Modern America Lighting
Art Deco Style

Era: 1925 - 1950

Related Styles: Streamline Porcelain, Streamline

Had you attended opening night at Radio City Music Hall on December 27, 1932 and gushed to your friend "Isn't Art Deco just the coolest?" - they wouldn't have had a clue what you were talking about.

"Art Deco" wasn't coined until 1966 (and "cool" was a good 20 years away from common usage).

In the late 1920s, as the new French-inspired movement made its American debut, it was known as the Modernistic style. Modernistic design was distinguished by breaking completely free from past artistic traditions in favor of a fresh aesthetic that was flat, colorful, angular, and boldly optimistic.

Some folks lump Art Deco with Streamline. While there are influences, Art Deco as we know it is more assertive and more decorative than most Streamline styles.