Rago’s Announces a 20th /21st Century Design Auction on June 16-17 1,100 lots of exceptional property, including pottery by Saturday Evening Girls; lighting by Tiffany; studio furniture by Nakashima; glass by Zynsky and Chihuly and much more. Previews begin June 9th.
three-part glazed ceramic winged sculpture by Betty Woodman, estimated at $25,000–35,000; lot 470, a very large glazed stoneware charger by Viola Frey, estimated at $4,000–6,000; and lot 477, an ampersand teapot with cactus lid by Adrian Saxe, $5,000–7,000.
Mid 20th-21st C. / Modern: Sunday, June 17, 11 a.m.:
Sunday’s Modern Design auction features over 630 lots of furniture, lighting, decorative arts, art glass, and fine art including a vast collection of sculpture.
Modern Fine Art (Sculpture, Prints, Paintings):
Sunday’s sale has an impressive collection of sculpture in a variety of media by artists such as: Harry Bertoia, Benjamin Moore, Bernard Brenner, Bob Bennett, Christopher Hiltey, Feliciano Bejar, Franz and Karl Hagenauer, Greg Nangle , Kay Bojesen, Kent Forest Ipsen, Klaus Ihlenfeld, Leo Sewell, Miles Van Rensselaer, Paul Evans, and Sydney Cash. There are several lots of enameled panels by Edward Winter and Thelma Frazier Winter, and paintings by Rolph Scarlett and Smokey Tunis.
Spanish sculptor Miguel Berrocal is well represented in the sale with his infamous puzzle sculptures (lots 594-603). His work reflects his training in science and technology along with his love of Classical and Modern art. Berrocal’s puzzle sculptures explore the interplay between positive and negative space, calling attention to each element that must combine to create the whole. The process of assembly is critical to Berrocal’s intent as the logic of his sculptures can only be assessed through exploration of their parts. In this vein, the multiple in Berrocal’s work lends meaning and significance to the singular. An outstanding Berrocal lot in the sale is #594, a very large puzzle sculptural jewelry box, estimated at $4,000-6,000.
There are several lots in the sale of sculpture and prints by Harry Bertoia, including some important bronze Bush and Sonambient sculptures. He is known for his work as a jeweler, printmaker, furniture designer, sculptor, and philosopher. Bertoia designed furniture, more than 50 public sculptures, hundreds of monoprints, and thousands of artworks. His sculptural work explored how metal could be manipulated to produce sound. Stretching and bending the metal made it respond to wind or to touch, creating different tones. A notable Bertoia lot is 729, a bronze and copper Bush sculpture, estimated at $20,000-30,000, which comes with the original drawing by the artist. The sale also contains several fine and large monoprints, such as #738, at $1,300-1,800.
Another notable lot in the sale is #500, an important sculpture by Paul Evans, estimated at $45,000-65,000, originally purchased by the consignor from the Paul Evans studio in New Hope, Pennsylvania. This is a rare piece, and only one of two of these organic forms that Rago’s has ever seen. Also of note is lot 877, one of several sculptures of cut crystal and steel in this sale by Feliciano Bejar, “La Rhonda”, estimated at $3,000–4,000; lot 896, one of a group of sculptures from the estate of the artist Bernard Brenner, "Meditation Piece," estimated at $1,000-1,500. There are lots of sculptural glass and metal by Philadelphia artist Miles Van Rensselaer, notably lot
