RAGO DEBUTS 20TH C. DESIGN WEEKEND WITH MODERN AND EARLY 20TH C. PROPERTY NOT SEEN ON THE MARKET IN Extraordinary private collections, exceptional individual pieces and conservative estimates promise to attract serious competition.
Lambertville, NJ Rago Arts and Auction Center begins 2010 with
selling great studio furniture. This auction includes the work of Wharton Esherick, Paul Evans, Phil Powell and George Nakashima, highlighted by lot 601, a three-piece corner office from Wharton Esherick with storage unit, desk and shelves, estimated at $10,000-15,000; lot 542, a rare Paul Evans Deep Relief patinated steel credenza, estimated at $20,000-30,000; 547, a Paul Evans dining table with plate glass top over two crescent-shaped patinated and welded steel bases, estimated at $6,000-8,000; lot 613, a George Nakashima Frenchman's Cove II walnut dining table with two leaves, estimated at $15,000-25,000: lot 618, a George Nakashima Minguren coffee table with occlusions and rosewood butterfly, estimated at $18,000-24,000; lot 605, a set of six Nakashima walnut Conoid dining chairs with hickory spindles, estimated at $24,000-34,000; and lot 554, a Phil Powell dining table with walnut top on iron base, estimated at $4,000-6,000.
Jacques Adnet is among the most popular of designers for good reason – his work is invariably beautiful, useful and versatile. Rago’s is proud to offer, among others, lot 689, a rare carved mahogany sculpture of a dancer, for $2,500-$3,500; lot 700, a set of six dining armchairs upholstered in stitched black leather, estimated at $6,000-9,000 and lot 690 pair of stitched leather and brass lounge chairs, estimated at $5,000-7,000. Also notable among works by French and Italian designers in the sale is lot 804, a mahogany mirrored sideboard with beige marble top by Osvaldo Borsani, estimated at $4,000-6,000 and lot 717, a rare pair of Art Deco wrought-iron hanging mirrors signed by Paul Kiss, estimated at $5,000-7,000. Other French and Italian designers/makers represented here include Le Corbusier, Maison Jensen, Pierre Paulin, René Gabriel, Paul Frankl, Garouste and Bonnetti, Ico and Louisa Parisi and Gae Aulenti.
John Lewis is a remarkable contemporary designer of furniture and sculpture in glass. The sale includes five of his tables, highlighted by lot 685, a Clear Square console table with a black glass base, 1997, estimated at $10,000-15,000 and lot 688, a copper center table with a clear, sandblasted cast glass base, estimated at $12,000-18,000, along with several smaller items. Other contemporary designers in the sale: Wendell Castle, Ron Arad, Marc Newsom, Richaar Schultz, Roy McMakin, Philippe Starck and the surrealist Meret Oppenheim.
The lighting in the sale is notable for lot 719, a rare Clément Rousseau table lamp from 1948, made of exotic wood, ivory and shagreen, estimated at $12,000-15,000; lot 505, an enameled iron seven-light wall sconce with original clip-on silk shades by Tommi Parzinger, estimated $4,000-6,000; lot 545, three chrome and brass uplight floor lamps by Paul Evans, estimated at $3,000-5,000, lot 699, a Jacques Adnet floor lamp with tripod base and leather column, estimated at $3,000-4,000, as well as a selection of lamps by James Mont, Marc Newson, and more by Hansen, J.T. Kalmar Metallwerkstatten, Stilnovo, Poul Henningsen, Tomasso Barbi, T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings, Robert Sonneman, Vistosi, Venini, Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Diego Giacommetti, George Kovacs, Lightolier, Vladimir Kagan and Oscar Bach.
