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Samantha's Picks
Samantha Robinson | Vice President, Design, Chicago
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"Nothing is flexible like glass; nothing has the beauty of
glass. The combination of air, fire, and water. Even gold has nothing to
compare to glass. It is absolutely the most expressive material on the planet."
These are the words of Lino Tagliapietra, widely regarded as one of the
greatest living glass artists due to his unmatched technical skill and formal
experimentation. Our upcoming auction boasts 10 works by Tagliapietra,
including this jaw-dropping monumental Stromboli. In this series,
pared down vessel forms bring the maestro's technical prowess into clear focus.
Close examination reveals dynamic interplay between the murrines
and the transparent spaces within and around them, highlighting the exterior
and interior surfaces.
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One of a pair, this maple and birch
wood twin bed resided in the north bedroom of Frank Lloyd Wright's home and
studio in Oak Park, Illinois, between 1911 and 1925. The bed's rectilinear
structure and unadorned surfaces echo the geometric clarity of his exterior
designs, exemplifying his commitment to environments in which form and function
are seamlessly aligned. While this example has been lovingly cared for by
a private Oak Park collector for over 25 years, its mate is held in the
Collection of the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust, underscoring the
significance of this surviving example. This is a rare opportunity to acquire
an important piece of architecture and design history.
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Paul Lobel's wicker-wrapped cocktail shaker is a striking
example of how Machine Age design balanced industrial precision with human
warmth. Its underlying metal body embodies the sleek, functional aesthetic
central to Machine Age ideals, while the wicker introduces a tactile, organic
contrast that softens the object's mechanical rigor. This interplay between
machine-made structure and artisanal surface treatment elevates the shaker
beyond mere utility, transforming it into a sophisticated design object. In
1934, a prototype of the present design with Bakelite elements appeared in the
Contemporary American Industrial Art exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art.
Shortly thereafter, this version appeared in the Wilcox salesman catalogue with
a retail price of $12, but it was discontinued by 1936. As a result, few
examples were produced and even fewer still survive.
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Christianne's Picks
Christianne Teague | Consignment Director, Design & Decorative Arts, Beverly Hills
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Stephen Powell was an absolute master of color and form, and
the influence of his early painting days shows through in his glass. His works
combine the saturated colorfields of Rothko with the
physicality and expressive lines of Pollock, both of whom he named as key
influences. This particular piece immediately struck me; the rich cornflower
blue pairs unexpectedly but harmoniously with the deep rust orange, and the
looping, asymmetrical form suggests, to my eye, the playful silhouette of an
elephant. It's a fitting detail, as Powell often infused his work with a sense
of humor.
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We are fortunate to present a large and varied selection of
works by Evelyn & Jerome Ackerman this season. The Campesina tapestry was
one of their most beloved designs at the time of production and remains so
today, having been featured in key publications and exhibitions, including
Material Curiosity at the Craft Contemporary (on view through May 10). It would
be difficult to find a better example of this work than this particular
one - the colors remain gorgeously saturated, and I love the slightly
darker blue band in the lower right corner, the result of thread from a
different dye batch. It's poignant evidence of the thoughtful handmade nature
of the work.
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Elinor's Pick
Elinor Chalmers | Cataloguer, Decorative Arts, Dallas
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Piero Fornasetti's Improbable Recipe plates
offer a clever fusion of artistry and humor, with each design illustrating a
fantastical culinary invention. Produced for Fleming Joffe as an exclusive
client series, complete sets like this are seldom found. A quintessential
example of Fornasetti's playful, surreal vision. The
plates demonstrate his ability to balance whimsy with formal precision, a
defining characteristic of his work.
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Ben's Pick
Ben Windsor | Cataloguer, Decorative Arts, Dallas
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What draws me to this work is the way the surface feels
fluid, with warm amber tones broken by darker glaze that runs and pools, while
the lighter passages catch and reflect light, shifting as the piece is viewed.
While Shimaoka is best known for his rope-impressed Jōmon
zogan decoration, this example offers a more
immediate, visceral appeal, something that truly resonates when seen in person.
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Samantha Robinson
Vice President,
Design,
Chicago
SamanthaR@HA.com
(312) 260-7233
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Christianne Teague
Consignment Director,
Design & Decorative Arts,
Beverly Hills
ChristianneT@HA.com
(214) 409-1932
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Elinor Chalmers
Cataloguer,
Decorative Arts,
Dallas
ElinorC@HA.com
(214) 409-1276
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Ben Windsor
Cataloguer,
Decorative Arts,
Dallas
BenW@HA.com
(214) 409-1142
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