Jean Garnier (1853 - 1910), who usually signed his work J. Garnier, was an important Art Nouveau sculptor who participated in French "Salon des Artistes" and is well known for his bronzes, including a variety of Art Nouveau vases and pitchers. He also worked in spelter, pewter, clay, and silver. He was raised by an uncle and went out to apprentice in his craft, then went out on his own and achieved success, showing regularly at the French salons between 1883 and 1905.

His work is discussed in the definitive book: Philippe Dahhan, Etains 1900: 200 Sculpteurs de la belle epoque (Editions de L'amateur, 2000).

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[American Designer, 1898-1986]

Guild studied at Syracuse University and after working in the graphic design field, moved into the relatively new field of industrial design. He, like the better known Raymond Loewy, brought the streamlined Art Deco look to the products of industrial design. One of his most famous designs is the streamlined Hoover Electrolux XXX of 1937. It has been said that Lurelle Guild has "never designed a commercial failure."

His business, Lurelle Guild Associates, would eventually be producing nearly 1,000 designs a year. When he developed a new product, he patented it, and then selected a manufacturer. He worked with Alcoa who credits him for creating a whole new perception of aluminum. Kensington Ware, his Art Deco aluminum alloy designs for giftware and household items were relatively expensive, elegantly streamlined,very "Machine Age" and have become very collectivble since the Kensington plant closed in 1970.

Lurelle Guild also designed extensively for the Chase Brass & Copper Co. He designed elegant giftware for them, also lamps and light fixtures.

No matter what he designed or for whom he designed it, he always achieved the architectural and industrial design goal that beauty of form should follow function.

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Founded in Meriden CT by Philip Handel, Handel lamp company goes back to 1876. Its original line centered around reverse-painted glass that could be used with oil or kerosene bases. Later Handel moved into Tiffany-type Art Nouveau glasswork and styling, often with nature themes.

In 1902 a foundry was added allowing control of the base design as well. Bases were predominantly cast and patinated white metal, although bronze was occasionally used.

Handel lamp shades are sometimes signed by their artists. Handel was successful both before and during the height of the Art Nouveau style. The company did not succeed with Art Deco lamps and ceased business in 1936.

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In the early 1900s the Heintz Art Metal Shop, Buffalo, New York, provided a variant Arts and Crafts style for metal work. Otto Heintz, the founder, was trained as a manufacturing jeweler. At 25 he left the family business and bought his own small company, named it the Art Crafts Shop, and produced copper pieces with enamel decoration.

Later, he moved into other metal work, abandoning his original hammered metal look for machine-shaped forms with artful patination, and renaming his business the Heintz Art Metal Shop. He developed and patented a process for applying sterling silver ornamentation to bronze without solder.

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High-end bronze lighting manufacturer creating Art Deco lighting and active during the 1920s and 1930s. They had two showrooms in Paris at 9 Place des Vosges and 10 Rue de Turenne.

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Imari porcelain gets its name from the port from whence the first Japanese porcelain was shipped to europe and elsewhere. The Japanese porcelain industry developed in the 17th century after kaolin or porcelain clay was discovered in the southern Japanese village of Arita by a resettled Korean potter.

The earliest porcelain was decorated with cobalt blue, but iron-oxide red and other colors were added to appeal to the European market. Overglazed colored enamels became a hallmark of Imari ware.

The rare porcelain was much prized by royalty and aristocracy in Europe. During the Edo period [1603-1868] foreign trade was tightly controlled. With the installation of the new Meiji government in 1868 came the end of Edo period isolationist policies and export of Imari ware increased.

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