Toy Soldier bookends by Walter Von Nessen

The designer Walter von Nessen was born in Berlin in 1889 and was trained at the School of Applied Arts under Bruno Paul. He had his studio in the twenties in Berlin Charlottenburg but due to the difficult economic situation after 1 World War in 1923 he emigrate to America. Initially he worked as an interior decorator in Manhattan, then he became soon one of the most important product designer of American modernism. He developed outstanding functional and cool elegant objects such as lamps with 340 degree adjustable swivel arms, streamline lamps made of aluminum and chrome-plated luxury tableware. His wife Greta von Nessen was also a designer and at Walters death she undertake their Company the Nessen Studios Inc.