Chrome items of the 1930s and 1940s with their gleaming surfaces and streamline designs make a nice Art Deco statement. Though I began to collect Art Deco in 1982, I didn’t actively collect chrome pieces of the era. It wasn’t until the very early 2000s that I started amassing my large collection of these shiny objects. And it is no accident that most of the chrome items that Chris and I own are from the Chase Brass and Copper Company. But more about Chase in future posts.
In my early collecting days, I believed that if it was chrome it must be Deco. Yes, I was that young. My mom gave me my first chrome item, a cocktail shaker. Looking back, this unmarked shaker did not come from the 1930s. And was definitely not Deco. Most likely my grandparents purchased it in the 1950s. But it satisfied me (at the time) and it provided a stylish way to mix drinks, especially Manhattans.
My grandparents 1950s unmarked chrome cocktail shaker. From the collection of the author.
If you are in the market for a vintage cocktail shaker here are some things to look out for before buying one:
1. Make sure the shaker has its little spout cap. If it doesn’t there is no way you can shake a cocktail without it making a mess.
2. Look over the top cap carefully, look for stress cracks. A little crack will get bigger with time.
3. Make sure the inside is clean. There are lots of shakers out there whose insides have become corroded.
4. Pass on it if it has lots of dents or scratches.
Another chrome piece from my early Deco days is a reproduction of an airplane lamp from the 1930s. Chris featured this lamp in our post Fabulous Fakes. I became aware of the original of this lamp from the book Collecting Nostalgia by John Mebane.
The paperback edition of Collecting Nostalgia by John Mebane, 1972. Image from Amazon.com
So I had a pleasant surprise when I saw it in the a shop window in Rockefeller Center in 1982. This happened to be the Sarsaparilla flagship store. For me it was a no brainer purchase.
The Sarsaparilla airplane lamp in my first Art Deco room, 1983.
And it since then it always held a special place in my home. While it does not exactly reproduce the look of the 1930s original it is close enough.
A recent photo of the my Sarsaparilla glass and chrome Airplane Lamp. From the collection of the author.
Then there is the Westbend Penguin Hot and Cold Server or as it is more commonly known as, the Penguin Ice Bucket. Designed by Ralph N. Kircher at the very, very end of the Art Deco era in 1941, it did not reach the market until after World War II.
Ralph N. Kircher’s patent drawings for the West Bend Penguin Hot and Cold Server. From Google Patents.
Being insulated like a thermos, it can be used for anything cold or hot. Though the Penguin motif seems a bit incongruous for hot soup or a casserole. Even the shape of the handles evoke the wings of a Penguin.
The West Bend “Penguin” Hot and Cold Server gifted to me from my aunt. Chrome with plastic handles.
Plastic handle and knob detail of my Penguin Hot and Cold Server.
While not technically a piece from the Art Deco era (it is much more Midcentury Modern), it is only one step removed. And I’ve had mine since the beginning of my Deco collecting days. And I didn’t have to buy it, it came to me from my aunt. It was one of three that my family owned. And just like the airplane lamp it too found a place of honor in my first Art Deco room and has been with me ever since.
My chrome West Bend Penguin Hot and Cold Server on my “bar” in my first Art Deco room, 1983. The “bar” is long gone, but I still have the Penguin ice bucket.
When the Penguin Hot Cold Server first hit the stores they came only in chrome with wooden handles and knob. Sometime in the 1950s plastic handles replaced the wooden ones. By far the majority of the Penguin servers are in chrome, but they also came in copper and brushed aluminum.
Chris’ polished copper Penguin Hot and Cold Server.
The brushed aluminum version with wood knob and handles. Image from liveauctioneers.com.
West Bend kept the Penguin Hot and Cold Server in production for approximately thirty years, from 1947 – 1977. When Chris and I go to an antique mall or flea market no day is considered complete until we see a Penguin Ice Bucket. On a good day we normally see three or four. They are everywhere! So here are a few tips if you’re in the market for one:
1. Make sure the insulation isn’t broken. Pick it up and shake it, if it doesn’t make a sound it is good, if it rattles it is not.
2. Smell the inside, the rubber gasket will break down with age and decompose and when it does it will start to off gas an odor.
3. Make sure the rubber gasket is smooth and crack free.
4. Look for dents.
5. Pay $30.00 or less for one in good condition. Chris and I have seen these range in price from $10.00 – $250.00. Don’t rush into buying one, you’ll find another without any difficulty.
For some reason I did not actively begin collecting more chrome pieces. After a long period of dormancy I picked up my first piece made for the Chase Speciality line, in 1999. Even though I don’t smoke I liked the look of the Bubble Cigarette Server and it only cost me $3.00.
The Chase Bubble Cigarette Server, available from 1937-1941. From the collection of the author.
Even though it was a small step, it was not long before Chris and I began to purchase more and more Chase items. Future posts this summer will look at the different aspects of the Chase Speciality Line.
Anthony & Chris (The Freakin’, Tiquen’ Guys)