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  Lucien Lelong / French Art Deco Handpainted Porcelain Vase circa 1935

  LUCIEN LELONG (1889 – 1958) Paris, France

  “Metaphysical” vase c. 1935

  Hand painted and glazed porcelain with aqua, black and silver tones.

  Marks: LL monogram, AB

  H: 13 3/4″

  Lucien Lelong was born in Paris, France on October 11, 1889. Lucien learned his trade from his father, Arthur Lelong, who owned a textile factory in 1896, and his mother Eleanore, a dressmaker. He discovered his vocation in the family business and as soon as World War I was over, he expanded the family business by creating his own fashion house in the late 1918.

  He became immediately famous due to the neat tailoring of his designs and his skill in choosing and manufacturing fabrics. He did not actually create his own designs but hired the most prominent designers of the moment to design his collections such as Christian Dior, Pierre Balmain and Hubert Givenchy. Lelong was one of the first designers to diversify into lingerie and stockings. He introduced a line of ready-to-wear in 1934 which he labeled “editions.” In 1939, Lelong’s collections showed tightly waisted, full skirts; a style which became the “new Look” in Dior’s collection in 1947. After the war, in 1947, Lelong showed pencil-slim dresses; pleated, tiered, harem hemlines; and suits with wasp waists, cutaway fronts and square shoulders.

  After a trip to the United States where he learned everything pertaining to the working methods in the mass production of clothes, he returns to France and creates a line of pret-a-porter (ready-to-wear) collection, branded “LL” Edition. Lelong used his double” LL” logo to influence his designs as well as refining the packaging design of his perfumes and cosmetics. He was a master of the use of knits and bias to shape the body in the most complementary way. His house’s trademark was their unique ability in designing with fur.

  He was married to Natalie Paley who was the daughter of the Grand Duke Paul of Russia that assisted him with his business. Lelong was an active member of high society; socialized with the women he dressed, and did not miss the opportunity to capitalize on his name. From 1937 until the end of the war in 1948, Lelong was President of the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne, in which role he was able to fight and hinder the transfer of the Parisian fashion houses to Berlin during the German occupation. It was largely due to his efforts that ninety-two houses stayed opened during the war.

  Poor health caused the end of his career; Lelong retired in 1952, and died in 1958 of a heart attack.

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  Jean Marion Gates Hall, “Napa Valley” Oil on canvas 1940

  JEAN MARION GATES HALL (1911-2001) USA

  Napa Valley 1940

  Oil on canvas, original wood frame

  Signed: with her monogram initials JGH (lower right)
  Marked on back: Jean Gates Hall, June 18, 1940, Napa Valley

  Canvas: H: 14″ x W: 17 1/4″
  Framed: H: 17 1/2″ x W: 20 1/2″

  Price: $4,250

  Born in Memphis, TN on May 19, 1911.  Jean Gates studied at the Cummings School of Art in Des Moines.  At age 14 she moved to Los Angeles with her family.  There she continued at the Chouinard Art School while working for Warner Bros, Walt Disney, and Mintz Studios.  Upon moving to San Francisco, she married writer James D. Hall in 1938.  Her illustrations were used in her husband’s children’s books.  She established a studio in the “Monkey Block” (now the Transamerica Pyramid) and was active in the local art scene.  She later earned her B.A. degree at San Jose State University (1955) and M.A. degree at UC Davis (1966).   Working in oil and watercolor, her painting style and subject matter evolved with the years from descriptive realism to linear pictures, and finally an entirely new medium called Magpage.  Mrs. Hall was a resident of Oakland in the 1980s and died in Cedar Ridge, CA on June 23, 2001.

  Exhibitions:  Iowa State Fair, 1926; California State Fair, 1937; GGIE, 1939;  Paul Elder Gallery (SF), 1939 (solo); NMAA, 1941; SFMA, 1942 (solo); De Young Museum, 1944 (solo); California WC Society, 1945-53; UC Davis, 1946, 1965 (solos); Kingsley Art Club (Sacramento), 1965.