December 1: The November, 1930 House Beautiful article “An Apartment in the Twentieth-Century Manner” by Helen Sprackling is now available in the reference library. The article demonstrates how designer Gilbert Rohde decorated a small penthouse apartment in Greenwich Village. Click on the photograph below to read the article.
An Apartment in the Twentieth Century Manner. Interior Design by Gilbert Rohde
Despite the snow flurries, the spring Pier Antique Show was held over the weekend of March 28th – 29th. Chris and I made our bi-yearly trip to meet our friends, attend the show and, hopefully, buy some Deco collectibles.
After leaving Penn Station, we stopped to get coffee and a muffin at the Tick Tock Cafe in the Hotel New Yorker, at 8th Avenue and 34th Street. This was the first time either of us had been in the 85-year-old Deco hotel. While not restored to its 1930 appearance, there are still some great original elements left.
Chandelier in the Lobby
Lobby Chandelier
Lobby Sconce
Elevator Door Detail
The restrooms of the Tick Tock Cafe are downstairs next to what was the vault of the Manufacturers Trust Company, which had a branch at street level. The Deco iron gates with the bank’s initials are still in place.
Manufacturers Trust Bank Vault
Bank gate detail.
Though the bank is gone its street entrance remains. Even with the scaffolding in front of it, the doorway still shines through.
Street level entrance to the long gone bank.
Entrance detail.
Door detail.
Directly across 8th Avenue, was a remnant of 1930’s New York that I had never noticed before – a building that once housed a Bickford’s Cafeteria. Not as well-known today as the Automat, but from the 1920’s through the 1970’s there were over 40 Bickford restaurants throughout Manhattan, serving good food and staying open late into the night. By 1980 only two were left, both of which closed in 1982. Like the architecture of the Automats, most Bickfords were designed in a Moderne style, such as the one that was on 8th Avenue, just north of 34th Street.
One of the former Bickford’s restaurants.
After a 20 block walk we arrived at Pier 94. Our friends were already there and the four of us were surprised that the show had about 1/4 to 1/3 fewer dealers than the Pier Antique Show of last November. There were less people attending the show as well; I hope this is not indicative of future shows.
Chris ready to start some big game hunting for Deco treasures.
Despite there being fewer dealers, the ones there did have great items, like this table sculpture of “Diana, the Huntress”, from the 1920’s. This booth was in the “Modernism” section of the show.
Bronze or white metal sculpture of “Diana the Huntress”.
We started at noon and finished shopping and browsing just before 6:00, which was closing time. Below is a video of me showing off my two Deco purchases.
Chris and I feel that the March Pier Antique Show is the official start of a new “freakin’, tiquen'” year and we can’t wait to start hitting the road to visit new places.
Chris & Anthony (The Freakin’, Tiquen’ Guys)
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