Van Koert  

Hi Karen,
I hate to think that Van Koert's designs would be either forgotten or worthless. He was a wonderfull teacher and refined designer. Many contemporary designers that play with organic forms and biomorphic modernism should have a second look at his "Contour" beverage set for Towle and other fine silversmith work.
I do not know much about his market value but I hope his contribution to american design will not be underestimated.
http://www.chipstone.org/SpecialProjects/TeaTables/18t.html

Hi Karen,
I am sorry that I can not be of any greater help. John Van Koert's work is not as well documented as he deserves. If you like to investigate it more there are two sources you might want to look at. First of all, he was an instructor at the University of Wisconsin's department of art education before the second WW. During the war he, as so many designers, artists etc. who were not send to Europe (the U.S. gouverment had learned a lesson from the first WW when even the cultural elite like the composer Maurice Ravel were fighting in the trenches) but asked to join the war effort with their particular skills and talents (as you know, some actually became very well known through that war effort: Charles Eames for his bended wooden leg and arm supports, Henry Dreyfuss for the "camouflage" patterns and the anthropometric tables) John Van Koert supervised a group of 60 soldiers in the division of training publications at the anti-aircraft artilley school in Camp Davis, North Carolina. He was art director for the division that made and illustrated field manuals and instruction films. Good luck with your search.

counterpoint vanity
please email me about your van koert furniture. beagelope2@AOL.COM

Great background on Van Koert
Thank you for your extensive background on John Van Koert. My parents are thrilled to know the details of the designer of the furniture they purchased as honey-mooners. I will research more as suggested.