Page 30 - VE Magazine - Issue 42

plenty of money.
He was a showman and perfectionist, and was known on
occasion to destroy pieces in front of stunned clients in order to demonstrate his high standards. The theatre worked!
From the 1930s to the 1960s, Mont was one of the most prominent designers and decorators on the East Coast. His forte for creating furniture that offered a stylish and dramatic, yet modern look, was unsurpassable.
There are many different stories about how he died, but appar- ently there was no funeral, and nobody knows exactly where he’s buried!ve
Above: Fretwork Club Chairs, 1963
Below: James Mont, Lotus Low Table, USA, 1963. This
table features a round top with Chinoiserie fretwork on a beautifully carved column pedestal with a lotus motif base. The table is finished in silver leaf with gold leaf accents. Mont’s repertoire reflects the Hollywood glamour typical of his era, which he captured through his use of sumptuous materials and luxurious finishes. Adding Oriental flourishes to his custom pieces of furniture, Mont was the first to coin the term, “Chinese Modern.” In a 1996 New York Times article, Mitchell Owens describes Mont’s distinct style as a “stylish uptown fusion of Eastern silhouettes and Western modernism”
30 / October-November 2018 / ve
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