, NYC, NY; Mandeville & Sforzina

  • 1936 – Miss G. Germaine, 440 West End Avenue, NYC, NY

  • (1940) CBS Building, 49 East 52 Street, NYC, NY; with Fellheimer & Wagner

Even if your grandfather’s name isn’t immediately known, what are some of his works that people are familiar with? 

By far the most famous project is the Cincinnati Union Terminal, followed by Gershwin’s Riverside Drive apartment, the Cloud Club of the Chrysler Building, and the CBS building.

Cloud Club, Chrysler Building

Cloud Club (Photo via ephemeralnewyork.wordpress.com)

Your grandfather passed away in 1941 this is now considered the tail end of the Art Deco era; do you feel that had he lived longer he would have adapted his style to the changing tastes of the times?

Absolutely. You see in his drawings his diversity of styles. One of my mother’s descriptions of him was that he was ahead of his time. Around 1935, four years before the 1939 World’s Fair, he started designing furniture for the emerging middle class. Also, when he died, he was working for Fellheimer and Wagner, who were already preparing to build Airports.

If he could have lived, without the problems of peptic ulcers, he still had a bright future ahead of him.

When your grandfather designed the furniture that went into the rooms, did he have these pieces custom made? 

Yes, I believe so. Forzina, Inc. operated from 1928 through December, 1931 and after that he had to sell it. During that time period we know that the Milgrim store (1928) furniture was made by artisans and the furniture in Slattery’s (1928) was made by “Boston Artisans.”

After your grandfather’s passing, where did the archive of his works (drawings, sketches, paperwork) end up? 

Until 2020 these items stayed within the family. Some of the furniture went to Tautine and her husband and unfortunately, that furniture is gone now.

Mémé must have kept the rest of the furniture in storage until she moved to Florida. Then, as stated previously, our parents must have had the items in storage, until they opened their medical practice in 1954. They used Edgard’s furniture to furnish their waiting room and business office.

They placed the bedroom furniture and other items in our home. Later when our parents moved their office to a new location, the furniture that had been in the waiting room disappeared. We assume the furniture was worn out.

Our parents either donated or let the furniture go to the dump. By that time, the family had already moved into our final home. In that home, the parents’ continued to use Edgard’s furniture in their bedroom and our mother’s home office. The drawings and other papers went into storage in the attic. Other furniture was used in the living room or as accents some here or relegated to the garage attic.

In summary, there have been several more exchanges of address where we stored items and who was using which piece of furniture.  More recently our children have their own homes and have wanted to use the some of the furniture. Over the years we have also lost some of the smaller tables and.  All in all, I would say we have only half the furniture that was originally part of Edgard’s legacy.

Paper is such a fragile medium. How have you preserved or plan to preserve the archive of your grandfather’s work? Is any of it digitized?

Starting in 2019, my family is donating their items from Edgard’s legacy to the collection. Items received prior to 2021 have been inventoried, digitized, and placed in archival containers inside a rented storage locker. This represents the bulk of the collection.  The items received after 2021 have been inventoried and are in storage.  These items are not in archival containers yet.

The Art Deco Society of Washington DC. was essential to my success with gathering and archiving his collection. Now that we have finished our book, I will pursue my goal to donate this collection to the right organization, museum, or design school.

 …

Is there anything you’d like to add to the Sforzina story? 

Sforzina had a relatively short career spanning 35 years, 38 years if including his military service. He was an early and important French / American decorator, designer, innovator, and architect. He brought his career to the United States before the 1925 International Exposition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in Paris.

For 29 years he was an employee of the leading design companies in Paris, France where the full extent of his talent and contributions are veiled. He worked no more than 9 years for himself. During which he was considered a well-known designer.

The Edgard Sforzina Collection preserves 600+ artifacts of his work, including a variety of documents, furniture, and predominantly working designs depicting his process between 1930 and January 1941, a ten-year period. It is a wonderful collection and yet just a small portion of his total works.

Whether employee or employer, he influenced and was influenced by his peers, which collectively contributed to how we live today.  During his brief periods with Forzina and later Mandeville & Sforzina, he and his associates were a powerhouse of constructive productivity that drew the attention of the press, journalists, and photographers.

He was recognized for his innovations and he developed a strong business relationship with Fellheimer.

During his short life he accomplished so much. His last nine years especially, his star shined so bright.  He lived his dream of owning and operating his own design firm, Forzina, Inc. and the freedom to follow his own lead. Most of all, he got to have his say about Modern design and living.

Thank you, Denise, for your time in answering our questions. And, for giving us the opportunity to help get your grandfather’s name and accomplishments out into the world. 

We are pleased to announce to our readers that a comprehensive book regarding Edgard Sforzina is being released shortly. This exciting, color-illustrated book delves deeper into his treasure trove of work. It was written and soon to be published with the gracious assistance and in association with the Art Deco Society of Washington, D.C.

You can meet and talk to the authors at the 20th Century Cincinnati Show, on February 26th at 10:00am with a book signing following.

20th Century Cincinnati Show

Chris & Anthony (The Freakin’, Tiquen Guys)

_________________________________________________________________________

Reference List

“Art in Industry.” 1928. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. November 4, 1928. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/112345525/1928-art-in-industry/ (Accessed Oct. 13, 1922).

Barozzio de Vignole, Jacques. N.d. Rules of the Five Orders of Architecture by M. Jacques Barozzio de Vignole: With a new augmentation by Michel Angelo Bonaroli and others. Paris : Chez la Ve de la F. Chéreau [Rue Saint-Jacques aux 2 Piliers d’Or].

.“Beauty Combined with Convenience in Modernistic Rooms.”1929. Art & Decoration. February, 1929

Bender, Marylin. “Hattie Carnegie’s Shop to Close Early in Year.”: https://www.nytimes.com/1964/11/26/archives/hattie-carnegies-shop-to-close-early-in-year.html (Accessed November, 2022)

Carlhian (Firm) records. 1867-1988. The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles, Accession no. 930092. https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8z89dsn/entire_text/. Accessed November 27, 2022

“Commercial Leases.” 1928. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, April 12 1928. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/112345295/1928-forzina-inc-lease/ (Accessed Oct 31, 2022)

GGArchives.com. 2022. “SS Rochambeau Passenger List – 7 November 1922.” https://www.ggarchives.com/OceanTravel/Passengers/FrenchLine/Rochambeau-PassengerList-1922-11-07.html

Internet Archive, “The New Art — American Made”, https://archive.org/details/sim_interiors_1928-04-15_80/page/108/mode/2up (Access 09 Nov 2022)

Miller, Tom. 2017. “The L. Alavoine & Co. Façade – No. 712 Fifth Avenue.” Daytonian in Manhattan. https://daytoninmanhattan.blogspot.com/search?q=Alavoine. (Accessed, October, 2022)

Patterson, Curtis. 1931. “Georgian Calm with Modernist Repose.” Harper’s Bazaar, April, 1931

Stern, Robert A. M., Gilmarten, Gregory, and Mellins, Thomas. 1987. New York 1930: Architecture and Urbanism between the two World Wars. New York: Rizzoli

Thorne, Oliver. 1930. “The New York Salons of Forzina.” Home and Field Magazine. January, 1930.

Wikipedia contributors, “Waring & Gillow,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Waring_%26_Gillow&oldid=1110612657  (accessed November 27, 2022).

Other Articles that were not Cited

Boyd, Jr., John Taylor. 1929. “Milgrim — A Fashion Shop for Women.” Architectural Record. Vol 65. June 1929 523-33

“An Art Moderne Setting for Women’s Apparel.” 1928. Good Furniture. May 30, 1928. 239-44.

Rose, Linda C., Rose, Patrick, Yungblut, Gibson, Hord, Edmonston 2003. Cincinnati Union Terminal: The Design and Construction of an Art Deco Masterpiece. Vol. 1. Cincinnati Railroad Club: Ohio. 75 – 80