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NewswireToday - /newswire/ -
Lambertville, NJ, United States, 09/30/2008 - Sollo Rago Modern Auctions champions “Studio”. Featuring one-of-a-kind furniture from Esherick, Evans, Nakashima, Powell, Chareau, Greene and Greene. Also featured: jewelry by Ed Weiner. Ceramics by Lucero, Bacera, Gilhooley. Art by Bertoia, Haring.
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It is rare that one auction is able to tell the whole story of the Studio movement – from hand-made furniture to jewelry, ceramics, and glass. Sollo Rago Modern’s sale of October 25 and 26, draws from the artist’s hand to present an expansive selection of property in the 1,000 lot sale.
“We’re representing some of the best pieces ever crafted, from every period of 20th century design, American and European, in a range of materials,” says John Sollo. “There aren’t very many designers who could conceptualize brilliant and novel forms and then realize them personally as craftsmen. You’ll find them here.”
The sale features a true masterwork, the architectural cabinet of Charles Sumner Greene, of master architects Greene and Greene, completed between 1907 and 1911. This exceptional piece of furniture offers direct insight into Charles Sumner Greene’s personal design ideas, exemplifies the best of the Arts & Crafts movement and anticipates the coming of the studio furniture movement, championing the same precision and artistry in wood.
George Nakashima’s work continues to gain importance within the canon of twentieth century design, as evidenced by the James A. Michener Art Museum’s recent announcement of the donation of his archives. In October, many exceptional pieces of Nakashima’s work will be represented including a Minguren II dining table from the Rockefeller Japanese House in Pocantico Hills, the artist’s most important commission.
The work of Wharton Esherick, father of the studio furniture movement will be offered - from furniture to woodblock prints. The work of studio craftsman Phillip Lloyd Powell has drawn significant market and critical attention recently. October will offer several spectacular examples, including an early and exceptional hanging cabinet. Also worthy of close attention are the many outstanding examples of by Powell’s friend and fellow studio craftsman, Paul Evans. The Mexican studio master Pedro Friedeberg has a very different take on studio, here represented by a fantastic throne of gilded and carved wood with the artist’s signature carved hands as adornment.
Studio jewelry figures prominently in the sale – anchored by a dazzling collection of the work of Ed Wiener, including a stunning and extravagant starburst pendant in gold and jewels. Also here are works by William Harper, the modern master of cloisonné enamel.
Those in search of work by great mid-century interior designers will not be disappointed. Elegant and original works by Tommi Parzinger and James Mont are featured prominently. The sale also features an iconic Mesa table by T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings (one of his very best designs) and works by French designers Jean Royere, Jaques Adnet and Italian designers Gio Ponti and Ico Parisi.
Sollo Rago leads the field in its selection of studio glass and ceramics, a dedication that has earned it the privilege of representing much of the best on the market. Studio glass offerings are exceptional, with works by Dale Chihuly, Dominick Labino, John Lewis, Richard Marquis, Jon Kuhn and international artists Eva Vlchova, Vladimir Kopecky and his daughter, Anna Matouskova. Italian glass offerings include an important and rare standing figure by Fulvio Bianconi for Venini, as well as a rare Con Macchie example, also by Bianconi for Venini. Also featured will be an excellent selection of works by Seguso, Carlo Scarpa and Barovier. Among the ceramics are major pieces by Michael Lucero, Peter Voulkos, Jack Earl, the outlandish California Funk ceramic artist David Gilhooly and an “Animal” by Ralph Bacerra – made in 1976, it was one of 10 produced.
Modern and Contemporary Art will be featured throughout in selections organized by Meredith Hilferty, Director of Fine Art. Among the works by Harry Bertoia are a 40” Sonambient composed of forty-nine beryllium and copper rods, originally exhibited at the Allentown Art Museum and a large tabletop Bush of bronze and copper conceived in 1974, both from the original owners. Both sculptures have been held privately, since 1976 and 1974 respectively. A pair of early and rare Bertoia woodcuts and a selection of other small sculpture and monoprints will also be available. Look for paintings by Nicholas Krushenick, Hannes Beckmann, Ralston Crawford, Antonio Music, Walter Murch and Carl Morris; Master prints by Wassily Kandinsky, M. C. Escher and Joan Miro; and sculpture by Boris Lovet-Lorski, Reg Butler and Jack Zajac. Street art is a favorite component of this sale. Up for grabs: an important Pop Shop IV portfolio by Keith Haring, a large and exceptional shadow cowboy by Richard Hambleton and more from Robert Loughlin and Haring protégé, the graffiti artist LAII.
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