THE RESULTS ARE IN: Sotheby’s Back-to-Back Design Sales
17th December ’09
Sotheby’s
York Street, New York
On the 17th of December, Sotheby’s New York held back-to-back design sales, which yielded some surprising results. The morning sale of the Collection of Robert Isabell brought in a total of $2,625,627 selling 121 of the 128 lots up for grabs, while the afternoon sale of Important 20th Century Design earned nearly double that of the morning sale with a total of $4,581,626 selling only 94 of its 128 lots.
In the sale of the Collection of Robert Isabell, only 9 of the lots that sold went for within their pre-sale estimates. Final price-tags were fell mainly well above or shockingly below these estimated numbers. For example, the top earner of the morning was the ‘Sculpture Front’ Hanging Sideboard by Pauls Evans, ca. 1970, which earned an impressive $218,500 (pre-sale estimate $60,000-$80,000). Contemporary designer Johnny Swing’s ‘Nickel Couch’, 2003, also faired very strongly, in spite of being estimated shockingly low at $15,000-$20,000 before the sale, bringing in an outstanding total of $104,500.
Other highlights include Paul Evan’s ‘Bar’, ca. 1960s, which earned $98,500 (pre-sale estimate $40,000-$60,000), Serge Mouille’s ‘Tres Grad Signal’ which earned a disappointing $43,750 (pre-sale estimate $70,000-$90,000), and two bookshelves by the recently strong selling Jean Prouve and Charlotte Perriand one of which sold for barely within its low estimate at $62,500 (pre-sale estimate $60,000-$80,000) and the other of which sold for below its estimate at $27,500 (pre-sale estimate $30,000-$50,000).
The afternoon sale of Important 20th Century Design was much more in keeping with recent auction results. Only 94 of the available 128 lots sold, mainly for slightly above or comfortably within their pre-sale estimates, with the highest earners of the day being historical pieces from a renowned designer and/or established provenance.
The top earner of the sale was the ‘Cabanel’ Chiffonier by Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann listed as being from an important private collection, which sold for $350,500 (pre-sale estimate $300,000-$500,000). The ‘Tete de Femme’ Floor Lamp, ca 1933, by the recently strong selling Alberto Giacometti faired impressively well bringing in $230,500 (pre-sale $60,000-$90,000), and the important and rare twelve-light candle chandelier model model no. 296, ca. 1905, by Gustav Stickley also earned $230,500 (pre-sale estimate $75,000-$100,000) rounding out the sale’s top three lots.
Other highlights include two ‘Zig-Zag Stoel’ chairs by Gerrit Thomas Reitveld which each earned above their pre-sale estimates bringing in $25,000 and $21,250 respectively (pre-sale estimates for both $15,000-$20,000), which is a positive turn-around from the December 8th Wright sale where a similar ‘Zig-Zag Stoel’ by Reitveld was bought-in. Disappointingly, however, one of the star piece of Sotheby’s sale, the Important and Rare ‘Roodblauwe Stoel’ ca. 1920s, executed by Rietveld himself, did not sell.
For more information on both of these sales please visit www.sothebys.com.
Keep checking DeTnk’s Collecting Design Market for highlights from the latest and upcoming auctions.
