The Egyptian motif of the scarab, a symbol of self-renewal, experienced great popularity in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Thousands of glass scarabs were produced by at Tiffany’s Corona factory and inset into jewelry, metalwork, and ceramic vases, as seen here. Tiffany’s Favrile pottery is known for its unique color effects, created by...

This week’s entries are dedicated to objects featured in the exhibition Thom Browne Selects, currently on view at Cooper Hewitt through October 23, 2016. Framing is a common practice. In contemporary society we experience literal and metaphorical framing on a daily basis. As one looks out of their apartment window, scrolls through their New York...

Edgar Brandt showed promise in metalwork since his teenage years. He forged a rose in iron for his graduation masterwork from the École Nationale Professionnelle de Vierzon, located in a traditional site of metallurgy manufacture in central France. Following further training and certification through the Brevet Technicien Superieur Brandt served two years in the 153rd...

Tour Eiffel Lamp. Designed by Studio Job, 2012. Carpenters Workshop Gallery. (Image from http://art.sy/artwork/studio-job-tour-eiffel-lamp.) The work of Dutch design firm Studio Job is at once humorous, witty, and ironic, heavy on ornament and always well-crafted. Without fail, I am intrigued to see what they come up with next as an expression of contemporary decorative arts. At...