rago's announces a 20th /21st century design auction on june 16-17

Contact: 

Miriam Tucker 

(609) 397-9374 x 141 For Immediate Release 

mtucker@ragoarts.com Through June 15, 2012 

RAGO’S ANNOUNCES A 20 TH /21 ST CENTURY DESIGN AUCTION ON JUNE 16-17 

1,100 lots of exceptional property, including pottery by Saturday Evening Girls; lighting by Tiffany; studio 

furniture by Nakashima; glass by Zynsky and Chihuly and much more. Previews begin June 9 th . 

Lambertville, NJ: On Saturday, June 16 and Sunday, June 17, 2012 at 11 a.m., the Rago Arts and Auction Center will 

<strong>auction</strong> an impressive collection of 20 th <strong>century</strong> furnishings and decorative arts. Among the 1,100 lots are hard-to-find and 

one-of-a-kind pieces, many coming to us straight from the artists or craftsmen themselves. Day one of the sale consists of 

Arts & Crafts pottery and furnishings, early 20 th <strong>century</strong> glass, metalwork and prints, concluding with 20 th c. 

ceramics. Day two consists of mid-20 th -21 st c. modern furnishings, art glass, fine art (including impressive 

sculpture), lighting, jewelry, tapestries and much more, all by famous makers and <strong>design</strong>ers. 

“Every sale finds its own personality,” says David Rago. “This one is particularly rich in glass, from early enameled Gallé to 

a large collection of Lalique vessels, statuettes, and perfume bottles and many fine examples by contemporary artists such 

as Toots Zynsky. The <strong>auction</strong> also includes several important Tiffany lamps, among the best we’ve ever offered, important 

studio furniture and art pottery.” 

Auction 

• Early 20 th C. / Arts & Crafts (lots 1-383): Saturday, June 16, 11 a.m. 

• 20 th C. Ceramics (lots 400-477): Saturday, June 16 (following early 20 th c.) 

• Mid 20 th -21 st C. / Modern Design (lots 500-1,114): Sunday, June 17, 11 a.m. 

• Telephone, absentee, online bidding available for those unable to attend 

Auction Exhibition/Preview 

• Saturday, June 9 through Thursday, June 14, from 12-5 p.m. or by appointment. Friday, June 15, 12-8 p.m. Doors 

open on days of sale at 9 a.m. 

• Wednesday, June 13: Open House featuring a lecture by Judith Gura “After Modernism: What's New, What's 

Next,” followed by a book signing. Reception at 5pm, lecture at 6 pm 

• June 2 and 3, 12-5 pm: Open House at 10 Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia, featuring 20 th C. Design <strong>auction</strong> 

highlights. Kindly RSVP to 609.397.9374 ext. 119 or raac@ragoarts.com 

• Rago’s is located midway between New York City and Philadelphia. Directions online at ragoarts.com/more/visit 

Catalog 

• Printed catalogs are available for $25 by calling 609.397.9374 or e-mailing a request to info@ragoarts.com 

• View a complete online catalogue with color images at ragoarts.com as of May 25, 2012 

Notes for the Editor 

• High-resolution images available. 

• About the Rago Arts and Auction Center: Since 1994, Rago's has served thousands of sellers and buyers with a 

singular blend of global reach and personal service. Originally specialists in <strong>20th</strong> <strong>century</strong> <strong>design</strong>, today Rago's 

expertise covers centuries of fine art, decorative arts, furnishings, jewelry, silver, coins, books, textiles, and 

ethnographic property. It is a world-class venue through which to buy and sell. It is also a destination for those 

who seek to learn and share knowledge about art, antiques and collecting, offering free valuations for personal 

property (from a single piece to collections and estates), appraisals and <strong>auction</strong> exhibitions in house and online. 

Rago's, the largest and leading <strong>auction</strong> house in New Jersey, is located midway between Philadelphia and New 

York. 

• Following 20 th C. Design Auction: Saturday/Sunday, October 27/28, 2012. Consignments are now being accepted: 

609.397.9374 or info@ragoarts.com.

June 16/17, 2012 – 20 th C. Design Auction Page 2 of 7 

Highlights of Early 20 th C. / Arts & Crafts 

Row One: 1, Important Saturday Evening Girls center bowl with roosters and motto, $17,500-22,500; 12: Large John Bennett 

vase with apple blossoms, $10,000-15,000; 50, Important pair of large doors by Samuel Yellin from Goodhart Hall, Bryn Mawr 

College, ca. 1928, $10,000-15,000; 373, Fine Tiffany Studios floor lamp with Tulip shade, $100,000-150,000; 60, Rare Limbert 

cut-out double-door bookcase, $7,500-9,500; Row Two: 75, Gustav Stickley double-door bookcase by Harvey Ellis, $11,000- 

14,000; 374, Tiffany Studios table lamp with fine Dogwood shade, $95,000-125,000; 236, Charles Rohlfs carved and cut-out 

occasional table, $4,000-6,000; 87, Rare Gustave Baumann woodblock print with aluminum leaf, "Tulips", $8,000-12,000; 269, 

Pair of Lalique "Longchamps" mascots, $9,000-12,000. 

Highlights of <strong>20th</strong> C. Ceramics 

Left to Right: 400, Important Jazz Bowl by Viktor Schreckengost for Cowan, 1929, $40,000-60,000; 418, Pablo Picasso 

hand-painted and glazed tile, "Tête de Garçon," $30,000-40,000; 465, Exceptional Betty Woodman three-part glazed ceramic 

winged sculpture, $25,000-35,000; 446, Otto and Gertrude Natzler large and fine earthenware bowl, $14,000-19,000; 451, 

Toshiko Takaezu closed form sculpture, $8,000-12,000. 

Highlights of Mid <strong>20th</strong>-<strong>21st</strong> C. / Modern 

Row One: 500, Tall and important Paul Evans copper sculpture, 1960s, $45,000-65,000; 879, Fine and rare Albert Paley 

custom dining table, 1981, $18,000-24,000; 656, Rare Pierre Jeanneret room divider for Chandigarh, ca. 1953, $4,000-6,000; 

819, Rare Jacques le Chevallier and René Koechlin desk lamp, ca. 1928, $18,000-22,000; 751, William Morris Stonehenge 

vase, $6,500-8,000; Row Two: 752, Large Mary Ann “Toots” Zynsky Filet-de-Verre vessel, "Ramingo," $14,000-19,000; 866, 

Early Wharton Esherick side chair, 1932, $15,000-20,000; 720, Gio Ponti Pair of Pirellina table lamps, 1960s, $6,000-9,000; 

729, Harry Bertoia Untitled (Bush) bronze sculpture, $20,000-30,000; 514, George Nakashima Conoid desk, $15,000-20,000. 

RAGO ARTS & AUCTION CENTER 

333 North Main Street ▪ Lambertville ▪ NJ ▪ 08530 ▪ 609.397.9374 ▪ info@ragoarts.com ▪ www.ragoarts.com


Early <strong>20th</strong> C. / Arts & Crafts: Saturday, June 16, 11:00 AM 

Saturday’s sale begins at 11:00 AM with 380 lots of Early 20 th C./Arts and Crafts, consisting of pottery, furnishings, glass, 

metalwork, lighting, fine art and more. This sale is immediately followed by 78 lots of 20 th C. ceramics. 

American Art Pottery: 

The sale begins on Saturday, June 16 with American art pottery: tiles by Claycraft, Grueby, Rookwood and Hartford 

Faience, along with vessels by Frederick Rhead, George Ohr, Clewell, Fulper, Grueby, Pewabic, Rookwood, 

Roseville, Teco, Van Briggle, W.J. Walley, John Bennett, Marblehead, Newcomb College, Wheatley, and North 

Dakota School of Mines. 

The sale begins with a suite of two important, early pieces decorated in cuerda seca with roosters by Frances Rocchi at 

Saturday Evening Girls: lot 1, a large center bowl incised "Early to bed & early to rise makes a child healthy, wealthy & 

wise”, estimated at $17,500-22,500; and lot 2, a pitcher incised "This is the cock that crew in the morn", estimated at 

$10,000-15,000. Also of note is an exceptional vessel by Frederick Rhead at University City decorated with 

mushrooms, lot 17, estimated at $10,000-15,000. There are two fine and large vases by John Bennett: lot 12, with 

apple blossom branches on a bright yellow ground, $10,000-15,000, and lot 12-A, a covered jar with dogwood blossoms, 

$7,000-10,000. A welcome and unusual addition is lot 7, an extremely rare glazed stoneware center bowl Clara Poillon, 

complete with blank invoices from the company, is estimated at $2,500-3,500 (works by Clara Poillon are rare, and pieces 

of this scale and medium, are most unusual). Lot 23, a late arrival, is a spectacular, tall Rookwood Iris glaze vase 

painted by Kataro Shirayamadani with geese in flight, perfectly fired (uncrazed), for $8,000-12,000. There are several lots 

by “The Mad Potter” George Ohr (lots 92-101), one of the finest being lot 92, a pear-shaped vase with deep in-body twist 

and a good raspberry and green speckled glaze, at $5,000-7,500. 

European Ceramics: 

European ceramicists include: Zsolnay, Martin Brothers, Moorcroft, Riessner, Stellmacher & Kessel, Ernst Wahliss, 

Plateelbakkerij Zuid-Holland Gouda, Sarreguemines, Clarice Cliff, and Wedgwood. 

Notable European ceramic lots include: Lot 188, a rare and large charger with maiden by Zsolnay, one of a fine grouping, 

estimated at $3,000-5,000; lot 194, a stoneware vase with whimsical demons by the Martin Brothers, estimated at 

$4,000-5,000; and lot 208, a Wedgwood Fairyland Lustre faceted bowl, estimated at $3,000-4,000. 

Lighting: 

Famous lighting makers include: Tiffany Studios, Duffner & Kimberly, Fulper, Gustav Stickley, Handel, Pairpoint, 

Suess, Dirk Van Erp, Roycroft, and Charles Schneider. 

There are several remarkable Tiffany Studios lamps, including lot 373, a fine and large floor lamp with Tulip shade, 

estimated at $100,000-150,000; and lot 274, a table lamp with a Dogwood shade, estimated at $95,000-125,000. Other 

notable lighting lots include: lot 214, a rare Louis XV table lamp by Duffner & Kimberly, attractively priced at $10,000- 

15,000; lot 22, a Fulper mushroom-shaped table lamp with leaded glass inserts and Chinese Blue Flambe glaze, estimated 

at $10,000-15,000; lot 177, a rare and early Dirk Van Erp boudoir lamp with decorated mica panels, estimated at $5,000- 

7,500, and lot 146, a Gustav Stickley Joiner’s Clamp lamp table, estimated at $4,000-6,000. 

Early 20 th C. Furniture: 

Arts and Crafts furniture makers in Saturday’s sale include: Gustav Stickley, J.M. Young, L. & J.G. Stickley, Lifetime, 

Limbert, Roycroft, Stickley Brothers, Shapland and Petter, Charles Rohlfs, Walfred Thulin, and Wilhelm 

Schmidt. 

Furniture by Gustav Stickley includes: lot 64, a drop-Arm Morris chair (no. 369), estimated at $6,500-9,500; lot 69, a 

rare and early five-leg dining table with square top, at $5,000-8,000; lot 85, four Harvey Ellis inlaid dining chairs, at 

$8,000-12,000; and lot 75, a Harvey Ellis double-door bookcase with leaded-glass panes, for $10,000-14,000. Impressive 

L & J.G. Stickley lots include: lot 80, an extremely rare-form paneled Prairie settle, estimated at $10,000-15,000; and lot 

150, a rare and massive Mouse-hole dining table, $4,000-6,000. Furnishings in the sale by Charles Rohlfs include: lot 

86, a pair of rare tall-back chairs, estimated at $10,000-15,000 (an identical example of these chairs is shown in a 1920 

photo of Charles Rohlfs' living room on Park Street). Another noteworthy Rohlfs piece is lot 236, a cut-out occasional 

table, estimated at $4,000-6,000. Notable Limbert lots include lot 60, a rare double-door bookcase with cut-out bookshelf 

sides, estimated at $7,500-9,500; and lot 228, an oval cut-out library table, estimated at $1,800-2,500. 




Other notable Arts & Crafts furniture lots in the sale include: lot 61, a rare carved blanket chest by Walfred Thulin, 

estimated at $4,000-9,000; and lot 234, a very rare grouping of six Stickley Brothers tall-back chairs, $2,500-3,500 for 

the set. There are several fine English Arts & Crafts pieces as well, available in a wide range of prices. 

American and European Art Glass: 

Notable glass makers of the early 20 th <strong>century</strong> include: Bigelow/Kennard, Daum, Gallé, Jacques Gruber, Loetz, 

Moser, Schneider, Steuben, Tiffany Studios, Vallerysthal, Almeric Walter, Auguste C. Heiligenstein, Bergun- 

Schverer, Gabriel Argy-Rousseau, Lalique and more. 

The finest assortment of Lalique glass to be offered at Rago’s for several years (lots 269-310), consists of perfumes 

bottles, statuettes, vases, etc. Of note is lot 169, a pair of "Longchamps" mascots of clear and frosted glass, estimated at 

$9,000-12,000; and lot 271, "Grande Nue Socle Lierre" statuette of frosted glass on carved wooden base, $8,000-12,000. 

Other notable glass lots include: lot 316, a rare Daum mold-blown, acid-etched and wheel-carved cameo vase, estimated 

at $5,000-7,000; lot 326, an extremely rare and lovely enameled vase by Frenchman Auguste C. Heiligenstein, at 

$4,000-6,000; and lot 341, an early Gallé enameled, gilded, and acid-etched vase with orchids, estimated at $3,000- 

5,000. 

Prints, Photographs, Paintings: 

The sale contains an impressive group of Gustav Baumann woodblock prints (lot 87-91a), the finest Rago’s has presented 

to date. Three of these were gifted by the artist to the consignor’s mother. One of these is lot 87, "Tulips," estimated at 

$8,000-12,000. 

Other fine art in the sale includes paintings by George H. Hallowell and Lamont Warner, and an Orotone photograph, 

“Bear Legs,” by Carl Moon. 

Metalwork: 

Famous metalworkers represented in the sale include: Samuel Yellin, Roycroft, Gustav Stickley, Gorham, Joseph 

Heinrichs, Dirk Van Erp, Hugo Levin, and John Pearson. 

The sale contains a large and important pair of doors by Samuel Yellin, estimated at $10,000-15,000, from Goodhart 

Hall, Bryn Mawr College. Another good Samuel Yellin lot is #220, a pair of andirons with fire poker, estimated at $4,000- 

6,000. Also of note is lot 178, a rare and large Dirk Van Erp hammered copper kindling box, $6,000-9,000. The box 

originates from a five-piece fireplace set made as a wedding gift for Van Erp's friends William Woods Adams and Marie- 

Louise Weber. Lot 55 is an usual copper wine cooler by Gustav Stickley, priced at $4,500-6,500. 

Modern Ceramics on Saturday, June 16 (following Early <strong>20th</strong> C.): 

Following the Early 20 th C. Design sale is a run of modern ceramics, by artists such as: Pablo Picasso, Viktor 

Schreckengost , Jun Kaneko, Vally (Valerie) Wieselthier, Axel Salto, Betty Woodman, Otto & Gertrud Natzler, 

Aaron Bohrod, Adrian Saxe, Anish Kapoor, Anne Hirondelle, Carl Walters, Claude Conover, Colin Pearson, David 

Gilhooly, Edwin Scheier, Gudrun Baudisch, Harrison McIntosh, Hiroaki Morino, Hui Ka Kwong, Jais Neilsen, 

Michael Frimkess, Otto and Vivika Heino, Paul Soldner, Paula Winokur, Peter Voulkos, Steven Montgomery, 

Toshiko Takaezu, Viola Frey, Wayne Higby, and Wilhelm Kage. 

20 th C. Studio Pottery begins with lot 400, a massive “Jazz” bowl, made by Viktor Schreckengost for Cowan, estimated 

at $40,000-60,000. This is one of the few original and possibly one of the last “Jazz” bowls still in private hands. The 

“Jazz” bowl was originally commissioned by Eleanor Roosevelt in celebration of her husband's reelection as governor of 

New York in 1931. Mrs. Roosevelt was so taken with the bowl that she commissioned two more. Immediately after, a New 

York City gallery placed an order for approximately fifty. No one knows with certainty how many hand-incised “Jazz” bowls 

were made, but fewer than twenty are known. The one to be sold at Rago’s in June is the latest to emerge, and it may be 

the last. 

The sale contains a run of fourteen lots of Goldscheider ceramic busts and masks from a private New Jersey collection, 

ranging in estimate from $700 to $1,500. There are six lots of Picasso pottery, most notably lot 418, a unique handpainted 

tile, "Tête de Garçon," estimated at $30,000-40,000. There are several Scheier lots (432-441), including 

earthenware, prints and wool weavings. One of the most outstanding is lot 437, an important three-piece earthenware 

totem, from the collection of Dr. Albert Grokoest, estimated at $8,500–12,500. The work was featured in a 2001 

documentary, “Four Hands, One Heart: Ed and Mary Scheier” by Ken Brown, depicting the cultural heritage of American 




studio crafts and fine arts/<strong>design</strong>. Other notable pieces in the sale include: lot 446, an earthenware bowl by Otto and 

Gertrude Natzler, estimated at $14,000-19,000; lot 451, a massive closed form sculpture by Toshiko Takaezu, 

estimated at $8,000-12,000; lot 465, a massive three-part glazed ceramic winged sculpture by Betty Woodman, estimated 

at $25,000–35,000; lot 470, a very large glazed stoneware charger by Viola Frey, estimated at $4,000–6,000; and lot 

477, an ampersand teapot with cactus lid by Adrian Saxe, $5,000–7,000. 

Mid <strong>20th</strong>-<strong>21st</strong> C. / Modern: Sunday, June 17, 11 a.m.: 

Sunday’s Modern Design <strong>auction</strong> features over 630 lots of furniture, lighting, decorative arts, art glass, and fine art 

including a vast collection of sculpture. 

Modern Fine Art (Sculpture, Prints, Paintings): 

Sunday’s sale has an impressive collection of sculpture in a variety of media by artists such as: Harry Bertoia, Benjamin 

Moore, Bernard Brenner, Bob Bennett, Christopher Hiltey, Feliciano Bejar, Franz and Karl Hagenauer, Greg 

Nangle , Kay Bojesen, Kent Forest Ipsen, Klaus Ihlenfeld, Leo Sewell, Miles Van Rensselaer, Paul Evans, and 

Sydney Cash. There are several lots of enameled panels by Edward Winter and Thelma Frazier Winter, and paintings by 

Rolph Scarlett and Smokey Tunis. 

Spanish sculptor Miguel Berrocal is well represented in the sale with his infamous puzzle sculptures (lots 594-603). His 

work reflects his training in science and technology along with his love of Classical and Modern art. Berrocal’s puzzle 

sculptures explore the interplay between positive and negative space, calling attention to each element that must combine 

to create the whole. The process of assembly is critical to Berrocal’s intent as the logic of his sculptures can only be 

assessed through exploration of their parts. In this vein, the multiple in Berrocal’s work lends meaning and significance to 

the singular. An outstanding Berrocal lot in the sale is #594, a very large puzzle sculptural jewelry box, estimated at 

$4,000-6,000. 

There are several lots in the sale of sculpture and prints by Harry Bertoia, including some important bronze Bush and 

Sonambient sculptures. He is known for his work as a jeweler, printmaker, furniture <strong>design</strong>er, sculptor, and philosopher. 

Bertoia <strong>design</strong>ed furniture, more than 50 public sculptures, hundreds of monoprints, and thousands of artworks. His 

sculptural work explored how metal could be manipulated to produce sound. Stretching and bending the metal made it 

respond to wind or to touch, creating different tones. A notable Bertoia lot is 729, a bronze and copper Bush sculpture, 

estimated at $20,000-30,000, which comes with the original drawing by the artist. The sale also contains several fine and 

large monoprints, such as #738, at $1,300-1,800. 

Another notable lot in the sale is #500, an important sculpture by Paul Evans, estimated at $45,000-65,000, originally 

purchased by the consignor from the Paul Evans studio in New Hope, Pennsylvania. This is a rare piece, and only one of 

two of these organic forms that Rago’s has ever seen. Also of note is lot 877, one of several sculptures of cut crystal and 

steel in this sale by Feliciano Bejar, “La Rhonda”, estimated at $3,000–4,000; lot 896, one of a group of sculptures from 

the estate of the artist Bernard Brenner, "Meditation Piece," estimated at $1,000-1,500. There are lots of sculptural glass 

and metal by Philadelphia artist Miles Van Rensselaer, notably lot 767, a unique table of bronze hands holding up a 

draped glass top, estimated at $8,000–10,000. 

Modern Furniture: 

Famous makers of modern furnishings in the sale include: Albert Paley, Arne Jacobsen, Arne Vodder, Borge 

Mogensen, Bruno Mathsson, Carlo De Carli, Charles And Ray Eames, Dorothy Draper, Edmund Spence, Edward 

Wormley, Eero Aarnio, Federico Armijo, Finn Juhl, Florence Knoll, Frank Gehry, George Nakashima, George 

Nelson, Gio Ponti, Hans Wegner, Harvey Probber, Isamu Noguchi, Jacques Adnet, James Mont, Jean Royere, 

Jens Risom, John Cederquist, Karl Springer, Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe, Maison Jansen, Milo Baughman, Oscar 

Bach, Osvaldo Borsani, Paolo Buffa, Paul Evans, Paul Frankl, Paul McCobb, Phil Powell, Philip And Kelvin 

LaVerne, Pierre Paulin, Poul Kjaerholm, Silas Seandel, T.H. Robsjohn Gibbings, Tommi Parzinger, Vladimir 

Kagan, Warren Platner, Wendell Castle and Wharton Esherick. There is a fine collection of custom furniture by 

Christian Liaigre from the New York apartment of Elie and Rory Tahari, which includes club chairs, sofas, benches, dining 

sets, a headboard, a day bed, a cabinet and a chaise lounge. 

There are several lots by Paul Evans such as: lot 501, an Argente wall-hanging cabinet, estimated at $20,000-30,000; lot 

508, a Sculptured Metal dining table, estimated at $6,000-8,000; and lot 922, a fine Cityscape wall-hanging cabinet with 

burlwood patchwork, for $7,000-9,000. Also featured are many impressive lots of George Nakashima in the sale (lots 

514-530, and 923-938). Notable lots include: lot 514, a fine Conoid desk estimated at $15,000–20,000; lot 516, an 

unusual coffee table featuring two freeform edges, three rosewood keys, and a four-part bookmatched top, at $15,000– 




20,000; lot 521, a special triple cabinet, with a double-overhang freeform edge and pull-out surface, for $10,000–15,000; 

lot 526, a walnut dresser, estimated at $6,000-9,000; and lot 938, a fine Turned-Leg dining table with exceptional top, at 

$35,000-45,000. 

Albert Paley, a modernist American metal sculptor, has several interesting lots of modern furniture in the sale, including: 

lot 879, an exceptional and most unusual custom dining table with cherry top and forged iron base, estimated at $18,000- 

24,000. This piece is the only known commissioned piece to have a wood top. And, lot 880, a Vortex occasional table, 

priced at $7,500-10,000. 

There are several furniture pieces in the sale by Swiss-born architect and furniture <strong>design</strong>er Pierre Jeanneret. Among 

them are several pieces made for the Chandigarh buildings in India in the 1950s, and published in Le Corbusier Pierre 

Jeanneret: The Indian Adventure, Design-Art-Architecture: lot 649, a desk and chair from the Administrative Building, 

estimated at $12,000–16,000; lot 650, a pair of committee armchairs from the High Court, $10,000–15,000; and lot 656, 

a fine and colorful room divider, at $4,000-6,000. 

Rococo-inspired Art Deco furnishings by Frenchman Gilbert Poillerat include: lot 832, a console table with the fine iron 

work for which the artist is known, estimated at $8,000-10,000; and lot 835, an occasional table of gilt iron and marble, 

$3,000-5,000. There are the ribbon-like <strong>design</strong>s of architect Frank Gehry, playfully titled for aspects of his beloved 

hockey game: lot 903, four Power Play armchairs and an ottoman, estimated at $3,500-5,500 for the group; lot 904, a pair 

of High Sticking chairs, at $1,800-2,400; and lot 905, an Icing coffee table, for $1,200-1,800. James Mont often referred 

to his <strong>design</strong>s as “Chinese Modern,” as is apparent in lot 1086, a fine and large cabinet of lacquered wood and gilded 

decoration, offered at $3,000-4,000. A selection of Vladimir Kagan’s meticulously constructed furnishings can be found in 

the sale, such as: lot 576, a custom sofa in velvet and walnut, estimated at $8,000-10,000; and lot 979, a rocking chair 

(no. 175F) of sculpted walnut and leather, at $6,000-9,000. The foundation of <strong>design</strong>er Poul Kjaerholm’s aesthetic was 

concerned with the effect he could achieve on the architectural space based on the <strong>design</strong> of the furniture. This is evident 

in many of his works, including lot 633, a sofa made of leather and matte-chromed steel, estimated at $7,000-9,000. 

Another well-represented Scandinavian <strong>design</strong>er is Alvar Aalto; Lot 627 is an early example of a cantilevered armchair, 

estimated at $3,000-5,000; and lot 632 is one of two Tank lounge chairs (no. 37/400), offered at $3,000-4,000. 

Among American <strong>design</strong>ers, Karl Springer is recognized for his luxurious and exotically <strong>design</strong>ed contemporary furniture. 

For example: lot 547, a pair of leather and bronze poofs, $1,500-2,000; and lot 549, a rare bench, $3,500-4,500. The 

"high-style modernism" of Tommi Parzinger’s furnishings is evident in lots 1041, a dining table, estimated at $3,000- 

5,000; and 1037, a custom cabinet, estimated at $5,000–7,000. Other pieces by American <strong>design</strong>ers include: lot 1058, an 

Edward Wormley for Dunbar rare marquetry table in original condition, estimated at $3,000-4,000; lot 1053, a pair of 

etageres by Milo Baughman for Thayer Coggin, estimated at $2,000-3,000; lot 532, a Philip and Kelvin LaVerne side 

table, at $3,500-4,500; lot 575, a molar settee by Wendell Castle, $1,800-2,400. 

Furnishings by Italian <strong>design</strong>ers include: lot 678, a lounge chair and ottoman by Gio Ponti for Cassina, estimated at 

$6,000-8,000; lot 681, a rocking chair attributed to Guido Faleschini, for $1,200-1,800; lot 694, twelve dining chairs by 

Carlo De Carli for Singer & Sons, $7,500-9,500; lot 695, a walnut chest-on-chest by Bertha Schaefer for Singer & Sons, 

for $3,000-4,000; lot 699, a pair of reclining lounge chairs by Marco Zanuso for Arflex, at $3,000-5,000. 

Other notable pieces in the sale include: lot 827, a pair of daybeds by Jacques Adnet, offered at $4,500-5,500; and lot 

706, a Nara table by Shiro Kuramata for Gavina-Memphis, $3,000-5,000. 

Modern Lighting: 

Modern lighting in the sale is represented by <strong>design</strong>ers such as: Alfredo Barbini, Arne Jacobsen, Felix Agostini, 

Gaetano Sciolari, Gilbert Rohde, Gio Ponti, Jacques Adnet, Jacques Le Chevallier, Jean Royere, George 

Nakashima, Karl Springer, Max Ingrand, Paavo Tynell, Paul Evans, Phil Powell, Poul Henningsen, Tapio 

Wirkkala, Verner Panton and many more. 

Featured lighting lots include: 544, a pair of sculpture table lamps by Karl Springer, estimated at $8,000-10,000; lot 536, 

a lamp of cast plaster hands by Richard Etts, offered at $1,500-2,000; and lot 604, a pair of floor lamps by Max Bill, 

priced at $2,000-3,000. Lot 608 is an Artichoke fixture by Poul Henningsen for Louis Poulsen, estimated at $4,000- 

6,000. The idea behind the staggered <strong>design</strong> of the Artichoke fixture is that it may be viewed from any angle while 

concealing the light source located in the center. 

Italian lighting in the sale features: lot 709, a floor lamp attributed to Arredoluce, estimated at $3,500-4,500; lot 712, a 

Contrast table lamp by Angelo Lelli for Arredoluce, offered at $1,500-2,000; lot 714, a massive Polyhedral glass 

chandelier by Venini, at $8,000–10,000; lot 727, a two-arm floor lamp by Stilnovo, is estimated at $1,500-2,000. Lot 




720 is a pair of fine "Pirellina" table lamps by Gio Ponti for Fontana Arte, priced at $6,000-9,000, which were published in 

Lisa Licitra Ponti, Gio Ponti: The Complete Work 1923-1978. 

Lighting by French <strong>design</strong>ers includes: lot 817, a pair of branch scones by Felix Agostini, estimated at $5,000-7,000; and 

lot 821, a pair of Serpentine scones by Jean Royere, for $12,000-18,000. Lot 819 is a rare adjustable desk lamp by 

Jacques Le Chevallier and Rene Koechlin, estimated at $18,000-22,000, which was published in Jean-Francois Archieri, 

"Jacques Le Chevallier, La Lumiere Moderne 1896-1987 (a copy of this book accompanies the lamp). 

Art Glass: 

Famous glass makers or <strong>design</strong>ers include: Alessandro Pianon, Alfredo Barbini, Alvar Aalto, Antonio Da Ros, Dale 

Chihuly, Brent Kee Young, Debora Moore, Dino Martens, Ercole Barovier, Ettore Sottsass, Fritz Dreisbach, 

Fulvio Bianconi, Ingeborg Lundin, KeKe Cribbs, Lino Tagliapietra, Mary Ann "Toots" Zynsky, Massimo Vignelli, 

Peter Houk, Stephen Hodder, Tapio Wirkkala, Tobias Mohl, Tom McGlauchlin, and William Morris. 

The sale features a collection of glass vessels by Mary Ann “Toots” Zynsky, a studio glass artist and innovator, known for 

her distinctive heat-formed “filet de verre” (glass thread) vessels, which are represented in over seventy museum 

collections worldwide. A featured Zynsky piece is lot 752, an unusually large vessel titled "Ramingo," estimated at 

$14,000-19,000. Zynsky’s colleague, famous glass maker Dale Chihuly, is also well represented in the sale, as with lot 

759, a basket from the rare Soft Cylinder series (a fine example), offered at $6,000-8,000. 

Another extraordinary glass piece in the sale is a late arrival, lot 751, a brilliantly colored Stonehenge glass vase by 

William Morris, a particularly colorful, vibrant and appealing example of the series, offered at $6,500-8,000. 

Jewelry and Silver: 

Jewelry includes a necklace, brooch and ring by New York artist Ed Wiener, a ring by Sam Kramer and a fibula (brooch) 

by <strong>design</strong>er Albert Paley, estimated at $2,000-3,000. Notable is lot 887, an Ed Wiener textured yellow gold necklace, 

which was <strong>design</strong>ed for the consignor by the artist, offered at $7,000-10,000. 

Silver includes a set of Diamond sterling flatware by Gio Ponti for Reed & Barton, an Art Deco coffee and tea service by 

Arthur Krupp for Berndorf, an Allan Adler 104-piece sterling flatware set, a Ronald Pearson "Vision" sterling complete 

flatware service for International Sterling, and 122 pieces of Towle "Contour" sterling flatware. 

Tapestries/Rugs: 

Tapestries and rugs in the sale include <strong>design</strong>ers and makers such as: Alexander Calder, Pablo Picasso, Niki de Saint 

Phalle, Jean Lurcat, Olga Fisch, Andy Warhol, and Max Papart. 

Other: 

There is a fine Aufsatz vase of brass on hammered copper by Josef Hoffman for Weiner Werkstatte, estimated at 

$5,000–10,000. There is a large carved walnut serving tray (lot 867) by Wharton Esherick, which was given by the 

artist to Marjorie Content and Jean Toomer, and is estimated at $10,000–15,000. There are several George Nelson 

clocks by Howard Miller Clock Company, including lot 999, “Flock of Butterflies” clock (no. 2226), estimated at $5,000– 

7,000. There is a pair of tall garden urns by Galloway, lot 799, offered at $2,000-3,000; and a pair of fine and large rakufired 

stoneware jardinières, lot 898, estimated at $1,000-1,500. 

END OF PRESS RELEASE

rago's announces a 20th /21st century design auction on june 16-17

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