Interview with Historical Design Gallery
I liked the idea of opening my gallery at 315 East 91st Street because it’s not a trendy neighborhood but a real one. It’s a professional building where you’ll find restorers and a couple of great galleries. One of them happens to be Historical Design, one of the most important 20th and 21st Century Decorative arts gallery in the US. They relocated from 61st Street because they figured since most clients visit them virtually why pay thousands of dollars a month for a large storefront. They are open by appointments only. It is always a great pleasure to visit the gallery which is like an intimate museum. Today I spent a couple of hours talking to founder Daniel Morris.
Historical Design was founded in 1985 with a focus on Art Nouveau and Art Deco. What interested them was finding extraordinary pieces that were forward thinking displaying great creativity with good design. They search for European and American Decorative arts pieces led them back to the 19th Century, attracted by exotic styles, Egyptian and renaissance revival. They discovered Christopher Dresser who Daniel describes as the father of industrial design, he was actually a designer for companies rather than an artisan. His pieces display a modern sensibility which Daniel points out was not even a concept at the time.
Christopher Dresser toast rack c.1881
Silver-plate ”Christopher Dresser covered oval dish c.1880 Silver-plate with ebony handle
In 1995 they opened they gallery on 61st Street and around that time, extraordinary designs in furniture became available in London with Ron Arad, Marc Newson and others. Daniel was fascinated and was an early collector of prototypes and experimental pieces.
Ron Arad Empty chair c.1993 Moulded plywood, cast aluminum Silver-plated metal
As a gallery owner, Daniel explains you have to not only find fascinating pieces but see their potential marketwise so that they become good investments. So when some of these contemporary pieces started to be produced and reproduced a lot they became less attractive in terms of the marketplace. The gallery is multidisciplinary showing furniture, fine art, photography, jewelry because together they express the creative expression of an era. As you can see just by browsing at the online gallery each one of their piece is exciting . Here are a selection of my favorites:
Gerrit Rietveld “Steltman” chair 1963 Oak
What attracted Daniel to this piece is of course the incredible design by an avant-garde designer who in 1918 affected the history of architecture and furniture design with the Red and Blue chair. “ He emulated the 2x4 construction which was the building block of every house built in the second half of the 20th Century. He started and ended his career with 2 chairs of equal design excellence, this last one restates how important and advanced his thinking was, the 1963 chair is even more interesting with its asymmetric form and cantilever seat , like a Donald Judd sculpture from the late 60’s and 70’s
Edgar Brandt Arabesque wrought iron door/gate c.1927-28
Deeply patinated wrought iron with gilt detailing Brandt expert Joan Kahr said of this piece it was the finest example of contoured iron work she’s seen with incredible tapering and interlocking design
Andrea Branzi “Cucus”chair c. 1985 Painted wood, tree branches
What is interesting with this piece other than it’s great design is the naturalist theme added to a witty interpretation which in 1981 was not seen
Carla Tolomeo “Panca Ananassa” settee 2004 Silk, velvet
Daniel discovered Tolomeo’s work in Porto Fino and immediately fell in love with her work because after all the modernity he’s seen and appreciated he now sought fantasy in intricately decorated pieces.
