Art Deco – Behind the Scenes

The 1920s and 1930s--an era known for luxury and modernity of Art Deco aesthetic--was also characterized by increasing openness and informality. Dinner and dancing, as well as cocktail parties, grew more popular than elaborate, seated, formal dinner parties. Clothing had a sleek, modern silhouette. The fashionable socialites shown on this elegant 1930s evening jacket capture the jazzy exuberance and fluidity of the era--at least for the wealthy.

Packard’s Twelves rank among the finest American luxury automobiles ever built. The teardrop headlights and pontoon fenders on this 1939 Victoria give the car an aerodynamic appearance, while the radiator’s beveled “shoulders” echo a Packard styling hallmark used since 1904. Vertical lines, common just ten years earlier, are gone as the grille and windshield lean back at a rakish angle.

Lincoln’s Model Ks were available with either standard or “factory custom” bodies -- the latter designed for Lincoln by prominent custom coachbuilders. This Brunn factory custom features a roof that opens over the rear passenger seat in the manner of a cabriolet carriage. Headlights on all 1937 Ks were integrated into the front fenders for a smoother appearance.

Though well-suited to the Art Deco vogue, the Airflow’s appearance is more scientific than aesthetic. Chrysler engineers shaped the car in a wind tunnel, determined to reduce drag and improve handling. But innovation often comes with a cost. Production difficulties and conservative customer tastes hampered sales. The Airflow, sold under both the Chrysler and DeSoto brands, was canceled in 1937.

The Pennsylvania Railroad’s GG1 electric locomotive debuted in 1935 to serve its newly-electrified New York-Washington mainline. Raymond Loewy, taking a cue from the automotive industry, restyled the prototype’s riveted body into a seamless welded shell. PRR built 138 additional units using Loewy’s design, and the graceful GG1s handled passenger and freight trains with equal ease for almost 50 years.