1925 -1940

Art Deco was ushered in with the jazz and industrial age of the 1920s & 30s. First appearing in France in 1925, high styled deco architecture, interiors and furnishings were inspired by early Bauhaus modernism, ancient African, Egyptian and Aztec designs along with rich polished and lacquered finishes. Upon crossing over to America, designs were expanded to include American industrialism and a greater use of iron, steel, glass and aluminum.


Art Deco lighting fixtures are often fitted with decorative pressed and molded glass featuring an array of stylized motifs such as starbursts, waterfalls, birds, animals and sunbursts. The glass often fitted in similarly styled iron or bronze frames. One of the most popular lighting fixtures of the Deco era was the slipper shade fixture. Ceiling and wall lights featured an unusual array of decorative and angular shades which slipped into the lighting frames.