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  Black Starr & Frost American Art Nouveau Sterling Mounted Jewelry Box c.1900

  BLACK STARR & FROST New York, NY

  Art Nouveau Sterling and Mahogany Jewelry Box   c.1900

  Mahogany jewelry box with thick sterling silver decorative graphic mountings in an elaborate Art Nouveau whiplash design, original key

  Marks: Eagle mark (Company logo) BLACK STARR & FROST, Sterling

  For more information see: American Jewelry Manufacturers, Dorothy T. Rainwater (West Chester, Penn.:  Schiffer, 1988)

  H: 4 1/2″ x W: 10 1/2″ x D: 7″

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  One of America’s oldest fine jewelers, Black, Starr and Frost traces its roots to 1810. In that year, Erastus Barton and Frederick Marquand opened Marquand and Barton near New York’s Maiden Lane. The firm added and lost partners numerous times and it also frequently moved locations in accordance with the addresses of its prestigious clientele. Its merchandise was eclectic and greatly varied including, lamps, jewelry, paintings, porcelain, and artistic objects. In 1876, the firm changed its name from Black, Ball, and Co. to Black, Starr, and Frost, and moved to 251 Fifth Avenue. Its inventory became focused on jewelry and silver objects, some imported from Europe, some produced in-house. For many decades, the renowned jewelry house, Black, Starr, and Frost was considered one of the great American jewelers. In 1876, it was invited to exhibit at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia along with renowned firms like Tiffany & Company, Whiting, and Gorham. In 1939, the firm was one of five American jewelers invited to exhibit at the New York’s World’s Fair. In 1929, it merged with Gorham to become Black, Starr, Frost – Gorham.

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  Charles Catteau / Boch Freres Keramis Belgium Glazed pottery vase c. 1930

  CHARLES CATTEAU (1880-1966)
  BOCH FRERES KERAMIS  La Louviere Belgium

  Tulip vase c. 1930

  Glazed earthenware

  Marks: “Keramis” Made in Belgium , D. 2524 B, 945

  H: 10 1/4″ x D: 6 1/2″

  Charles Catteau could be regarded as one of the most versatile ceramic artists of his generation, especially for the style of Art Deco. Catteau advanced the forms, techniques and decoration of modern ceramics, creating an exceptionally original, new and decorative genre.

  Hired as a ceramic decorator in Ecole Nationale de Sèvres from 1903 to 1904, he began producing designs that were rather traditional, based on the observation of nature, and showing the influence of Japonisme, characterized by pure lines and meticulous details. From 1904 to 1906, he worked in Nymphenburg Porzellan Manufaktur near Munich, a factory specializing in new hand painting procedures under a slip, as well as Art Nouveau.

  In 1907  he finally moved to Louvière in Belgium where he was promoted to head of the decoration department at Boch Freres Keramis at the age of 27.  This is where most of his exceptional talent came to the fore especially during the period between the two World Wars. Influenced by the great creative art movements of the time (Africanism, Japonisme, Cubism, Abstraction) and his observation of nature gave him inspiration for his designs, with the  integration of  plants, stylized animals and geometric motifs. The international avant-garde movements were also an influence leading to his use of purely abstract, geometric designs and intense colors. Charles Catteau was incredibly resourceful and  explored various harmonies of form, techniques, designs, colors, shades, topics, variants and influences. In this way Catteau became a representative par excellence of Art Deco designs, giving it his personal touch. He was instrumental in introducing technical innovations during the 20’s and 30’s to aid mass production of ceramic products and expand availability of affordable products. During difficult times in Europe, he created vivid, colorful, original and uplifting ceramic wares.

  Charles Cotteau motto was “Art for All” and he also taught decorative painting at the School of Industrial in Louvière. In 1925 he obtained international recognition in the exhibition of Decorative Arts in Paris. which helped raise the profile of Boch Freres. He remained at the company until he retired to Nice in 1946 .