Art Deco Dura Photo Frames

Here is a trio of very rare Machine Age photo frames made by The Dura Company of Toledo, Ohio. These picture frames were part of a giftware line that Dura did during the 1930's, and they look amazing when displayed with period, movie star photos. Industrial designer Helen Dryden was the art director of the company at one point in time. More information about The Dura Company can be found on my friend and neighbor's website here:

www.plasticliving.com/dura/d.html

The bases of the frames are made of bakelite, and the bases of both the circular frame and larger frame with the teardrop base have a streamline design. Both the circular frame and tear drop frame were designed by Kurt Rettich (patents in the photos) circa 1933. He designed a number of items which the Dura company produced. The frame on the right is super rare (this is the only one I've ever seen), and its metal and bakelite base has more of an Egyptian Revival or sunrise deco motif to it.

I've seen the bases in the teardrop and circular frames in black, green, and red bakelite, but black appears to be the most common. The square teardrop frames come in four sizes: 5"x7", 6"x8", 7"x9", and 8"x10". According to a Dura catalog ad from the time, the metal parts of the frames are made out of a "silver alloy" metal which is similar to chrome.

And now a red based Dura frame has been added to the collection! Very rare--we've only seen one for sale in this color over the last 10 years.