Retro Radar - Vintage Living at its Best! » Retro Decor

SPIN FACTORY

the editor — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 21:06:32 +0000

Moss Lamps Add That Special Twist
By Donald-Brian Johnson, Contributing Writer
Photos by Leslie Pina

Here’s the situation: It’s your turn to play host. You want the gang to be impressed, and you’ve done your best with the decor. It’s OK. But you want more than OK. You want a focal point. You want that one, wonderful object that will leave them gasping. You want a Moss lamp.

This Moss floor lamp with a revolving

Once seen, a Moss lamp is never forgotten. These plexiglas marvels of the 1940s and ’50s not only invite attention, they demand it. Produced by San Francisco’s Moss Manufacturing Company, the lamps were born of necessity. Originally, Moss made traditional metal lamps, but with the dawn of World War II and metal rationing, a new raw material was needed. Company owner Gerry Moss turned to staff designer Duke Smith. Smith’s answer: plexiglas. Developed in 1934, plexi had a number of points in its favor: it was inexpensive, it was novel, it was easy to work with, and, most importantly, it wasn’t rationed.

A new material demanded new designs, and Smith’s early lamps took full advantage of plexi’s adaptability: angled pieces not only formed the lamp bodies, but also jutted out in every direction imaginable. More variety was soon on the way, thanks to the non-stop imagination of company co-owner Thelma Moss. An entrepreneur extraordinaire, Thelma made it her mission in life to inspire her designers. What Thelma Moss imagined, Moss designers brought to life, and Thelma imagined plenty.

This Moss table lamp features the

Revolving platforms, for instance. Thelma was adamant that Moss lamps do something, and soon they did: they revolved, giving rise to the Moss reputation as makers of “the lamps that spin”. Ceramic figurines by some of the top firms of the day, (among them, Hedi Schoop, Ceramic Arts Studio, Lefton, Yona, Dorothy Kindell, and deLee Art), were attached to plexiglas disks powered by hidden motors. A flip of the switch, and each figure began its stately revolve.

“But wait,” as the ads say, “there’s more!” Buoyed by the success of the spinners, Thelma lobbied for further embellishments. Under the direction of Duke Smith, and later designer John Disney, the basic plexiglas shapes served as launching pads for an endless variety of Thelma-inspired innovations. Soon, the revolving platforms became mini-stages, lit by separate bulbs both above and below. Plexiglas planters were added, as were figurines that actually seemed to interact with their plexi environments: young girls perched on motorized swings, Oriental figures peering around oversize gongs, dancers extending their arms to the strains of tinkling music boxes. Clocks, radios, and even walkie-talkies were also eventually incorporated into the lamp designs. Topping things off were those signature Moss shades: gargantuan (at times up to two feet square), and often fashioned of the Moss secret formula for “spun glass”–an angel hair/adhesive mixture cured in a metal mold to form a hard shell.

Pushing the Envelope of Design

This Moss clock lamp has a revolving

Sometimes, real-life events inspired Thelma’s lamp inspirations. Moss designers came up with a plexiglas “champagne fountain” for her daughter’s wedding. Taking note of the guests’ response, Thelma’s next request was for an operating Moss fountain lamp. It soon shared inventory space with Moss aquarium lamps, Moss waterwheel lamps, and even a full-size “Moss Fish Tank Bar” that combined the functions of a lamp, an aquarium, and a bar, all in one unit. Originally retailing at $199.95, the “Fish Tank” can, if hooked today, net more than $2,400.

Before Moss arrived on the scene, lamps were regarded by furniture dealers as “deal-sweeteners.” Buy a sofa, and a lamp pair was thrown in as a bonus. But, Moss lamps were different. Expensive for the time, (ranging from $29-$79 for a single lamp, while designer pairs were retailing at $40), the lamps became stars in their own right. As one dealer remarked, “With Moss lamps, we usually end up throwing in the sofa!”

For a time, Thelma’s dreams seemed in sync with the dreams of every young householder seeking to embrace the thoroughly modern. But with the onset of unified decor schemes in the 1960s, consumer interest shifted to lamps that were lamps, rather than conversation pieces. Lamp production at Moss Manufacturing ceased in 1968.

Thelma Moss (right), creative spark of Moss Manufacturing, models a

Today, however, Moss lamps once more shine brightly, invigorating retro environments with their bold design choices and whimsical charm. For your own decor, you may decide on just a single towering floor model guaranteed to draw all eyes (perhaps the almost six-foot “Leaning Lena,” with a fluorescent tube within its angled stem), or a matched pair of smaller, but no less stupendous, table lamps, sporting exquisite revolving ceramic figures by Hedi Schoop or Yona. You may even, like some devotees, opt for an all-Moss house, with unique Moss creations of all shapes and styles replacing more humdrum lamps, thus providing visual treats at every turn.

But, one thing’s for certain: whether you select a single lamp or a multitude, you (and your guests) will definitely find Moss “the light fantastic.”

Three Coins in the Fountain
Price-wise, a good rule of thumb in estimating the cost of a Moss lamp is: the more bells and whistles, the higher the price tag. Early non-figural lamps can range from $100-$125 for table models, $175-$200 for floor versions (fluorescent panels will add about $50-$75 to the cost). Lamps with figurines by “name” designers fall into the category of dual collectibles, and their prices will reflect this. A table lamp with a Hedi Schoop figurine can run $250-$275, while one with a figure by the less-in-demand Decoramic Kilns may sell for only $150-$175. Revolving-platform lamps will start at about $200 for table models, $400 for floor versions. From there, prices escalate. The relatively affordable, such as music box lamps, average $275-300; seldom-seen, and therefore pricier rarities, include fountain lamps ($1200-1300) and bars ($2200-2400).

Where to find the lamps, or more info about them? Online auction sites, such as eBay, often prove a good source for Moss lamps, as do shops and shows specializing in mid-century memorabilia. Interested collectors share comments and photos on the msn.com group site MossLampsofCalifornia, and Moss in all its glory is captured in our book Moss Lamps: Lighting the ‘50s (Schiffer Publishing, 2000, $49.95). For “the lamps that spin”, popular taste has spun full circle.

The Landing Pad is a new recurring column on retro decor by Donald-Brian Johnson, who writes and lectures frequently on mid-20th Century decorative arts. In addition to his book on Moss lamps, Johnson is also the co-author of such titles as Higgins: Adventures in Glass; Higgins: Poetry in Glass; Ceramic Arts Studio: The Legacy of Betty Harrington, and Specs Appeal: Extravagant 1950s & 1960s Eyewear. All are published by Schiffer Publishing, Ltd.

CLEARLY STYLISH

the editor — Sat, 10 May 2008 22:35:19 +0000

Higgins is “A Glass Act”
By Donald-Brian Johnson, Contributing Writer
Photos by Leslie Piña

Vintage glass adds retro panache to any decor

Sometimes, all it takes to rev up a retro decor is the right accessory. And, when it comes to just the right decorative touch, the choice is as clear as glass–Higgins glass!

These fused glass pieces from the fabulous ’50s combine an arresting mix of geometric and curved lines with a bold use of colors. Whatever your decorating scheme calls for–from eye-popping oranges to cool blues–the vast and vivid Higgins inventory is guaranteed to have what you’re looking for.

The Higgins saga began in 1948, with the opening of a Chicago-area studio by newlyweds Michael and Frances Higgins. The Higgins, both with extensive previous artistic experience, took it as their mission to revive the ancient art of glass fusing. Although popular in the past, fused glass had, by the mid-20th century, been abandoned in favor of blown glass.

Grouping of Higgins bowls, produced at Dearborn Glass Company circa 1961. Country Garden, $550-$600; Arabesque Apple, $225-$275; Sunburst, $175-$200; and Buttercup, $125-$150.

Essentially, fusing is the creation of a “glass sandwich”. A design is created on one piece of enamel-coated glass, either drawn with color enamels, or pieced with glass segments. Over this, another piece of enameled glass is laid. Placed on a mold, the object is then heated. Under heat, the glass “slumps” (or bends) to the shape of the mold. The design itself, fused between the outer glass pieces, will not fade or wear with use, remaining brightly colorful through the years.

Off Like a Rocket
The Higgins quickly learned what the early ’50s market wanted and turned their fusing technique to the production of such useful objects as bowls, plates, assorted serving dishes, lamps, clocks, and–a trend of the times–smoking accessories, particularly ashtrays of every shape and size.

Pi Plate by Michael Higgins

While their uses may have been everyday, the zingy color combos and imaginative stylings unique to Higgins pieces attracted buyers by the droves. The duo were also helped greatly by their association, from 1957 to 1964, with industrial manufacturer Dearborn Glass Company. Unlike many other artisans of the period, whose only sales outlets were art fairs, the Higgins now had the advantage of nationwide distribution and promotion of their work. And, since every piece produced bore the lower-case signature “higgins”, their name recognition was immediate and enduring.

At Dearborn, the Higgins adapted their handcrafted procedures to the demands of mass production, churning out endless houseware items in patterns with such vibrant, instantly enticing names as “Stardust”, “Barbaric Jewels”, “Arabesque” and “Mandarin”. As Dearborn’s promotional postcards of the time indicate, it was literally possible to set an entire table (except for the silver) with Higgins glass. Frances Higgins later recalled that the goal set for Higginsware at Dearborn was “a new line every six months”. If a particular pattern sold well, the couple were urged to adapt it to every size and shape imaginable. Soon, for example, simple serving plates gave way to “two-tier servers”, followed by “three-tier servers”. If the public might possibly buy it, the Higgins would create it.

Going Their Own Way

Dropout vase by Frances Higgins, 1967. $5000-$5500.

By the mid-1960s, the hectic Dearborn pace had become wearing. After a brief 1965 stint at Haeger Potteries, Frances and Michael Higgins elected to open a private studio in Riverside, Illinois, which has remained the home of Higgins Glass since 1966. At their Riverside studio, the creative couple continued to produce many of the items that initially brought them acclaim. However, they now also had the freedom (and time) to pursue in greater depth such innovative uses of fused glass as mobiles, sculptures, jewelry, framed glass art, and even room dividers made up of “Rondelays” (linked glass circles first developed by Michael in the ’50s).

Michael Higgins died in 1999, Frances Higgins in 2004. The Higgins Studio is now under the ownership and direction of their longtime design associates Louise and Jonathan Wimmer. Pieces created today honor and expand on the traditions and of the past. This direct line of continuity means that glass objects in the distinctive Higgins style will continue to enchant collectors for many years to come.

Michael and Frances Higgins at their Riverside studio in the 1980s.

Thanks to the vast Higgins output, there are Higgins pieces available today for collectors of every taste (and price range). Some unique (and exceptionally valuable) pieces are part of the collections of such institutions as the Smithsonian, the Metropolitan, and the Corning Glass Museum. On the other hand, many pieces produced during the Dearborn years can still often be found, quite reasonably priced, at modern shows and shops, or online.

A Dash of Glass Panache
The trick in using Higgins to accent a retro decor is, in some cases, to see beyond the original use of an object, to its use as you envision it. Perhaps your home has no need for a whopping 15″ freeform ashtray, no matter how brilliant its color scheme. That same ashtray, however, re-imagined as a generously-sized chip dish, will definitely brighten up the buffet line. Oversize vintage chargers, while perhaps too valuable for actual dining use, make wonderful place-markers when setting a period table. And Higgins cigarette boxes have a multitude of uses in addition to their original one, from change holders, to dresser vanities, to candy dishes.

Bubbles sculpture by Frances Higgins, 13 inches, $1500-$1700.

Many Higgins objects, of course, remain just right as originally intended: a single large Higgins bowl or dish, or the same pattern in several different shapes and sizes, makes an emphatic design statement when given star billing on a table or sideboard…Rondelays in varied, complementary colorways hung in a window, provide an arresting alternative to windowshades and curtains…and a shimmering Higgins mobile, alive with abstract shapes and paintbox primary colors, will provide stunning visual impact to any room. Guaranteed. The choice is yours–the only difficulty comes in having so many possibilities to choose from!

The Higgins Studio was initially hailed as the home of “modern miracles with everyday glass”. Today, collectors continue to discover that “modern miracle”: the excitingly eye-catching appeal Higgins glass, both old and new, brings to any environment.

“We just try to make what looks good, anytime, in any place. Things that are lasting, and can be enjoyed for years to come.”
-Frances Higgins

The Higgins Glass Studio is located at 33 East Quincy Street, Riverside, IL 60546; Ph: (708) 447-2787. www.higginsglass.com.

The Landing Pad is a recurring column on retro decor by Donald-Brian Johnson, who writes and lectures frequently on mid-20th century decorative arts. With photographer Leslie Piña, he is co-author of Higgins: Poetry in Glass (Schiffer Publishing), as well as Higgins: Adventures in Glass, and numerous other books on mid-century modern. He can be contacted at www.ceramicartsstudio.com.