All Columns in Alphabetical Order


Thursday, June 13, 2013

Breaking News from Sotheby's New York: Important 20th Century Design Sale Totals $4.7 Million

Sotheby’s New York sale of Important 20th Century Design totaled a strong $4,738,940, nearly reaching its pre-sale high estimate of $5 million. American modern design led the sale with multiple, persistent bidders competing for an important and rare coffee service designed by Paul Lobel circa 1934. The sale price eventually reached $449,000, over four times the pre-sale high estimate of $100,000. A prototype of this tea set was included in the Contemporary American Industrial Art exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York in 1934. This service was presented as a wedding gift in 1938 to Frances Alice Davidson and William Charles Sonnhalter of Cleveland, Ohio, and has remarkably remained in the same family to the present date. A further highlight of the sale was “Mouton” circa 1986 by François-Xavier Lalanne, fetching $341,000, with a pre-sale estimate of $200,000 - $300,000.

Works by Tiffany Studios opened the sale and performed strongly with an Important and Rare “Dragonfly and Waterflowers” Table Lamp from the Geyer Family Collection bringing $257,000 (est. $150/200,000). The shade (circa 1898-1899), featuring Dragonflies flying amidst marsh flowers, is paired with a rare favrile mosaic glass “Arrowhead” base (circa 1905). Also exceeding expectations were the “Poppy” Table Lampcirca 1905 from the Estate of Elmer William Shigo which achieved $209,000 (est. $80/120,000) and the“Peony Border” Floor Lamp circa 1910 which sold for $221,000 (est. $150/200,000).

Follow: www.twitter.com/sothebys & www.weibo.com/sothebyshongkong

Join: www.facebook.com/sothebys

Watch: www.youtube.com/sothebys

Back to TOP