Description

Art Deco Style

Art Deco style, 1936, Chappell baby grand piano for sale with a quilted maple case. Cabinet features sculptural piano legs that integrate into the cabinet and are attached with a statement, cross stretcher. Piano pedals also integrated into cross stretcher supported by two chrome rods.

Art Deco

Art Deco, short for the French "Arts décoratifs" is an art period that appeared in Paris in the 1910s, just prior to the First World War. Art Deco combined the styles of early 20th century Modernist, with the exceptional craftsmanship and sumptuous materials of French historic design, with designs taken from non-Western traditions. From its inception, Art Deco was influenced by the bold geometric forms of Cubism; the bright colours of Fauvism; the revised craftsmanship of the furniture of the eras of Louis XVI and Louis Philippe I; and the exotic styles of art from China, Japan, India, Persia, ancient Egypt and Maya. Art Deco was not a single style, but a composite of a variety and sometimes contradictory styles. It explored the decorative aspects of geometric elements and forms. Various simple geometric shapes like triangles and squares are the basis of all compositional arrangements. At its height, Art Deco represented luxury, glamour, exuberance, and belief in social and technological progress. The movement featured rare and expensive materials, such as ebony and ivory, and exquisite craftsmanship. It also introduced new materials such as chrome plating, stainless steel and plastic.

Chappell & Co

Chappell was founded in 1811 by Samuel Chappell in partnership with music professors Francis Tatton Latour and Johann Baptist Cramer. The firm's premises included large showrooms for pianos and other musical instruments (for sale or hire) and sheet music on several floors and became a prominent landmark on Bond Street. Chappell was active in forming the Philharmonic Society. The company was one of the leading music publishers and piano manufacturers in Britain until 1980 when Chappell sold its retail activities to concentrate solely on music publishing.