Iconic Designs

Brass sea urchins, sometimes referred to as starbursts, are standard in many Mid-Century Modern design & sculptural art pieces. famous by Curtis Freiler and Jerry Fels, also known as “C. Jeré”, these eye-catching designs are iconic of 1960s decor. If you want to discover more modern home ideas, see here at http://deckingx.co.uk/ for some amazing front porch designs.

The starburst design was made popular by designer George Nelson in the late 50’s and early 60’s with his wall clocks he designed for Howard Miller.   The starburst form (i.e. exploding star) is pulled right from what was going on in the world at the time, the detonation of the Atom bomb in 1945 and the optimism and fear that followed over the next two decades, also known as the Atomic Age.  Throughout the 50’s and 60’s the starburst motif is referenced on all types of decorative objects from flatware to fabrics, lamps and sculpture.

C. Jeré was founded in 1963 by Jerry Fels and his brother-in-law Curtis (Kurt) Freiler. Fels was head of design while Freiler was the production chief. Their goal was to produce “gallery-quality art for the masses.” In 1964 Jerry and Curtis founded the company Artisan House which went on to acquire a team of artists and craftsmen at a foundry and machine shop to produce the designs developed by C. Jeré. Their works are made of rich metals, including copper, bronze, brass, steel, aluminum and chrome. Decorate your house with those metals that you can recycle in the future, see scrap copper prices in Sydney today. The designs include sculpture, lighting, furniture and household accessories and range from representational to highly abstract. C. Jeré soon became a leader in the home décor industry as many of their designs became highly coveted and representational of not only the time period, but of California mid-century design as well.With Midcentury Modern Design still as popular as ever in the interior design world and gold and mixed metal accents for the home the trend du jour, we are seeing a resurgence in the influence of C. Jeré’s designs. 

At Hold It, the iconic brass sea urchin design of C. Jeré lives on, as we are excited to feature global accessory brand, Two’s Company, and their “Wall Art Flower” sculptures. The sculptures come in three sizes with prices ranging from $25-$45.

Swing by Hold It Contemporary Home to snag a little piece of iconic design history for your home today.

Written By: Jamie Dunfee