The Maiden Voyage & Cunard Inter-War Transatlantic Ocean Liners
by Jenny Steele During my recent project The Maiden Voyage, I explored the design of transatlantic ocean liners that sailed from Liverpool to New York, partly through research at the Cunard Archive, University of Liverpool Special Collections. Between the 1860’s and 1930’s, Liverpool was the main UK port for transatlantic travel, predominantly for emigration and […]
An Auchterarder Art-Deco Gem
by Helen Bowman On the predominantly nineteenth century main thoroughfare in Auchterarder, Perthshire, one of Scotland’s first purpose-built picture houses has recently been listed in recognition of its special architectural and historic interest. An unexpected flourish of Modernism is always a treat and its survival is redolent of an exciting time when a developing art […]
Kensal House – Rising Again?
Rebecca Watson Brown encourages members to cherish this famous modernist estate. Maxwell Fry and Elizabeth Denby’s Kensal House (1937) is a flagship building of pre-war UK modern architecture, appearing on the front cover of J.M. Richard’s widely-read contemporary tome An Introduction to Modern Architecture. The estate merits the society’s interest because its continuing renovation […]
The Plaza: the North’s Finest Super Cinema
by Lauren Livesey The Stockport Plaza opened in 1932 as part of a chain of ten cinemas around Greater Manchester owned by the Read, Snape and Ward Circuit; it was intended to be their flagship cinema. The architects fulfilled their brief. The Plaza is striking and monumental on the outside. Cecil B. de Mille could […]
Dorsal – An introduction to Thomas Harrington Ltd’s streamline coaches of 1930s.
When he isn’t wrestling with the intricacies of modelling Art Deco cinemas, ADSUK member Paul Smith likes to takes part in coach rallies. Here he tracks down a lost style of south coast streamline travel. Read on and relive the romance of thirties coach travel! With guest appearance by Miss Marple. Transport in the 1930s […]
We’ll Meet Again – a Tribute to Dame Vera Lynn
This morning, the vintage community, and indeed, the nation, or even the world, were saddened to hear about the passing of Dame Vera Lynn, the Forces Sweetheart, at the grand age of 103. Over the last few months, Dame Vera’s lyrics have become a tonic for the difficult days we have been facing in lockdown. […]
A New Urban Pleasure – Beauty Salons during the Inter-War Years
by Lucy Jane Santos What is considered beautiful varies according to the historical place and period, and according to gender, ethnicity and class – but beauty has always been a prized attribute. The 20th century, however, saw a massive change in how beauty was understood and achieved. The beauty industry was soon firmly established. Its […]
Cloud Suites and Cocktail Bars
Garry Ashton-Coulter, a collector of Art Deco and Moderne furniture for over twenty years, shares his appreciation of the Epstein Brothers’ creations. Garry is the society’s south-east representative. Top photo: Art Deco Dining Table by Epstein in Sycamore c1930. Photo courtesy of thefurniturerooms.co.uk Whilst having none of the skyscraper ‘theatre’ of American deco from the […]
Babylon Berlin, Intrigue and Decor in the Weimar Republic.
Moving on from Poirot, our continental creative director Adam, Twitter’s @artdecoist, recommends a series that all lovers of Art Deco should sample during their confinement. Even as Nordic Noir has found a special place in the hearts of the British television-viewing public, there is one dog-that-didn’t-bark in the night time question: why has no German […]
Ravelston Garden – Putting Edinburgh Art Deco on the map
by Stuart Ferguson Edinburgh is not blessed with many Art Deco or Modernist buildings, but what it lacks in quantity is more than made up for in quality. St Andrew’s House, home of the Scottish Government and the Streamline Moderne Maybury Roadhouse, on the way into the city from the airport are the best examples […]