The Casual Decoration of Objects Before the 1930's

I believe with the advent of cheap 3d printing and CNC, decoration will be making a comeback soon, and I'm looking forward to this even if there will be ugly/awkward designs introduced in the period. The problem with clean lines modern, is that when it's done poorly, it looks terribly plain and so much of today's modern buildings fit this bill.

Really enjoy your comments and observations about design in the ordinary world that surrounds us. A good reminder to all of us to 'look up' every once and a while and see and notice things. Thanks for the gentle dig in the ribs.

Or maybe it's to represent a spinning wheel, which would make it fit the setting and be a quite 'modern' decoration. Then it wouldn't be 'random' but purposeful, placed over the door that ushers people into the 'world' of rapidly spinning wheels that would speed them across the city.

I have been meaning to write a note for months to tell you how much I enjoy your blog. Having grown up in Bushwick Brooklyn in the 40's and fifty's
there is a lot to relate to. Moved to Richmond Hill Queens in the mid 60's and Manhattan in the early 70's.

Love the stories of your trips to so many places that I have been and enjoyed with less than your careful eye.
Please keep them coming and someday I will buy more than the holdfasts from you.

We need more people to bring the craft to others.

I was a blacksmith. Commenting on the frequency of twists, curls and what not in iron work a colleague said "Well it's hot, why not do something with it?"

Gotta wonder about effect of large scale wars on decorative arts - think of furniture before and then after Napoleon. Skilled craftsmen/future apprentices become cannon fodder/fertilizer, fortunes are lost, priorities change

During the 2nd quarter of the century (1920's through 1950's) there was a lot of chatter about "form follows function", versus "function follows form" which was most "modern" designer's concept of the type of designs done in previous century. As an artist and designer, I have always asked the question, "why can function not HAVE form?" I feel that the square generic objects with no decoration are incredibly dull, or down right horrible. I also seem to have a case of "horror Vacuii" which is an art term for detesting blank, undecorated space. Anyway, thanks for sharing what you do.

Johann