Art Deco industrial designer Walter von Nessen is best known for his glamorous Machine Age lighting designs and for his invention of the swing-arm lamp. Von Nessen was born in Germany, where he studied under Bruno Paul at Berlin’s Kunstgewerbeschule. After World War I, he worked for the architect Peter Behrens, in Berlin. He left in 1919 for Stockholm, where he designed furniture until emigrating with his wife, Margaretta, to the United States in 1923. In 1927, the couple opened Nessen Studios in Manhattan, designing and selling sleek, modern architectural lighting.
Art Deco was both novel and exciting in the late 1920s — as, indeed, was electricity itself — and Nessen Studios was at the forefront of the movement. Electric lighting designers at the time had no direct models to follow. The shapes and silhouettes of gas lamps, lanterns and chandeliers had been influenced by those of the kerosene-, oil- and candle-lit fixtures that preceded them, which in turn were informed by the fuels they used. Electric lighting required designs that accommodated essentials of the new technology, like cords and sockets. Von Nessen and his contemporaries thus had to create fixtures that addressed these challenges and looked modern without appearing overly mechanical.
Along with industrial-design visionaries of the period like Raymond Loewy, Gilbert Rohde and Donald Deskey, von Nessen crafted a style that was emblematic of the Machine Age. He produced lamps and home accessories from spun aluminum, with smooth surfaces that evoked the polished gleam of streamlined automobiles and airplanes. And he experimented with other popular materials of the era, such as Bakelite, chrome and fiberglass. His ingenious design for the now-ubiquitous swing-arm lamp earned him a reputation as an innovator.
Von Nessen’s work is represented in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art and the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian National Design Museum, among other institutions. Designed to complement the luxurious interiors of the 1920s and ‘30s, still look fresh nearly a century later.
Art Deco Period Champlevé Bird Ashtray or Sculpture
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful Chinese Art Deco period champlevé enamel and bronze bird ashtray or sculpture, circa 1920s-1930s, China. Dimensions: 2.63" Depth x 3.25" Width...
Bronze, Enamel
Ashtray by Walter Bosse Vienna Around 1950s ( signed Baller )
By Walter Bosse, Herta Baller
Located in Wien, Au
Ashtray by Walter Bosse Vienna Around 1950s ( signed Baller ) Original condition
Brass
Art Deco Ashtray in Bronze By Cawa, 1930s
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Steamline stylized ashtray in cast bronze. Suitable for both cigars, pipe and cigarettes. Manufactured by CAWA in Denmark during the 1930s. The style of this piece is reminiscent Tin...
Bronze
$256
H 1.78 in W 2.76 in D 5.52 in
Sculpture Ashtray or Vide Poche, in Solid Brass, in a Gold Color, France 1970
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
This item is a sculpture, an ashtray or vide poche in brass. In a gold color , it has been made in France circa 1970, ans it is in a good condition, with an old Patina.
Brass
Ashtray vienna around 1950s
Located in Wien, Au
Ashtray vienna around 1950s Original condition
Brass
Art Deco Glass Ashtray by Maurice Marinot, France, c. 1930s
By Maurice Marinot
Located in Autonomous City Buenos Aires, CABA
Art Deco Glass Ashtray by Maurice Marinot, France, c. 1930s An exceptional glass ashtray by Maurice Marinot (1882–1960), one of the most influential figures in early 20th-century Fr...
Art Glass
Ashtray, Herta Baller Vienna, Around 1950s ( marked on bottom )
By Herta Baller
Located in Wien, Au
Ashtray, Herta Baller Vienna, Around 1950s ( marked on bottom ) Original condition
Brass
Small Hammered Ashtray Vienna Around, 1950s
Located in Wien, Au
Small hammered ashtray vienna around 1950s. Brass polished and stove enameled.
Brass
Murano, 1930, Italian, Attributed to Paolo Venini-Seguso
By Paolo Venini
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
Logistics and International Shipping We provide a comprehensive export service so that your only concern is enjoying your acquisition. • Door-to-Door Service: Pieces located in our Argentina galleries are shipped directly to your address via air freight. • Simplified Customs Management: We handle the processing of export permits and the payment of customs duties. You will receive your purchase without additional paperwork or surprise costs. • High-Security Packaging: Following FedEx international standards, each piece is protected in custom-made wooden crates, designed to withstand 1-meter impacts and ensure the integrity of the object during transit. • Note for shipments to the USA: To comply with shipping company regulations and ensure delivery at the destination, a valid tax ID (EIN, SSN, or ITIN) is required. • Domestic US Shipping: For those pieces available in our United States storage, logistics are managed through 1stdibs. Murano We have specialized in the sale of Art Deco and Art Nouveau and Vintage styles since 1982. If you have any questions we are at your disposal. Pushing the button that reads 'View All From Seller'. And you can see more objects to the style for sale. Attributed to Venini Early life and education Venini was born in the town of Cusano near Milan, Italy. After serving in the Royal Italian Army in World War I, he trained as a lawyer and began his practice in Milan. He soon developed an acquaintance with Giacomo Cappellin, a native of Venice who owned a Milan antiques...
Murano Glass
$595
H 1.97 in W 3.67 in D 2.76 in
Danish Modernist Smile Brass Ashtray or Incense Burner by Carl Cohr, 1950s
By Carl M. Cohr, Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Hans Bunde
Located in Malmö, SE
Iconic egg shaped Brass Ashtray. It is called 'the Smile' and was designed by silversmith Hans Bunde and manufactured by Carl Cohr in Fredericia, Denmark during the 1950s. Great or...
Brass
Mid-Century Modern Ashtray by Robert Maxwell, Ceramic and Glass, USA
By Robert Maxwell
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Stoneware ashtray with an orange and yellow glass center by Robert Maxwell. The ashtray features a notched outer rim with crushed glass center. Underside is signed - Robert Maxwell. ...
Glass, Ceramic
Pal-Bell Ashtray in Cast Bronze by Maurice Ascalon
By Pal-Bell, Maurice Ascalon
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A heavy, cast bronze ashtray by Maurice Ascalon in a nautilus shape has a fluted, flat edge that widens as it spirals around the well, which has a hammered texture. The concave porti...
Bronze
Chinese Brass Ashtray Bowl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Round brass ashtray that could be used to hold a myriad of things. This ashtray showcases its age in its patina and has eight divots around the mouth. Dimensions 7.5” diameter x 2.5...
Brass
Solid Brass Bird Dish
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Brass catchall features a bird form with delicate florals throughout. With a center well it makes the perfect vide poche, decorative dish or ashtray. Dimensions 4.5” width x 7” dept...
Brass
Glazed Stoneware Ashtray with Crushed Glass Rim
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Stoneware ashtray with glass inlaid rim. The round ashtray features an unglazed exterior and underside with a crushed glowing green glass rim and turquoise glazed interior. The piece...
Glass, Stoneware
Solid Brass Ashtray
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Solid round brass ashtray. This piece features two deep wells separated by comb like notches down the middle of the ashtray. Dimensions 7" diameter x 1.5" height. Condition Excelle...
Brass
