Doing Deco on the layaway plan and pairing it with items you restore.
by Lynell Robertson
(Everett, Washington)
Ever see something fabulously Art Deco in an antique shop and feel like it's way out of your budget at the current economic moment? Ask the dealer what they can do for you on a layaway plan. I have created a growing collection of Art Deco treasures, from Nuart lamps to a cobalt mirrored Deco table, and using layway judiciously was the way I did it. Let's face it, this stuff is rare and expensive, but right now is a great time for collectors as the market is down. The key to successfully negotiating layaways is this, be sincere, be timely with the payments and don't ask for an additional discount with your layaway, do not ask for a ninety day plan when the store policy is sixty and don't whine. Be courteous, don't disparage items and don't act snippy or aloof. It's okay to get excited about what you see. Really. Develop a good rapport with dealers you like, who have the items you like, and go in regularly to see what is new. I have been pleasantly surprised with discounts on top of layaways with some of the dealers I go to, but I don't expect it. Don't get buyers remorse and ask for your money back and remember, it's okay to be more than a little bit enthusiastic if you like something.
I call it the "oooh" factor, with a soft u, not an oh! so when I see an item that says Art Deco to me, if an "ooooh" escapes, unbidden, it's a good sign that I have located something authentic. Why do I do that? Because when I was fourteen, my Dad took me in a shop that sold Art Deco. while he was searching for antiques for his boat. When we walked in to "The Daily Planet" in Fremont, Dad said, "oooh"! He did snort later when they had nothing for his boat, but I was hooked!!! So pay attention to your insides and they will steer you in the right direction. Always examine the items in questions, ask about age and provenance (origins) Be quite kind, be very complimentary and don't be afraid to share your knowledge. Speak the language of your Deco collecting sincerely and the best dealers will respect you for it. Study all the Deco books that you can, and if you have a guidebook, take one with you when you head out on your treasure hunt.
My current Art Deco collection, over the past four years and careful use of the layaway system, includes a great "Biltwell" sofa and chair suite, a chaise lounge, both recovered over time, a Maxfield Parrish DayBreak litho, a couple of signed Nuarts, another Parrish litho, Deco bookends, sconces that I have painted and rewired and fitted out with golden lightglobes, a "Golden Hour" Jefferson Mystery clock, hidden behind some tatty items on a low shelf and more. How was I inspired to this, you may ask? By the legendary Barbra Streisand, of all people, as she did this to acquire things she liked during the very early phase of her career. She paid for the items on a layaway and kept them in the shop until she was ready to get them home.
When I began collecting, I started out at the twenty dollar range, which meant sometimes I could not get more than an old Fiesta bowl or plate, or some sheet music with Deco graphics, which I later framed, and one time a great old Deco pitcher from the Czech Republic, for about $15, that bears a resemblance to a Clarice Cliff. I had to develop my eye and my patience along with it, and work my way up the scale collecting. Now my eye is sharper and so are my saving and negotiation skills. Right now I am seriously considering a great old Chinese Deco rug, and with careful saving and a few sacrifices, I should have it home by April. Create categories for your collecting, ie. acquiring groups of shades for the lady lamps, they will come in handy when you find that perfect Frankart without a shade, or vintage fabrics to recover those dining room chairs, that wouldn't look quite right in something from Joann's. Do you love barkcloth? Create a stash of that. Cobalt mirrored tables? Start with one and work your way up to several, create a set. Stay on task, don't be tempted to mix things up. Stay alert and focused, and just the right things will come to you at any moment. Study what you are currently focusing on and when you are out looking, you are likely to find several of them at once. Choose the ones that are in the best condition, reject things that are cracked and muzzy, i.e. mirrors and glass, they are not replaceable if they are vintage. And while some wear is fine, desecration is not chic. Great Deco furniture was beautifully finished with a shine, so anything that is obviously worn out, is not in keeping with the look and so will require refinishing. Be gentle but firm with those who insist on selling you a "time worn look" usually overpriced for whatever reasons they may have. Good Art Deco is not meant to appear time worn, the idea is to bring it back to the way it was supposed to be, glamorously modern and a little bit jazzy.
Put your more expensive pieces, next to the ones you have lovingly restored on your budget and just see how fantastically your collection will take on a great old school Deco look. Look for the potential in something that has the great Deco lines but needs something, ie. your careful consideration and skilled eye for a refinishing, a deep polish with orange oil or a little gilding on the rough spots on that eighty year old picture frame of your Max Parrish. St. Vincent DePaul, of all places, is usually a treasure trove of late thirties and early forties streamline and Deco. By wise use of period correct stains and polishes, you will noticeably increase the value of these would be cast offs. Researching online offers great advice on period colors, I print everything and create folders.
I live in the Pacific Northwest, where Art Deco is not a big deal so these things are readily available and there for your careful restoration. Remember, antiquing is the ultimate form of recycling. How many new chairs today, are going to be around in eighty years like the Deco beauties we will lovingly renew to their former glamour today? Good luck in your searching! Be big and bold in your choices and let me know how you are doing. Some photos of my obsession will follow shortly.
Yours Very Truly, "The Decogal"
