Moran's offers mid-century modern, arts + cafts, and Native American objects in February A new year of sales at John Moran Auctioneers opens on February 5, 2013, when the Southern California house’s Decorative Arts Auction shines a spotlight on Native American artifacts and American and C
News-Antique.com - Dec 21,2012 - Pasadena, CA-- A new year of sales at John Moran Auctioneers opens on February 5, 2013, when the Southern California house’s Decorative Arts Auction shines a spotlight on Native American artifacts and American and Continental decorative art, with a starring role played by 20th century design from Arts and Crafts to mid-century modern. Property from private collections and estates will be offered with estimates at all price points, and sold in two sessions.
The many wonderful examples of American art pottery represent the wealth of talent across the country in the last century, including Arts and Crafts-era makers such as George Ohr, Rookwood, Van Briggle, Fulper, Moorcroft, Arequipa, Weller, Markham, Fred H. Robertson, and Frederick H. Rhead of Santa Barbara, CA, as well as mid-century luminaries such as Glen Lukens, Beatrice Wood, and Laura Andreson. Of particular interest are a rare sterling silver-mounted green matte-glaze vase by Teco (estimate: $1000 – 1500), a Rookwood Pottery 'Ombroso' glaze vase by WE Hentschel (estimate: $1100 – 1300), a Rookwood Iris glaze bird vase decorated by Carl Schmidt (estimate: $800 – 1200), and a large peacock-decorated jardinière by the Pasadena potter Ernest Batchelder (estimate: $1500 – 2000). A large vase by Beatrice Wood, the Ojai, California artist who was known as the ‘’Mama of Dada’’, is a wonderful example of her use of rough-textured volcanic glaze (estimate: $1500 – 2000), while a bowl by Glen Lukens is covered in a resplendent matte yellow glaze with distinctive heavy crackle (estimate: $900 – 1100). A vase colored with subtle shades of mottled celadon and charcoal, crafted at a monastery in Weston, Vermont by Brother Thomas Bezanson (1929 – 2007), is expected to realize $1000 – 1500.
The standout lots in the modern furniture selections are Isamu Noguchi’s very rare ‘’Rudder’’ dinette table and four exceptionally rare ‘’Rudder’’ stools, which feature tubular steel legs and a parabolic wooden leg. Noguchi designed the table and stools in 1944, and Herman Miller produced them commercially for only a short time. Moran’s examples are finished with a rich greenish-brown tobacco color, and are consigned from the estate of the original owner. The table carries an estimate of $15,000 – 20,000, and the stools are offered with an estimate of $5000 – 8000 each. Examples of the ‘’Rudder’’ stool have previously sold at auction for $20,000 or more each.
Other designs in Moran’s auction include highly covetable modern classics such as the ‘’IN-50’’ coffee table by Noguchi for Herman Miller, an Arredoluce 'Triennale' three-arm floor lamp (estimate: $1500 – 2000) and single-arm floor lamp (estimate: $800 – 1200); a hammered copper and mica lamp by Dirk van Erp; a Tiffany Studios lamp; and a ‘’Barcelona’’ chair, the ‘’modern throne’’ designed by Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe for Knoll. Moran’s is also pleased to offer a large suite of tubular copper patio furniture, including chairs, settees, tables and chaise longues, by designer Walter Lamb. The pieces will be divided among several lots with estimates ranging from $1000 – 6000.
