LAKE WORTH BEACH, FLA.- Palm Beach Modern Auctions’ season-opener sale next weekend promises design enthusiasts and art collectors a feast for the senses. The auction preview is currently open to the public in their exhibition center.

“Whether you’re looking at a sofa, a painting, or a diamond bracelet, nothing compares to seeing the items firsthand,” says auctioneer and co-owner Rico Baca. “These are unique pieces to experience, representing fascinating techniques, important genres, and parts of modern history. We offer online and phone options for the convenience of our clientele, and a walkthrough video on our website, but I always tell people to come by and preview if they can.”

Visitors to the exhibition space are greeted by one of Andy Warhol’s highly collectible “Mao” screenprints in high-intensity red, a wall-spanning Friedel Dzubas in serene blue, an Invader tile mosaic originally installed on a Paris stairway, an Armando Reveron landscape and a 42” Stephen Rolfe Powell blown-glass sculpture. These pieces are just a few from the entryway.

Around the corner, admirers of the unexpected will find a two-foot tall blown-glass “Superfly” by Stanislaw Jan Borowski, the inviting lap of Gaetano Pesce’s “La Mamma” lounge chair and two sterling silver-embellished Edward Bohlin western saddles from the later 1930s-early 1940s. The massive iridescent purple velvet “Boa” sofa along the center wall is another impossible-to-miss piece, especially considering how few pieces of furniture – let alone at this scale – are handmade in 2024. Designers Fernando Campana and Humberto Campana described the process in their literature (edra.com): "Each sofa requires four tubes of thirty meters each, filled and covered by hand. Four people work simultaneously and in synchrony for more than a week. Two full days are dedicated to the final weaving."


One of two Edward Bohlin parade saddles that took PBMA’s team on a photography field trip, to capture images of the important pieces. Equine model Diamond was well-paid in carrots.

Early crowd favorites among online bidders include Hunt Slonem’s bunny paintings with diamond dust glitter, a Rolex GMT-Master “Pepsi” watch, and a De Sede “Nonstop” sofa with caterpillar-like segments along its 226” length for custom configuration. In person, sparkle and shine always draw attention, from the Bulgari Serpenti bracelet with custom green eyes to the Takako Yamaguchi gold leaf painting.

Highlights include a Pablo Picasso work on paper, Karel Appel painting, and eight unique and documented Yoichi Ohira vases. Other treats for art glass collectors include works by William Morris and David Bennett. Collectors of prints and multiples will be equally pleased to find a Chuck Close self-portrait, two of Tom Wesselmann’s “Monicas” (one a screenprint, one a steel drawing), a Roy Lichtenstein “Shipboard Girl,” and Josef Albers screenprints.

The 419-lot Modern + Contemporary Art, Design & Luxury auction takes place on Saturday, October 26th, beginning at 12:00 noon ET. Doors are open to the public for preview Monday through Friday, 10:00 am-5:00 pm leading up to the sale and at 9:00 am on auction day.

Bidders attending the auction in person are treated to complimentary refreshments and valet parking. Online, absentee, and phone bids are also accepted via modernauctions.com. For those bidding remotely, high-resolution photos, video, and Facetime preview appointments are available on request.

Palm Beach Modern Auctions is a boutique auction house specializing in modern and contemporary art, pop culture, design, luxury, and decorative objects. The saleroom, exhibition space, and retail gallery are located at 1217 N. Dixie Hwy., Lake Worth Beach, FL 33460. For more information, visit www.modernauctions.com, email info@modernauctions.com, or call 561.586.5500.