KEM Weber

Private Collection, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Acquired from the above by the present owners, circa 1975

Overall in excellent condition. The pewter surfaces with some minor tarnishing in places, surface scratches and minor pitting. Each long side with slight warping. The ebony handles are in excellent condition.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Kem Weber designed this tray and the following two works for Porter Blanchard around the second half of 1928 or, possibly, in the case of the footed bowl, in early 1929. Blanchard was then just making the conversion to modernism, and Weber was in the process of launching his own private practice. Weber had previously worked as the head of the design studio for Barker Brother's, at the time the largest furniture and home accessories store on the West Coast, but he had resigned the year before because he had tired of making compromises with the store's management. The three pieces highlight the nature of his aesthetic outlook at the time. The pair of candleholders drew from the Expressionist designs of his teacher in Berlin, Bruno Paul; the tray is a clear expression of Weber's attempt to come to terms with the emerging language of German functionalism; and the footed bowl is one of the earliest examples of his growing penchant for streamlining, which was to become his stock in trade until the late 1930s. Together, the three works offer a remarkable view of the rise of modern design on the West Coast and a pivotal moment in the careers of both Weber and Blanchard.  The present tray is the only known example.

--Christopher Long
Associate Professor of Architecture and Design History, School of Architecture, University of Texas at Austin