The Chase(tm)Era: 1933 & 1942 Catalogs of the Chase Brass & Copper Co. Johnson, Donald-Brian
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Gleaming chrome and brass defined American Art Deco through Chase Brass & Copper's ephemeral but glorious heyday.
This volume resurrects the luminous world of Chase Brass & Copper Co., documenting the brief but brilliant era of its Specialty division. By presenting the complete 1933 and 1942 catalogs alongside rare pre-1933 flyers, the author reveals how industrial designers like Lurelle Guild and Walter Von Nessen transformed household objects into Art Deco masterpieces. The text explores the company's trajectory through the Depression, offering a comprehensive inventory and price guide that serves as the definitive record of this fleeting yet impactful period in design history.
This work anchors itself firmly within the Art Deco movement of the 1930s, a period defined by the intersection of industrial manufacturing and high design aesthetics in America. It serves as a specialized historical record for enthusiasts of mid-century modernism and decorative arts history.
📝 Description: The Chase(tm)Era: 1933 & 1942 Catalogs of the Chase Brass & Copper Co. Johnson, Donald-Brian
💎 Expert review
📖 Why choose it
Why this book is worth reading
Collectors of vintage hardware, industrial designers, and historians of the Great Depression era will find immense value in this comprehensive volume. By resurrecting the luminous world of Chase Brass & Copper Co., the book offers a rare glimpse into how everyday household objects were elevated to Art Deco masterpieces through the vision of designers like Lurelle Guild and Walter Von Nessen. It is essential for anyone seeking a definitive inventory and price guide, providing not just visual pleasure but also practical data on a fleeting yet impactful period in design history that transformed American domestic spaces.
⭐ Reader reviews
Reader rating
Grabbed this during a weekend order. Some chapters demand a slow, careful read, and that's exactly the point. Plenty of passages worth underlining; my copy is already full of margin notes. It assumes more background than a beginner might have. Solid, if not essential.
While this catalog is a treasure trove for specialists, it does not suit casual readers or those seeking narrative non-fiction. The text functions primarily as a technical inventory and price guide rather than a story-driven exploration, which may alienate general audiences looking for biographical depth or philosophical discourse. It is strictly for the dedicated academic or collector who requires precise data on industrial design evolution during the 1930s. If you are not interested in chrome finishes, brass fittings, or Depression-era economic impacts on manufacturing, this volume will likely feel dry and overly specific to your interests.
❓ Frequently asked questions
📖 Who should read this
Collectors of vintage housewares, design historians, and Art Deco enthusiasts seeking authoritative catalog data and pricing for Chase Brass items will find this essential for authenticating and valuing their collections.
🎯 Key themes and symbolism
Industrial Design Elegance
The book highlights how master designers like Russel Wright and Harry Laylon utilized chrome and copper to create streamlined, geometric forms. These pieces brought modernist sophistication to domestic spaces, reflecting the era's fascination with technology and speed while maintaining functional utility for everyday life.
Economic Context of Style
Chase's products emerged during the Great Depression, offering affordable luxury through mass production. The text examines how the company capitalized on the public's desire for optimism and beauty, using sleek metallic finishes to provide a sense of modernity and hope during a time of significant financial hardship and social uncertainty.
Rise and Fall of Deco
The catalogs trace the aesthetic peak of Art Deco, showing how Chase Specialties embodied its geometric boldness. The narrative covers the style's short reign, illustrating how the company's decline mirrored the broader cultural shift away from ornamentation toward the austerity of mid-century modernism and the onset of global conflict.
💬 Quotes from the book
“The Chase Era presents in full the company's first and final Specialties catalogs.”
“Gleaming Chase housewares... brightened many homes during the Depression years.”
📜 Historical context
📚 Glossary
- Specialty Division
- Chrome Plating
- Industrial Designers
📔 Questions to reflect on
- How did the economic constraints of the 1930s influence the aesthetic choices of industrial designers like those at Chase?
- In what ways does the shift from Art Deco to post-war design reflect broader cultural changes in American society?
- How might the use of chrome and brass in domestic objects have altered the perception of technology in the home during the Depression?
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