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New Books for Collectors
—
July 2008
The American
Designs: Jensen Silver
by Nancy Schiffer and Janet Drucker
Reviewed by Robert Reed
(Antique & Collectible News Service)
 |
The American Designs: Jensen Silver, just released by Schiffer Publishing, offers sweeping coverage of the work and artistic scope two leading 20th century silversmiths.
Great attention is paid to the designs of American craftsmen William deMatteo and Alphonse La Paglia. The book carefully explores the contributions the two made with fine sterling silver tableware and jewelry that was sold at the Georg Jensen store in late 1940s New York City.
The book dramatically depicts and documents the accomplishments of these two highly talented silversmiths and the Jensen store’s impact on Danish modern style of goods of the later mid-20th century. Tea sets, candelabras, bowls, serving spoons, and a variety of jewelry are among the items crafted within their sensational designs.
La Paglia was contracted by Frederik Lunning to crease designs for jewelry and hollowware specifically in the Jensen style. Note the authors Nancy Schiffer and Janet Drucker, “La Paglia was a master craftsman who created unique interpretations of Jensen motifs.”
Meanwhile deMatteo was a prolific and productive silversmith who “easily adapted to the Danish designs and developed similar hollowware, with tendrils and blossoms close enough to resemble Georg Jensen’s singular style.” He continued those unique designs until he retired.
Schiffer is an editor, collector and author of numerous books in the antiques field including Silver Jewelry Designs. Drucker is a leading dealer in 20th century art and Georg Jensen silver. She is author of the book, Georg Jensen, A Tradition of Splendid Silver.
The American Designs: Jensen Silver by Nancy Schiffer and Janet Drucker, hardcover, index, 192 pages, is $49.95 plus shipping from Schiffer Publishing, 4880 Lower Valley Rd., Atglen, PA 19310.
Tea Art: A Modern Look
at Vintage Tea Graphics
by Gregory Suriano
Reviewed by Robert Reed
(Antique & Collectible News Service)
 |
Readers will find a delightful gathering of all manners of paper-related treasures that have somehow promoted tea in Tea Art by Gregory Suriano. Postcards, posters, trade cards, advertisements, booklets, and labels are among the generous offerings in this two-dimensional cup of tea. There are more than 160 wonderfully illustrated tea-evoking images. The book also provides a price guide of the collectible paper items.
“This collection of gorgeous, colorful, and graphically interesting images has been assembled to appeal to the collector of vintage tea advertisements and other paper ephemera,” notes the author. Suriano adds, “while we have reached back into the late 18th century for this survey of tea popularization and art, our concept of vintage basically ends in the1960s for purposes of the reproductions in this book.”
Tea collectors’ aside, this book is also helpful and enlightening to the army of other collectors of paper items. It would not be difficult to visualize similar conception volume such as dairy products, railroad transportation, or even sporting goods.
Among the tea-related postcards the author rates as among the “best” are those sepia or black and white photos which “are then enhanced by over-drawing details and new, brighter color tinting — all leading to a fantasy or poster-like appearance to what ordinarily be a simple place photograph.”
Suriano is the author of several books and also has a background both magazine and book editing. He is also a veteran collector of paper collectibles.
Tea Art: A Modern Look at Vintage Tea Graphics by Gregory Suriano, softcover, color illustrated, 112 pages, is $24.99 plus shipping from Schiffer Publishing, 4880 Lower Valley Rd., Atglen, PA 19310.
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