The Results Are In: Phillips de Pury Design Auction - New York

3rd June '09

Building on the success of their recent April London Design sale, Phillips de Pury & Company’s June 3rd Auction faired quite well, maintaining the perception that the design market continues to hold its own in this volatile economy.

With 89 of the 128 lots going to buyers, for a total of $2,141,250 the auction was just shy of its lower-end pre-sale estimate of $2.7M

Although there was nothing to compare with the record breaking sale of the Lockheed Lounge, the top earner from June 3rd’s auction was Jean Royère’s Rare “Ours Polaire” sofa, ca. 1950, selling for $194,500 (Pre-sale estimate $180,000 - 220,000).

Additional highlights of the sale included a pair of ‘Living Center” lounge chairs by Joe Colombo, ca. 1970, which sold for $68,500 over 3 times their pre-sale estimate and a pair of rare “Megaphos” ceiling lights, by C.F. Otto Müller, ca. 1930 which soared past their high estimate of $3,500 selling for $12,500.

A number of quality Mid to Late Century works by lesser known designers such as Lucie Rie, Mogens Voltelen, and Fulvio Bianconi sold either within or above their pre-auction estimates, proving that this side of the market continues to remain strong. However, the Contemporary pieces up for grabs once again yielded fairly unspectacular results, with items such as Ron Arad’s “Big Easy Volume 2” chair selling below its estimate and Philip Michael Wolfson’s ‘Genoa’ desk - whose proceeds were to be donated to the MAKE IT RIGHT FOUNDATION - going unsold.

It would seem that the days of insouciant spending on overinflated valuations have at least momentarily gone by the wayside, leaving a market hungry for realistic prices and established canons.

To view detailed results of DeTnk's pic of the auctions visit our Collecting Design Marketplace