In his designs for this occasional table and the dressing table and desk (not included in this installation), Urban drew inspiration from the designs of Frenchman Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann. Ruhlmann was a leading exponent of the art moderne style, later known as Art Deco. His sleek designs in exotic, luxury materials such as mahogany and ivory often incorporated neoclassical elements and proportions.
Urban’s Ruhlmann-esque occasional table was crafted from more affordable, modern products: lacquered pine and Pyralin (an early plastic tinted to mimic ivory). Urban’s experimentation with and mix of various modernist forms, sources, and materials demonstrate his continued push to combine the best expressions of the modern style and persuade the public how livable, relatable, and approachable modern interiors could be. Urban’s design for the Wormser occasional table relates to other designs created for his 1928 interior titled “Repose” and for set for the film Doctors’ Wives (1931).
