Many objects made during the 1940s and ‘50s are now considered vintage because of their age, and some of the most inspiring vintage art is made from things which were never created to be art in the first place, not in the traditional sense anyway.
For example, bicycles made during the ‘40s and ‘50s are now vintage bicycles and depict an important time for bike transport and manufacture. While vintage bicycles were not created to be art in a normal sense, they were created to be inspiring, attractive and even a status symbol. The balloon tyred bicycle for example, started in production by Schwinn & Company in Chicago in the 1950s was called the Black Phantom and was made with a lot of chrome. The Black Phantom became a status symbol for American teenagers after the war and is a coveted collectible now.
In the late 1940s and early 1950s, a French lug maker, Nervex, created a new line of lugs while working for Paramount. The Nervex lugs were very technically advanced and they were also highly decorative and more ornate than the original keyhole lugs, not to mention they were easier to manufacture.
The Bianchi bicycle manufacturing facilities were destroyed during the war, but after rebuilding in the 1950s, the English bicycle makers created the most recognisable feature on any of their bicycles, the paint colour ‘Celeste’. The trademark colour has many rumoured motivations behind its creation, but whether it was part of a courting ritual or a mistake in the mixing process, the striking blue of the Bianchi vintage bicycles makes an interesting wall art display.
Vintage posters were also created as advertising for a region, event or product, and as such were often passed by and discarded during their time. However, their ability to capture the artistic style and the cultural influences of a country and a time period makes them very collectable now and a display of vintage posters can create a classic art display on your walls.
All that is manufactured or created reflects the time it is made in, much more than it conveys its intended message and while vintage bicycles were a necessary mode of transport during and after the war, and vintage posters were simply throw away advertisements, displayed on your walls both can offer a snapshot back in time.
