Christie's Presents: Historical Design Reflects-The East 61st Street Years
A hand repousse brass and nickled-metal five-panel "Oasis" screen Photograph courtesy of Christie's Images, Ltd., 2009
On Dec. 8, Christie's presented Historical Design Reflects: The East 61st Years, an exclusive auction featuring several important works from modern art movement of late 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. On view was a rare hand-repoussé brass and nickled-metal five-panel Oasis Screen, from the 1920s, with lacquered details, nickeled-bronze feet, and reverse fabric upholstered on each panel.
The sale provided a comprehensive overview of spectacular decorative pieces spanning the past century and into our present decade, including French ceramics, New York related objects, Scandinavian Design, photographs, American Mid-Century Design and Bauhaus.
The show featured works on paper by contemporary masters Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Jasper Johns and Ellsworth Kelly in addition to black and white photographs by Harry Callahan, Berenice Abbott, and Bill Brandt, among others. Also included in the sale were contemporary pieces by renowned designers Shlomo Harush, Ron Arad, and Shiro Kuramata.
Other highlights included an array of works by Archibald Knox including a stunning 'Cymric' silver enameled case, 1902, and a 'Tudric' and mother-of-pearl clock from 1902-05, both originally executed for Liberty & Co, London. Other lots include an Adolph Loos leather and ebonized wood 'Elbow Chair' from circa 1899; and a glass, chromed and painted metal Z-Clock by Gilbert Rohde.
The sale also featured a selection of original 1960's, beautifully designed posters for musical legends such as the Grateful Dead, and The Doors, and the Yardbirds. Other notable highlights included a pair of limed and ebonized oak chest of drawers, circa 1940 by James Mont, a hand-knotted wool rug from the 1930's by Edward McKnight Kauffer, and a refined Jean Royere wool upholstered oak sculptured armchair, from 1955.
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Also in this Issue:
- The Brass Tacks of Steampunk
- Erickson Birdhouses: Weathering the Seasons Beautifully
- Copperhand Studio: In Partnership with Nature
- Ruth Shapiro: Symbols of Judaica in Metal
- Christie's Presents: Historical Design Reflects-The East 61st Street Years