Dennis DeCoster was born in Detroit and resided in his beloved community of Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan. After high school, he attended and graduated from Wayne State University with a degree in Fine Arts and began his forty-year career at General Motors as an interior designer, working initially in the corporate headquarters building on West Grand Boulevard. Over the years, Dennis became one of the most respected designers in the corporation, working with many of the most senior executives on the design of their offices and facilities worldwide.
Dennis lived a life of pursuing his numerous and diverse interests. He was passionate about design, art, and architecture. In his early twenties, his love for Detroit evolved into a passion for Michigan architects, artists, and furniture manufacturers. He would make frequent trips to Pewabic Pottery, the architecture and gardens at Cranbrook Academy, Belle Isle, and Eastern Market. His creative and meticulous garden was recognized by the Grosse Pointe Farms Beautification Advisory Commission, which ultimately awarded Dennis with their distinguished Legacy Award.
The DeCoster Collection is one of a kind and represents a lifetime effort. Dennis always recognized that he simply was a steward of what he collected and that one day those items would be passed on to others.
Of all those interests, Dennis was most passionate about the Arts & Crafts Movement. He became a lifelong student and started collecting in his early twenties, scouring flea markets and antique dealers in remote locations. Dennis studied all of the artists and craftsmen of the period and became well-known across the country as both an expert and top collector. He cultivated a meticulous understanding of the provenance and details of the pieces he pursued. Ultimately, Dennis acquired several rare and obscure examples of fine art, decorative art, and furniture, many of which were of museum quality.
The DeCoster Collection is one of a kind and represents a lifetime effort. Dennis always recognized that he simply was a steward of what he collected and that one day those items would be passed on to others. Hopefully, these fondly cherished works will find new homes with those who possess the same reverence and respect that Dennis had for the artists and artisans of the period.
Robert Jarvie 1865–1941
Born to Scottish parents in Schenectady, New York in 1865, Robert Riddle Jarvie was not formally trained in metalsmithing, but he had an early penchant for sketching, bookbinding, and cabinetmaking. Once he relocated to Chicago, Jarvie began initial experiments with metalwork around the turn of the 20th century in his apartment. In particular, a distinctive lantern that Jarvie made for a friend attracted more buyers. At the Third Annual Chicago Arts & Crafts Exhibit in 1900, Jarvie had the first opportunity to showcase his work. That same year, he became a partner at Krayle Co., a commercial and social alliance of local artisans and craftsmen, and set up his studio, the Jarvie Shop, in Chicago's Fine Arts Building on Michigan Avenue.
While Jarvie's designs had previously ranged from Colonial to Art Nouveau, he soon developed simpler organic forms that represented a Midwestern take on the Arts & Crafts Movement. Between 1910 and 1915, Jarvie began forging products using precious metals such as gold and silver that garnered wide acclaim. Charles Hutchinson, President of the Art Institute of Chicago, commissioned Jarvie to produce a silver punch bowl for the Cliff Dwellers Club of Chicago, as both men were members; Jarvie modeled his design on an object used by Southwestern cliff dwellers that he had seen at Chicago's Field Museum of Natural History.
In 1912, Jarvie started creating functional trophies such as bowls, drinkware, and other forms for the Union Stock Yard Company. Jarvie also lived on the premises. Some of his holloware and flatware designs from this period are reminiscent of Paul Revere's style. Jewelry by Jarvie is extremely rare and only four works are known to exist. After World War I, the Jarvie Shop ceased operations. Jarvie and his wife then moved to Evanston, Illinois, since she was employed at Northwestern University, and Jarvie worked briefly for the C.D. Peacock Company.
The Jarvies later retired to the Scottish Old People's Home in North Riverside, Illinois until their passing. During the Arts & Crafts revival of the late 20th century, collectors developed a renewed appreciation for the metalwork of Jarvie. Today examples by Jarvie are included in the collections of the Art Institute of Chicago, the Milwaukee Art Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and elsewhere.
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