Architectural in form, these candelabra are constructed from basic repeating geometric units that imbue the design with an air of stability and rationality. Introduced by Reed & Barton in 1928, they have highly polished pewter surfaces that would shimmer in the candlelight. They were part of the company’s Modernist line of hollowware and tableware and represented Reed & Barton’s first attempt at modern design.1 In contrast to the skyscraper-inspired motifs that characterized many American designs of the Art Deco era, the formal qualities of these candelabra are more reminiscent of European Modernism. The repeating inset rectangles are analogous to designs by the Austrian architect and designer Josef Hoffmann, who frequently made use of variations of this rectilinear motif in his work, including in designs for decorative objects, textiles, and furniture.2
Established in 1824, Reed & Barton has long been known for its fine silver crafted in a traditional heritage style, but it began offering designs in pewter as the alloy grew in popularity in the early twentieth century for its affordability and ease of care. Pewter does not tarnish like silver, and its lower cost expanded the consumer market to those who could not afford silver.3 The relative affordability of pewter also allowed designers more freedom to experiment with new forms and motifs and for consumers to comfortably try out new styles for their home, such as the Modernist line, which included objects made from both pewter and sterling silver.4 A candlestick version of this design motif was also available and was likely among the designs from the Modernist line included in the renowned International Exhibition of Art in Industry held at R. H. Macy and Company in 1928.5 —Sarah Marie Horne
Notes
1. The model number is consistent with other known models from the Modernist line. The line also includes silver cocktail cups with square bases of a similar design, which further suggests that the candelabra were a part of the line. See House and Garden (June 1928): 123.
2. For examples, please see Peter Noever and Academy of Applied Arts, Josef Hoffman Designs (Munich: Prestel, 1992), 22, 140, 196, 214, and 243.
3. A Christmas advertisement for Reed & Barton pictured both sterling silver and pewter goods, including two candlesticks of similar size. The pewter candlestick was priced at $10 while the silver one was priced at $19, nearly twice the cost. See House and Garden (December 1928): 127.
4. John Stuart Gordon et al., A Modern World: American Design from the Yale University Art Gallery, 1920–1950 (New Haven, CT: Yale University Art Gallery, 2011), 286.
5. According to the checklist, four examples of Reed & Barton pewter were included in the exhibition: a candy box, a cigarette holder, a square candle stick, and a low, square candlestick. Gordon et al., A Modern World, 28. I am also grateful to design history scholars Matthew Bird and Jonathan O’Hea for their assistance with my research.