NEW YORK, NY.- Christies announces the spring sale of Design taking place Wednesday, 8 June 2016, at Rockefeller Plaza. The sale encompasses over 100 works with strong representation by modern French designers including François-Xavier Lalanne, Jean Prouvé, Georges Jouve, Jean Royère, and Charlotte Perriand. Other highlights include rare-to-market Jin-di-sugi furnishings by John Scott Bradstreet, a broad selection of early 20th-century Tiffany Studios lamps, designs by George Nakashima, works by living designers Maria Pergay, Marc Newson, Dale Chihuly, and Gabriella Crespi, and an Ettore Bugatti Baby 52 electric car, circa 1930.
Leading the sale are two groups of iconic Moutons de Laine, by François-Xavier Lalanne (1927-2008), 'Moutons de Laine,' A Sheep and Two Ottomans, 1968 (estimate: $500,000-800,000) and 'Moutons de Laine,' A Sheep and Ottoman, 1968 (estimate: $400,000-600,000). Originally presented with the title, "Pour Polypheme," the flock recalled a passage in Homer's Odyssey of Ulysses. The sheep have become Lalannes best known and loved work and are the perfect manifestation of the tradition of art animalier. Introduced in 1965 at the Salon de la Jeune Peinture in Paris, the first flock attracted international attention. By 1967, they had been pictured in Life magazine and would soon be found in the collections of Yves Saint Laurent and other impresarios and cultural figures. For the next half century, François-Xavier and Claude, Les Lalanne as the artists came to be known, created an unrivaled body of work. The two lots presented here were given by the Lalannes art dealer, Alexandre Iolas, to the artist William Copley as a wedding present.
Also featured are rare-to-market examples of Jin-di-sugi furniture by John Scott Bradstreet, who rose to fame in the Minneapolis area of Minnesota. Known for his artistically ambitious interior schemes, from his textile-filled interpretations of the Moorish style, to interiors and furniture fashioned from a unique, Japanese inspired, technique of treating and carving cypress wood that he termed jin-di-sugi. Included in the sale are three works, led by An Early Jin-di-sugi Table, 1902, (estimate: $80,000-120,000), A Library Table, circa 1910 (estimate: $40,000-60,000), A Sideboard, circa 1905 (estimate: $20,000-30,000).
ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS | DESIGN | WEDNESDAY, 8 JUNE 2016
FRENCH MID-TO-LATE 20TH CENTURY
GEORGES JOUVE (1910-1964), SCULPTURE, CIRCA 1960, glazed ceramic, cast stone
signed Jouve with artist cipher. Estimate: $100,000-150,000
FRANCOIS-XAVIER LALANNE (1927-2008), 'MOUTONS DE LAINE', A SHEEP AND OTTOMAN, 1968, wool, patinated aluminum, wood. Estimate: $400,000 $600,000
FRANCOIS-XAVIER LALANNE (1927-2008), 'CENTAURE ATTELE (PETIT)', DESIGNED 1985, patinated bronze. Estimate: $60,000-80,000
JEAN PROUVE (1901-1984), A 'PRESIDENCE N°201' DESK, DESIGNED 1948, this example realized circa 1953, painted and chromed metal, Formica. Estimate: $120,000-180,000
JEAN ROYERE (1902-1981), A PAIR OF EIGHT-LIGHT 'PERSANE' APPLIQUES, CIRCA 1950, painted and gilt-metal. Estimate: $60,000-80,000
JEAN ROYERE (1902-1981), A 'SPHERE' LOW TABLE, 1950S, gilt wrought-iron, travertine. Estimate: $40,000-60,000
AMERICAN EARLY 20TH CENTURY
JOHN SCOTT BRADSTREET (1845-1914), AN EARLY 'JIN-DI-SUGI' TABLE, 1902, carved cypress. Estimate: $80,000-120,000
JOHN SCOTT BRADSTREET (1845-1914), A SIDEBOARD, CIRCA 1905, carved and polychromed cypress. Estimate: $20,000-30,000
JOHN SCOTT BRADSTREET (1845-1914), A LIBRARY TABLE, CIRCA 1910, stained and carved cypress. Estimate: $40,000-60,000
TIFFANY STUDIOS, A 'DROPHEAD DRAGONFLY' TABLE LAMP, CIRCA 1910, leaded glass, patinated bronze. Estimate: $150,000-200,000
TIFFANY STUDIOS, AN EARLY 'PEONY' TABLE LAMP, CIRCA 1903, leaded glass, patinated bronze. Estimate: $90,000-120,000
TIFFANY STUDIOS, A 'TULIP' TABLE LAMP, CIRCA 1910. Leaded glass, patinated bronze. Estimate: $80,000-120,000
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
FLEMMING LASSEN (1902-1984), A 'TIRED MAN' ARMCHAIR, DESIGNED CIRCA 1935, executed by A. J. Iverson, Copenhagen, lambskin upholstery, oak, brass castors. Estimate: $50,000-70,000
PAUL EVANS (1931-1987), A UNIQUE U-SHAPED CHAIR, CIRCA 1968, welded and polychromed, patinated steel, suede upholstery. Estimate: $25,000-35,000 ETTORE BUGATTI (1881-1947)
A 'BABY 52' ELECTRIC CAR, CIRCA 1930, enameled aluminum shell, rubber tires, leather seat and straps, electric motor, the dashboard featuring a pressure gauge and inverter, with a shift to the right of the seat. Estimate: $30,000-50,000