Streamline Moderne: Rise of the Machine Age

As the 1920s turned into the 1930s, Art Deco design evolved into a style known as Streamline Moderne (or just moderne or streamline). It emphasized shiny surfaces, curved forms and horizontal planes. In fact, what a lot of folks picture moderne architecture when they think of Art Deco. All those deco hotels in Miami? Moderne.

It’s a very sleek and sexy style. And I’ve recently come into two pieces of Moderne jewellery. The lapis glass, rhodium-plated Czech-made necklace pictured above and the chrome and celluloid brooch (marked Germany) pictured below. They are both nice examples of the streamline style: the shiny, stamped surfaces and bold punches of colour lend a machine age feeling.