Important Nordic Design at Phillips de Pury & Company

17 November '11

London

Phillips de Pury & Company is pleased to announce Important Nordic Design, an academic exploration into 20th century and contemporary Nordic design and culture curated by acclaimed architect Lee F. Mindel, Fellow of the American Institute of Architects and whose firm Shelton, Mindel & Associates is the winner of the 2011 Smithsonian Cooper Hewitt National Design Award for Interior Design.

Shelton, Mindel & Associates, New York, have had a lifelong passion and understanding of the contributions of architecture and design in Scandinavia. At Phillips de Pury & Company, Mr. Mindel will curate the auction catalogue and exhibition and will draw together rare and exceptional works from Sweden, Denmark and Finland where he has travelled extensively. In addition, photographs taken by Mr. Mindel, documenting those Nordic journeys, will be available for sale during the exhibition proceeds of which will be donated to various architectural and design institutions.

The auction is estimated to generate £2,000,000 - £2,800,000 and includes approximately 120 lots.

Lots to watch include:

Alvar Aalto


Early ‘Paimio’ armchair
model no. 41
c. 1932

Moulded laminated beech plywood, painted moulded laminated birch plywood, birch.

Estimate: £38,000–42,000

Alvar Aalto

Early trolley
model no. 98/901
c. 1936

Painted plywood, bent birch plywood, birch, rubber.

Estimate: £5,000–7,000

Nils Fougstedt 
and Björn Trägårdh
Pair of ‘Noah’s Ark’ nesting tables
model no. 423
1929

Engraved pewter insert tops, black polished birch bases.

Estimate: £40,000–50,000