NEW YORK, NY.- Phillips is now announcing a selection of highlights from the New York spring Design auction at 432 Park Avenue on 8 June. The range of material on offer, in both geography and time period, testifies to the diversity of the Design category and the remarkable talent of designers across the globe. Including over 100 works that span the 20th and 21st centuries, the sale includes works from notable makes such as Gio Ponti, Paul Evans, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, Louis Majorelle, José Zanine Caldas, and Jean Prouvé, among many others.
Cordelia Lembo, Head of Design, New York, said, “We are proud to host our June Design auction with such a remarkable array of works. It is always a priority for Phillips to showcase the breadth and depth of talent that this category has to offer, and the June sale is no exception. With works spanning over 100 years, from French Art Nouveau lighting and Italian design to American Studio Craft and Brazilian design, the sale reflects the vibrant and diverse preferences of our international collector base as well as Phillips’ recognition for offering artists previously underrepresented on the secondary market. We look forward to welcoming those in New York through the exhibition and to the live auction itself on 8 June.”
The Phillips team is proud to announce works by Joyce Anderson, Diane Itter, and Gloria Kisch, each of whom are being offered for the first time in a Phillips sale. Anderson—who, in the 1950s, went from assisting her husband Edgar to becoming his equal collaborator—was a designer and woodworker in her own right and an influential member of the burgeoning craft movement in post-war America. Her expert craftmanship is nowhere better exemplified than in the walnut cabinet with an inlaid stone mosaic top that we are delighted to offer. Itter, while an important member of the 1960s and 1970s fiber art movement, was unique among her contemporaries for her focus on vibrantly dyed thread which she employed with intricate knotting techniques to create intimately scaled and highly detailed works. The auction includes two knotted linen pieces that exemplify this practice. Kisch, a sculptor first, began to create functional works in the 80s which blurred the lines between art and design. “In the Mirror,” is a whimsical and truly original take on an entryway staple, the coatrack. Each of these designers is currently experiencing a renaissance with new interest being paid to their contributions to design history.
Leading the sale is a panel from the Delaware Valley modernist Paul Evans with a rare two-sided “Sculpture Front” screen from 1966 (illustrated page 1). This is a rare example of a standalone Evans screen with gilt and painted steel decorations on both sides. Originally intended to float suspended on a metal frame, the screen is an imposing and historically significant work. Other artists in the lineup from this region include Harry Bertoia and George Nakashima. Bertoia is represented by an exceptional two-rod Sonambient which stands impressively at 100 inches high and comes from the distinguished collection of Gabriele and Robert Lee.
Phillips is also offering three works by Nakashima, including a set of eight New dining chairs, a Frenchman’s Cove II dining table, and a two-door cabinet that all come from a private collection in Houston, Texas where they have remained in the same family since their acquisition from the designer’s studio in the 1960s. Moving west, four Weed Pots from Doyle Lane alongside one of Lane’s clay paintings are also up for auction, celebrating the two forms he is most known for and marking the first time that one of Lane’s clay paintings will be offered at Phillips.
Additionally, Phillips will present five notable examples of 20th century Brazilian design. Leading the group is a dining table by José Zanine Caldas, one the best examples of his work to come to the secondary market, due to its striking form and proportions as well as its impressive provenance. The work was acquired directly from the designer in 1977 by Brazilian art dealer Bruno Musatti and his wife, artist Jeanete Musatti, and it remained in their collection until 2020, when it was acquired by the present owner. Furthermore, this group includes iconic designs by Lina Bo Bardi, Joaquim Tenreiro, Sergio Rodriguez, and Martin Eisler.
Phillips will also offer a group of important French Art Nouveau lighting and furniture from a private collection. This collection comprises highly sought-after designs by renowned French designers who were pivotal during the turn of the 20th century, including Daum Frères, Louis Majorelle, Émile Gallé, Eugène Gaillard, and Georges de Feure. Many of these designs were included in various world expositions and are considered to be pinnacle examples of Art Nouveau design. Highlights on offer include a “Nénuphar” table lamp by Daum Frères and Louis Majorelle, a beautiful table lamp in the form of a water lily, as well as Louis Majorelle’s “La Cascade” cabinet. Both of these pieces demonstrate a remarkable sense of dynamism and are emblematic of the art nouveau designers' fascination with portraying the natural world, utilization of contemporary materials, and exquisite craftsmanship.
Another category in the sale will present influential Italian design works from the 1950s and 1960s primarily coming to market from American collections. The group aptly reflects the significant interest in Italian design in post-war America, previously demonstrated through museum exhibitions such as the Brooklyn Museum’s seminal exhibition Italy at work in 1950, along with various Italian designers collaborating with U.S.-based manufacturers to bring Italian design to the American consumer. One work in the sale that represents this collaborative period is a pair of rare wall lights that Gio Ponti designed circa 1959 for the auditorium of the Time & Life Building in New York City. This design has never come to auction, making the lights an exciting discovery for any collector or enthusiast.
Another intriguing discovery is a ceiling light designed by Studio B.B.P.R. which comes from a private Midwest collection where the work had been installed in a Highland Park residence in the early 1960s until now. This revelation demonstrates the astonishing reach of Italian design in the post-war period in America. The sale also includes a desk designed by Gio Ponti, widely recognized as one of the most significant architects and designers of the 20th century, for the Altamira showroom in New York. Accompanying these pieces are numerous other designs by highly sought-after Italian designers from the same era, such as Carlo Mollino, Ico Parisi, and Max Ingrand, adding to the comprehensiveness of the collection.
The sale boasts an impressive selection of contemporary design, including instantly recognizable designs like a hanging ceramic sculpture by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, a “Cinderella” table by Jeroen Verhoeven, and a clock from the Robber Barron series by Studio Job. Phillips will also offer a chair hewn from bluestone by Max Lamb alongside granite works by Scott Burton which show the legacy of the latter artist and his lasting influence on contemporary design.
Additionally, Phillips will be offering several works that come from an interior designed by Muriel Brandolini, who is known for her eclectic and playful interiors. The diversity of works offered from this collection are a testament to this fact. The selection encompasses various pieces, from an aesthetic movement chair by Daniel Cottier to a contemporary console table by Martin Szekely, and a ceiling light by contemporary artist Claire Cormier- Fauvel, among others.
