A selection of Art Deco design sketches and patterns dating from the 20th century. Art Deco refers to the style predominently of architecture and the decorative arts, widely disseminated in Europe and the United States in the 1920s and 1930s, which became popular after the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Modernes in Paris in 1925. The style is characterized by a synthesis of industrial and fine arts materials used to create a wide variety of both man-made and mass-produced objects, often with an emphasis on rectilinear motifs, vibrant colors, and elegant, abstracted, simplified forms. Many designs in this drawer feature pattern numbers in the form of 2 or 3 letters (eg. 'LEC' or similar), and as such, can potentially be cross-referenced with two design studio record books titled 'Letter Books' (Catalogue reference: STOD/201/8/5/1-2), often revealing further information such as dates and designers. A number of the patterns can also be attributed directly to A F Stoddard & Co Ltd.
This description is part of the Design Archive which is divided into the 142 sections, each with its own separate description.