Cocktail shaker, 1928
Silver-plated brass
Impressed manufacturer's mark to underside: E. & J.B. [E. and J. Bass Company] / 9164 / U.S Patent #75939
12" H x 5" W x 5" D

Literature: John Stuart Gordon, "A Modern World: American Design from the Yale University Art Gallery, 1920-1950" (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2011), 67, no. 44.

Pat Kirkham, "Woman Designers in the USA 1900-2000: Diversity and Difference" (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2000), 233.

Notes: This rare, silver-plated brass cocktail shaker from 1929 exemplifies the prominent Art Deco influence in Elsa Tennhardt’s work. Tennhardt (1899-1980, American), an artist and designer during the mid-20th century, was influenced by the sleek lines and shiny surfaces of the Art Deco period. Designers during this time prized the modern look of smooth lines, geometric figures, and symmetrical details defined by the Art Deco style. The mirrored and shiny surfaces of the silver-plated brass material found in Tennhardt’s cocktail shaker can also be seen in her cocktail glasses, salt and pepper shakers, and ice buckets. Her work is currently in the permanent collection of Decorative Art of the Brooklyn Museum and their exhibit "The City and the Rise of the Modern Woman, 1900–1945."

Overall good condition with tarnishing commensurate with age. Scattered moderate scratching throughout with localized areas of heavier scratches and surface wear revealing the base metal, pitting, and very small surface dents.