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Art deco bakelite radios?
6/16/2009 9:11:20 PMBilly
Someone asked me if I knew where to get art deco bakelite radios. Is there any such thing? When did bakelite first come on the market as radio cabinets?
Billy
6/18/2009 3:52:08 PMJon
:Someone asked me if I knew where to get art deco bakelite radios. Is there any such thing? When did bakelite first come on the market as radio cabinets?
:Billy

Art Deco style radio cabinets came on the scene around 1930, rather late in the styles life. It was pretty much dead by the late 1930's when it was replaced by the post modern movement. It is a much overused expression by those who do understand what true art deco is. There were many radios designed with art deco influences in both wood and bakelite. Bakelite was invented around 1908 and found very wide use in industry. Bakelite radio parts were there at the beginnings of radio and was very popular as cabinets in the 1930's. Look a at vintage radio sites and you will see many beautiful radios with art deco styles. Google art deco and you will begin to see what art deco is. By the way, art deco comes from the French "Decorative Arts." Hope this helps. Never thought Mom being an art historian and Dad being a chem. eng. would come in handy. Just wish I had paid more attention when they were still around.
Jon.

6/19/2009 4:09:09 PMG. Berg...follow up What is and is not "art deco"
To make things clear as to what is "art deco" and what is not. "Art deco" was introduced at the Paris Worlds Fair in 1925. It used geometrical designs such as trialgles, squares, and Greek designs(A good example of this is the 1928 RC Radiola 33)Art deco was popular till about 1930 when "Modern" movement/style took over. This design expresses the "steamline" look which MANY people refer to as art deco when it is not. Hope this helps.


:Someone asked me if I knew where to get art deco bakelite radios. Is there any such thing? When did bakelite first come on the market as radio cabinets?
:Billy



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