Schools of Design

From industrially produced furniture to unique design pieces - more than 180 objects and furniture from 1900 to 2022 await you in our annual highlight auction 'Schools of Design' on 29 November.

The auction starts with several rare furniture designs by Henry van de Velde. The majority of them are marked with the famous artist's signature. The desk (estimate 28,000 - 35,000€) and the cabinet with shelves (12,000 - 14,000€), both made around 1908, even bear the rare brass plaque of the court cabinetmaker Hermann Scheidemantel in Weimar.

The chapter 'Bauhaus - German Design' also compiles very special objects: the second version of the iconic slatted chair by Marcel Breuer (50,000 - 70,000€) this time is complemented with the table from the same „Tischlerei“ series, called 'ti' for short by the designer. The table with a reversible top in two different veneers is offered for estimated 18,000 - 22,000€. No less exciting is the row of five theater chairs, executed by Thonet Frankenberg. The more advanced model of the ‚B1‘ theater chair by Marcel Breuer can be bought for 5,000 - 6,000€.

The chapter of rationalism in German design is organically followed by the design in France, which dates from later decades, but is no less rationalist. Designed by Le Corbusier, the mustard-colored wardrobe from the 'Unité d'Habitation de Marseille‘ will be called up for 6.000 - 7.000€. The furniture designer Pierre Chapo is represented this time with two simple pieces of solid wood furniture. The estimate for the two tables made of oak and elm woods is between 3.000 and 6.000€ each.

Scandinavian design is worthily represented with a kitchen set by Arne Jacobsen from 1957, consisting of a sink unit, upper and lower cabinets and a sideboard. The famous Danish architect designed a total of four bungalows in Berlin's Hansaviertel, for the International Building Exhibition Interbau 1957, with a fully equipped kitchen in typical blue tones. One of them, including a dining table with two chairs, is now available for 12,000 - 15,000€.

Among the most striking designs in the chapter of Italian design are undoubtedly the pieces of furniture by Alessandro Mendini. From the famous series of re-design that Mendini conceived in the 1970s comes the chair 'Thonet no.14'. The rare seating object, executed by Anthologie Quartett in a small series, is offered for an estimated 9,000-10,000€. Next are two lights manufactured by the Milanese company Zabro in the 1980s. These exemplify Radical Design, a style movement in which Mendini was one of the most important players.

Also worthy of special mention is the 'Safari‘ sofa set by the designer group Archizoom. The versatile seating elements are upholstered in cream white fabric and can be bought at auction for the estimated price of 10,000 - 12,000€.

No less exciting are the lighting objects in this auction. There are a good dozen lights from the important Munich lighting artist Ingo Maurer on offer, including an extremely rare ceiling light, ,Roku-Ju’, consisting of 60(!) fans from the ‚Uchiwa' series; most elaborately restored by Ingo Maurer GmbH, with expertise and photo documentation.

All objects can be viewed from 24 November in our showroom at Theresienstraße 60.

The Advent season was ushered in at Quittenbaum’s with a successful 'Schools of Design' auction.

Numerous bidders on the floor, on the phones and on the four internet platforms competed for the exquisite offer and ensured extremely pleasing knockdowns with their eagerness.

Right at the beginning, a customer was able to prevail over several competitors on the telephone and acquire the rare teapot and creamer by Josef Hoffmann, 1904 for the Wiener Werkstätte. The pair of pots, with all the important signets, is now going into an Austrian collection for EUR 22.000 (lot 8). Both rare armchairs by the Belgian Henry van de Velde went to a German collector after a fierce battle (lot 30, hammer price EUR 8.000 and lot 32 EUR 5.000). The wardrobe, a model that was also used in Karl-Ernst Osthaus' Haus Hohenhof, finds a new place in a German private museum, much to our delight (lot 39, hammer price EUR 3,500).

The highlights of the Bauhaus chapter were, as expected, the 'slatted chair 'ti1a' (lot 50 will go to Switzerland for EUR 45,000) and the even rarer table 'ti9', 1922-24 by Marcel Breuer (lot 49). The French client who bought the table for EUR 15.000 will soon be able to ask his opponent to the tournament with the matching chess set by Josef Hartwig. The competition was fierce, and the hammer for the set only fell in his favor at EUR 16.000 (lot 56).

Among the Italian designs, Gino Sarfatti's floor lamp '1035' from 1948 shone - proverbially - and was bid up from EUR 2,500 to EUR 7,000. It will now light up a home in Switzerland (lot 91). Ettore Sottsass' 'Ultrafragola', 1970, in a quite early version was purchased by a German museum after a long bidding battle for EUR 8.000 (lot 106).

A Swedish client won one of Le Corbusier's rare wardrobes for the 'Unité d'Habitation de Marseille’; he beat several other bidders at EUR 8,500 (lot 108).

The small but fine collection of lighting designs by the great Ingo Maurer was very well received by customers. A particularly beautiful and rare example of Maurer's 'Uchiwa' series, the 'Ju-Ku' made of 19 rice paper fans, fetched EUR 12,000 (lot 160).

Among the designs of the new millennium, the 'MAK Chair' by the British Tom Dixon won unrivaled. Two customers on the phones engaged in a bidding war with other interested parties on the internet, finally an important Northern Italian collection won the bid at EUR 15.000 (lot 184).

Some other fine designs, including a rare pendant by Henry van de Velde from the estate of a niece of the painter Curt Hermann (lot 31) and the complete kitchen furnishing by the Dane Arne Jacobsen from 1957 for the International Building Exhibition in Berlin (lot 140) are still available until 23 December 2022.