LONDON.- Phillips announced highlights from the London Design auction, taking place on 31 October. Featuring 136 lots, the sale brings together rare and important works of 20th and 21st century French, Italian, Brazilian, Contemporary, and Scandinavian design. Ahead of the Design auction on 31 October, the sale will be on view at Phillips’ London galleries on Berkeley Square from 25 to 31 October, alongside the exhibition for Lucie Rie and Hans Coper, Exceptional Ceramics: Selections from the Estate of Jane Coper and the former Collection of Cyril Frankel, which will be offered in a standalone auction on the following day,1 November.
Domenico Raimondo, Senior Director, Head of Design, Europe and Senior International Specialist, said “We are delighted to present our Fall auction in London which features an extraordinary and diverse selection of material. From the sought-after designs of Jean Royère to a mythological sculpture by Janine Janet, and the creative genius of G.R.A.U. and Studio B.B.P.R, this auction offers a diverse selection of exceptional craftsmanship spanning the 20th and 21st centuries.”
Leading the sale is a group of works designed in the mid-1950s by Jean Royère. In the late 1940s, Royère met and partnered with Lebanese architect Nadim Majdalani. They collaborated from the 1940s through the 1960s, working on numerous residential and commercial projects in a rapidly growing Lebanon. Royère gained international recognition for his work in Lebanon, which was widely acclaimed and featured in many publications. The current Royère collection of five works comes from Galerie L'Atelier, opened by Majdalani in 1955 to showcase Royère's works permanently. Ali Bazzi, a former Lebanese diplomat, acquired these pieces for his new house after his wedding in the mid-1950s. The designs reflect Royère's signature style, featuring elements like the 'Tour Eiffel' lattice, sinuous curves, and perforations, making this collection emblematic of Royère's creative output.
Josef Hoffmann’s unique sideboard was designed and built for the 1927 Vienna Art Show, reflecting the artistic renewal and the economic realities of the period. At that time, amidst creative success, Hoffmann faced challenging circumstances as the artistic director of the Wiener Werkstätte. Economic decline, hyperinflation, and unemployment impacted luxury production which was dependent on upper-middle class patronage. Hoffmann's brilliance had shone at the 1925 International Exhibition of Decorative Arts in Paris, where he won the Order of the Legion of Honour and subsequent fame followed. This sideboard’s uniqueness stems from its design and red colour.
Janine Janet was celebrated for her imaginative mythological sculptures and captivating displays created in collaboration with fashion designer Cristobal Balenciaga. Tête d’Acteon, which was commissioned by Balenciaga, depicts the metamorphosis of Actaeon, the hunter transformed into a stag by Diana. Janet's ambitious displays like those she created for Balenciaga were showcased independently, often without the designer's garments, serving as a representation of the brand's essence and intrigued the Parisian public with their compelling narratives. Janet also had a close creative partnership with poet and artist Jean Cocteau, collaborating on costume designs for his Orphic Trilogy in the 1950s, reflecting their shared fascination with mythology.
A standout highlight of the sale is a selection of eight works by the Roman Architects and Urbanists Group (G.R.A.U.). In the 1950s and 1960s, Italy saw a shift in architectural dialogue which moved away from international modernism. The construction of key buildings like Milan's Torre Velasca and Venice's Casa alle Zattere, contributed to a new focus on historical and urban aspects, emphasising a synthesis between history and contemporary design. G.R.A.U.'s work, shaped by this context, underscored the inseparability of architecture and urban planning. They restored the 16th-century Villa of Cardinal Chigi in Ariccia, near Rome, with a strong focus on historical and symmetrical design and these pieces were commissioned and created for that space in 1967. Their furniture design paralleled this perspective-driven approach, embodying an architectural character that blurred the lines between furniture and architecture, reflecting Italy's rich design tradition.
This sale offers an exceptionally strong selection of Italian lighting, from Studio B.B.P.R, to Venini and Max Ingrand’s Prototype Ceiling Light. Never put into mass production, Ingrand’s Prototype Ceiling Light is a striking departure from traditional lighting fixtures of its era. Fontana Arte was founded in the early 1930s by Luigi Fontana, under the creative direction of Pietro Chiesa and Gio Ponti. After Chiesa’s death in 1948, Ponti temporarily took over the creative direction whilst looking for a suitable replacement for Chiesa. In 1954, he appointed Max Ingrand as creative director for the company and over a decade, Ingrand designed some of the most iconic pieces ever produced by Fontana Arte. This work, acquired directly from Fontana Arte in 1961, epitomises the essence of the firm’s modern design philosophy. At the heart of this forward-looking work lies an irregularly shaped shade, composed of three imposing individual thick glass panes and one large partially-acid etched multi-faceted glass shade which hovers below them. The deliberate unevenness of these elements challenges the norms of symmetry and revealing a unique and captivating aesthetic.
A leading Scandinavian highlight of the sale is a rare sofa designed by Nanna and Jørgen Ditzel circa 1945. This work comes to auction at a milestone moment in the history of design as 2023 marks 100 years since Nanna Ditzel was born. Often referred to as the ‘Grande Dame of Danish Design’, Nanna Ditzel is considered one of the most influential Danish designers of the 20th century. Ditzel’s unique approach to furniture design was pioneering for its time, her work was characterised by organic and dynamic forms inspired by nature. The resulting designs, such as the present curved sofa, were functional, comfortable, simple and decorative.
Additional highlights include works by José Zanine Caldas, Shiro Kuramata, Maison Desny, and Ico Parisi.
