Art Deco | Architecture & Jewelry Design

The Art Deco design movement arose internationally in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s in response to the sweeping curves, pastel colors, and ornate, nature-inspired motifs of the Art Nouveau movement that preceded it. The movement spanned all areas of design, from the architecture of buildings to the craftsmanship of fine jewelry.

The city of Chicago’s skyline has countless examples of the Art Deco movement, as participants in the Chicago Architecture Foundation’s river tour can attest. The buildings of this movement are characterized by strong vertical lines, symmetry, bright colors, and geometric ornamentation. An observant eye can spot exquisite Deco decorative detail on facades and in interiors throughout the city. Among the most recognizable are the Chicago Board of Trade, the Merchandise Mart, and the Carbide and Carbon .

These themes can also be found in the fine jewelry of this period as well. Leslie Hindman Auctioneers’ Fine Jewelry sales frequently highlight numerous examples of stunning Art Deco styling, in the characteristic platinum and diamonds and often accented with colored stones.

The long vertical lines and recessed planes of the Chicago Board of Trade Building mirrors the six rectangular rubies of an Art Deco dinner ring (Sale 365, Lot 70), whose elongated shape is reminiscent of the skyscraper.

Carved details on an elevator door in the Chicago Board of Trade Building replicates a pair of diamond drop earrings showcasing coral and onyx, both popular for their sharp, graphic colors. Long, tapered earrings like these were the perfect complement to the shorter hairstyles that became popular in the 1920s. (Sale 269, Lot 99)

Over 20 carats of diamonds decorate a characteristically opulent Art Deco bracelet (Sale 365, Lot 488). Similar in design, the interior ornamentation in the Chicago Motor Club.