Designs By Philip and Kelvin Laverne and Piero Fornasetti to Highlight Hindman May Modern Design Auction
CHICAGO – Hindman’s May 25th Modern Design auction will offer a dynamic selection of works spanning the 20th and 21st centuries, highlighted by a striking selection of Philip and Kelvin LaVerne furniture and a rare pair of double-sided screens by Piero Fornasetti. Contemporary and experimental designs by Tejo Remy and Niels van Eijk for Droog, John Chamberlain and Dan Johnson are also compelling offerings.
Philip and Kelvin LaVerne Designs
Highlighting the offering of Philip and Kelvin LaVerne designs will be a ‘Chan’ Cabinet (lot 104; estimate: $25,000-35,000), which is a rare form that seldom comes to market. The pair became celebrated for their artistic bronze pieces that merge groundbreaking metalwork techniques and traditional motifs. Other works by the duo include an ‘Etruscan’ Center Table (lot 99; estimate: $6,000 – $8,000) and a pair of coffee tables (lot 100 and 103; estimate for both: $4,000-6,000).
Lot 104 | Philip and Kelvin LaVerne. ‘Chan’ Cabinet. LaVerne Collection, USA. Estimate: $25,000 – $35,000
Piero Fornasetti Screens
A pair of screens by Italian painter and designer Piero Fornasetti are among lots that are expected to be highly sought after. Very few examples of the ‘Portico con Paesaggio’ (Portico with Landscape) screen (lot 106; estimate: $8,000 – $12,000) exist and only around ten examples of the Angolo di Spogliatoio Dressing Room Corner were produced between the 1950s and 1960s. The ‘Città di Carte’ / ‘Farfalle’ Folding Screen (lot 105; estimate: $8,000 – $12,000) from 1960 is Fornasetti’s most famous screen design and only forty pieces were produced between 1950s and 1970s. Both screens are from the Collection of Lynne Rosenbaum, Truro, Massachusetts.
Lot 105 | Piero Fornasetti. ‘Città di Carte’ / ‘Farfalle’ Folding Screen, c. 1960. Fornasetti Milano, Italy. Estimate: $8,000 – $12,000
Contemporary & Experimental Design
Lot 140 | Tejo Remy. Pair of ‘Rag’ Chairs, c. 199. Droog, Netherland. Estimate: $4,000 – $6,000
Boundary-pushing works that will be offered include a Pair of ‘Rag’ Chairs (lot 140; estimate: $4,000 – $6,000) by Dutch product and interior designer Tejo Remy for Droog, as well as Niels van Eijk’s ‘Cow’ Chair (lot 142; estimate: $2,000-3,000). One of Droog’s most iconic designs, Remy’s ‘Rag’ Chairs were often crafted using old clothes that have been sent in and are then constructed into a chair that is held with metal straps.
Lot 142 | Niels van Eijk. ‘Cow’ Chair, c. 1997. Droog, Netherlands. Estimate: $2,000-3,000
Contemporary standouts will also include John Chamberlain’s Couch from 1970 (lot 139; estimate: $5,000 – $7,000) and Dan Johnson’s ‘Gazelle’ Side Chair (lot 133; estimate: $3,000 – $5,000). Known for his awe-inspiring abstract sculptures, Chamberlain also made his sofas by hand upon commission until the early 1970s.
Lot 139 | John Chamberlain. Couch, c. 1970. Estimate: $5,000 – $7,000
Additional Highlights
Top lots also include works by French luminaries Pierre Chapo and Guillerme et Chambron along with an array of exceptional studio pottery by Jun Kaneko, Claude Conover, Peter Voulkos, Karen Karnes, Emmanuel Cooper, and Colin Pearson. An important suite of Don Reitz clay works from the Estate of Robert and Ruth Vogele will also be featured.
How to Bid
Bidding for the May 25th auction will be available in-person, via telephone, online via the Digital Bid Room and additional online bidding platforms. Additional information about the auction can be found via the auction page.
Featured Image: Piero Fornasetti. ‘Portico con Paesaggio’ / ‘Angolo di Spogliatoio’ Folding Screen, c. 1956. Estimate: $8,000 – $12,000