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Auction 101: Design - Modern Art and Murano Glass - Studio Glass - 14.02.2012

Auction 101A: Design - Modern Art
Auction 101B: Murano Glass - Studio Glass

Viewing:
09/10 Feb. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
11/12 Feb. 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
13 Feb. 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

 

Pre-auction report

Quittenbaum begins its year holding a Design auction on 14 February. Again, a large number of interesting pieces await new owners.

By tradition, Italian designers dominate the furniture and lighting section. Aldo Tura and Ettore Sottsass earn special mentioning: If you feel like furnishing your whole living room with Tura pieces, a rare dining table with six chairs (Estimate € 2,500-3,500), a bar cabinet (Estimate 800-1,000) and a sideboard (Estimate € 1,500-1,800) can be purchased next to two other pieces of furniture. By contrast, the whole spectrum of Sottsass’ designs is being represented. Next to his classic ‚Memphis’ ‚Casablanca’ shelf, designed in 1981 (Estimate € 5,000-6,000), a range of his ceramics from the ‚Yantra’ series (e. g. Y33b, 1968, Estimate € 800-900) and the ‚Hollywood Collection’ from 1986 can be acquired, as well as two lots comprising three ‚Hsing’ vases each, designed in 1972/73, where the white and green vases seem to be especially rare as only ten of each colour are said to have been produced (Estimate € 1,200-1,500). Also noteworthy is a series of pewter items that Sottsass had designed around the new millennium for Serafino Zani (e.g. ‚Tavola Quadrata Grande’, 2003, Estimate € 1,000-1,200). Other Italian designers and artists participate as well: A pair of easy chairs by Giuseppe Pagano Pogatschnig stand out, which he had designed in 1943 for a publishing house (Estimate € 1,800-2,000). Moreover, an attractive group of five vases and ewers by Marcello Fantoni should easily find new friends (e. g. ewer, c1955, Estimate € 900-1,200).

The rest of the world contributes designs from further renowned creators: Charles and Ray Eames are responsible for the design of two rare radios from 1946 (e. g. ‚6C05’, 1946, Estimate € 900-1,000) and next to other chairs, a ‚PAW’ - chair designed in 1946, executed by Zenith and Seng for Herman Miller, only scarcely appearing on the market (Estimate € 2,800-3,000). Not forgetting classics like the ‚Womb 70’ chair with ‚74’ ottoman by Eero Saarinen from the year 1948 (Estimate € 2,500-3,000). Furthermore, an 80-piece ‚AJ’ flatware set by Arne Jacobsen, 1957 (Estimate € 2,500-3,000) and a pair of ‚1943’ sconces by Max Ingrand for Fontana Arte, c1960 (Estimate € 2,800-3,200) can be purchased. In the contemporary section, three items stick out especially: A large ‚Morning Glory’ floor light designed by Ayala Serfaty in 1994 (Estimate € 1,300-2,000), a very rare vitrine by Japanese Kozue Naito from the same year (Estimate € 4,000-5,000) and, for the fashionistas, a pair of ‚Letters’ boots from the 2010 collection of John Galliano (Estimate € 600-700).

Naturally, the creations of German designers should not be missed: Such as two pairs of armchairs with wickerwork, designed by Erich Dieckmann as early as 1926 that had always been in the consignor’s family and an interesting ensemble of office furniture by the Mauser factory at Waldeck. Sideboards ‚Athens’ and ‚Olympia’ can be purchased together with a ‚Berlin’ writing desk for € 9,000-12,000. Concering German lighting design, it’s once more Ingo Maurer who distinguishes himself. Four of his lighting designs are present, among them such rarities as two ‚Plexola’ table lights and a floor light, designed in 1977 (Estimate € 800-1,200) and a ‚Tsching III’ floor light from 1979, for € 1,000-1,200.

Art and graphics have been another centre of attention at Quittenbaum for the last two years. At the end of the Design auction, a whole chapter is dedicated to 94 lots of works by the cream of mostly German postwar graphic artists. Etchings, mezzotints and lithographs by wellknown artists like Horst Antes, Rolf Cavael, Günther Fruhtrunk, Rupprecht Geiger, Horst Janssen and Bernard Schultze can be purchased at moderate prices. On the international level, Jesús Rafael Soto should be stressed with one of his ‚vibrating paintings’, probably from the 1960s (Estimate € 3,500-4,000) as should Victor Vasarely with his ‚Vega-mir’ object (Estimate € 6,000-7,000). The ‚Austrian Impressions’ tapestry is the highlight of the auction. Hilde Absalon executed it in coordination with Friedensreich Hundertwasser in 1967 without template. Hundertwasser’s original painting of this subject, created in 1955, has been lost since the end of the 1960s (Estimate 22,000-26,000).