Christmas at Radio City

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The 2014 Christmas Tree in Rockefeller Center.

The 2014 Christmas Tree in Rockefeller Center.

Normally, I would avoid Rockefeller Center the Saturday before Christmas at all costs, but this past Saturday I found my self only a block away and it was early enough in the morning to take some photos and avoid the large mobs. Rockefeller Center, whose nickname was “Radio City” back in the 1930’s was and is dominated by the enormous slab of the RCA Building (known as the GE Building since 1988, or 30 Rock, or the Top of the Rock).  Noted architect, Raymond Hood (1881-1934), who was the model for the fictional Peter Keating in Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead, designed the 70 story, 842 foot building. The RCA Building is the home of NBC studios, the best observation deck in New York City (in my opinion) and the famed Rainbow Room restaurant.

The lobby is one of the best Deco spaces in New York City. Decorated with huge murals by Catalan artist Jose-Maria Sert (1874 – 1945), “American Progress” is the mural on the main wall of the lobby, which replaced Diego Rivera’s (1886 – 1957) controversial “Man at the Crossroads”. Rivera’s mural was destroyed at the order of Nelson Rockefeller before it’s completion in 1933. “Time” is the ceiling section of the mural.

 Above the Rockefeller Plaza entrance are huge frosted glass windows and bass reliefs. The main relief designed by Lee Lawrie (1877 – 1963) was carved out of limestone and cast in glass. Known as “Wisdom”, the official title is “Genius, which interprets to the Human Race the Laws and Cycles of the Cosmic Forces of the Universe Making Cycles of Light and Sound”. I can understand why it was shortened to “Wisdom”.

 

I’ve always enjoyed spending time at Rockefeller Center, even if I don’t like crowds. It is one of the best Art Deco city spaces anywhere in the world.

Chris & Anthony (The Freakin’ Tiquen’ Guys)

Walter Dorwin Teague Treasures at the Dallas Museum of Art

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This past summer when Chris and I were in Dallas, Texas one of the places that was high on our list to visit was the Dallas Museum of Art. After walking around the grounds of Fair Park in the 103 degree heat it was a very pleasant relief to get inside this wonderful museum. Located in the heart of downtown Dallas, admission is free and only eight dollars for special exhibits. Among the items on display are two Art Deco gems created by the dean of industrial designers, Walter Dorwin Teague (1883 – 1960), best known for the Kodak Bantam Special camera and the Ford Pavillion at the 1939 New York World’s Fair.

 

Teague was commissioned by the Eastman Kodak Company in the late 1920’s to design cameras with modernistic designs. The Gift Kodak No. 1 was introduced in the Christmas season of 1930 and was discontinued the following year. The camera came in a cedar lined box that was a work of art in itself. The original cost of the camera and box was $15.00 ($213.00 in 2013 dollars). Today if one is lucky enough to find one for sale expect to pay anywhere between $600.00 to as high as $6,500.00 (which is way too high in my opinion.)

 

Kodak No. 1 Gift Camera

Kodak No. 1 Gift Camera cedar lined boxed.

Kodak No. 1 Gift Camera

Kodak No. 1 Gift Camera

The Sparton Radio Company commissioned Teague in the mid-1930’s to design a series of radios. This collaboration produced some of the most spectacular Art Deco radios ever made. All of Teague’s radios for Sparton are recognizable by the use of blue mirror and chrome. The Nocturn was the console model of these radios. Standing nearly four feet high and almost two feet wide it certainly was a statement piece. It was also costly, $350.00 ($6,100.00 in 2014), when it went on sale at the end of 1935. Produced for just a couple of years, only 25 are known to exist today.

 

Sparton Nocturn Radio

Sparton Nocturn Radio

So if you are ever visiting Dallas stop by the Dallas Museum of Art and see these and other Art Deco treasures.

 

Chris & Anthony (The Freakin’ Tiquen’ Guys)