Past Exhibitions
George Nakashima:
Designing Nature

The Constructed Canvas:
String Paintings by David Roth

Edgar Brandt:
Ironwork and Atelier Photographs on Exhibit

Gallery Profile

Moderne Gallery is internationally renowned for its high quality, vintage 20th Century furniture, lighting and accessories. More than 16,000 square feet on four floors of its historic "warehouse" building in the Old City section of Philadelphia are filled with an extensive inventory -- from French and American Art Deco and French 1940's -1950's to exclusive Wharton Esherick pieces and the best selection of 1950's-1980's work of George Nakashima. Responding to requests from serious collectors who want to buy and sell, in recent years Moderne has extended its inventory to include vintage work by Sam Maloof, Wendell Castle, Christopher Ray, David Roth and others. Moderne Gallery is unique in its specialization in vintage work from the American craft and studio furniture movements.

Moderne Gallery's extremely large and exceptionally fine inventory of Deco is always interesting and continually cha nging. Presented in room-like settings, these classic 20th century furnishings are beautifully displayed and in pristine condition. The large gallery spaces also provide opportunity for special exhibitions that are both educational and visually compelling. A fine selection of books on 20th century classic design and craft is another distinctive feature of the gallery. Moderne received a "Best of Philly Award, for Deco Furniture" from Philadelphia Magazine in 2000.

In addition to being a major gallery located in Philadelphia, Moderne Gallery has been an annual exhibitor since 1987 at the trend setting "Modernism: A Century of Art and Design" show in New York City. Since 1997 Moderne Gallery has exhibited at the Philadelphia Antiques Show, the first all-20th century gallery to be invited to the prestigious Philadelphia show. In June 2000, Moderne Gallery exhibited at SOFA NYC 2000 (The International Exposition of Sculpture, Objects and Functional Art) in New York -- the first gallery to focus on early vintage works from the American craft and studio furniture movements at this Expo. Moderne returned to SOFA in June 2001 with works by Nakashima, Esherick, Maloof, Castle, Roth and others.

Moderne Gallery reflects the passions of its owner/director, Robert Aibel. His abiding interest in visual communication and education as well as an exceptional eye for quality and "the unusual" have built his reputation as a dealer and as a resource to other 20th century experts and to the press. His scholarly approach to the field has established him as an authority, particularly in French Art Deco, Wharton Esherick and George Nakashima. He is often consulted by museum curators and is frequently cited as a source in newspapers, magazines, and books.

Since opening in 1985, the Moderne Gallery has developed a national and international following among designers, architects, collectors and museums. Pieces from the Moderne Gallery have played significant roles in films including I.Q., Philadelphia, Hudsucker Proxy, and 12 Monkeys, and in the interior design of department stores such as Barney's, Henri Bendel's, Takashimaya, and Bergdorf-Goodman in New York City.

The Moderne Gallery has been active in the rediscovery and sale of many rare objects of the 20th Century including a famed 1928 twelve-piece Gabriel Englinger salon, a 1930 Victor Schreckengost "Jazz Bowl" (generally considered to be the most important American Art Deco ceramic), and a major 1939 New York World's Fair sculpture, "American Family," by Waylande Gregory.

In 1992, Moderne Gallery received widespread recognition for its exhibit, "Ruba Rombic - An Epic in Moderne Art," the largest display of the rarest Ameri can Art Deco art glass since it was first manufactured in 1928. Purchasers included the Corning, Fogg, Dallas, Bennington, and Toledo museums. Other major exhibits at the Moderne Gallery have included: "French Post-War Design: Jean Prouvé, Charlotte Perriand and Serge Mouille"; "Zen Modernism: The Work of George Nakashima, 1955-1975"; "Rethinking English Arts and Crafts: The Modernist Tradition in Turn-of-the-Century British Design"; "Wharton Esherick: American Woodworker"; "The Nakashima Tradition: Origins and Continuity"; "Edgar Brandt: Art Deco Ironwork and Photographs from the Atelier"; "George Nakashima: Designing Nature," and "The Constructed Canvas: String Paintings by David Roth." Such exhibits are integral to the role of the Moderne Gallery in promoting the re-evaluation of famous 20th Century decorative arts and artists, and the re-discovery of less well-known but important contributors to 20th Century art and design.

Moderne Gallery has been featured frequently in major publications, including Architectural Digest, Art and Auction, Art and Antiques, House and Garden, House Beautiful, Metropolis, Metropolitan Home, Modernism, Forbes, Philadelphia Magazine, The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Washington Post and others.

What began with Robert Aibel's interest in antiques and art as a form of communication grew into a highly respected and successful 20th Century decorative arts gallery with a reputation for enthusiasm and participation in the decorative arts community. Since 1991 Aibel has served on the board of the 20th Century decorative arts and design group (COLLAB) of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. As chair of the Acquisitions and Appraisals Committee, he helps to identify possible donations and encourages others by offering appraisals of objects proposed for the Museum's collection.

Aibel's ongoing scholarship, his highly respected market knowledge of 20th Century decorative arts and aesthetics, and his enthusiasm for sharing information have led to an active role as a lecturer, consultant and appraiser. He has appraised pieces for the family of George Nakashima, for a Nakashima exhibition at the James A. Michener Art Museum and completed a full appraisal of the entire collection of the Wharton Esherick Museum.

Aibel was one of the first two gallery owners to purchase a major building in Old City Philadelphia for his business. He is widely credited for his leadership in the renaissance of the Old City district, now a thriving Philadelphia arts/eating/shopping destination. He was an initiator of the popular and successful "First Friday" neighborhood "open house" that still attracts thousands of people on the First Friday of each month. He served as President of the Old City Arts Association from 1992-94 and as its Treasurer from 1994-96.

Robert Aibel holds Ph.D., M.A. and B.A. degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. From 1977-92, Aibel was a professor of Aesthetic and Visual Communication at the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School and at Drexel University. He is the author of several publications on film and aesthetic communication and producer/director of award-winning documentary films. These include two films that focus on antiques in society, "A Country Auction" and "Can I Get a Quarter?"