BOSTON, Mass. - November 22, 2005 - www.skinnerinc.com - Skinner, one of the nation's leading auction houses, will host an auction of 20th Century Furniture & Decorative Arts on December 10, 2005 at 11 a.m. in its Boston gallery at 63 Park Plaza. For collectors who favor a modern approach to design, this auction is not to be missed! Featuring an eclectic mix of material from the Arts & Crafts, Art Deco, and Modern movements, plus vintage styles, the sale offers something for all levels of collectors. People thinking of the holidays and gift giving will find this sale a welcome venue. Both historic and contemporary designs abound in furniture, lamps, pottery, art glass, silver, and works of art, with material in a broad range of values. Beginning collectors can find pottery estimated at $200-300, while the top end of the offerings includes makers such as Tiffany Studios, Steuben, Handel, Gustave Stickley, Mies van der Rohe, George Nakashima, Grueby, Marblehead, Georg Jensen, and Arthur Stone. Top lots include a Tiffany Studios Peony lamp (lot 281) expected to realize $100,000-125,000.

Furniture

The December auction features a broad range of 20th century furniture designs including Arts & Crafts, Art Deco, Danish Modern, and contemporary pieces. Skinner's 20th Century auctions often feature furniture by Japanese studio furniture maker George Nakashima. Nakashima, who died in 1990, still has an avid following for his furniture designs, and this sale has much to offer in that vein. The auction features several Nakashima pieces, including a walnut conoid dining table (lot 370, $20/25,000), and a walnut sideboard (lot 372, $12/15,000), both signed by the maker. A conoid chair from the Broffman estate made for Mr. Broffman (lot 371, $3/5,000) also will be featured. Additional pieces include a walnut bench and lounge chair (lot 367, $8/12,000), a walnut coffee table (lot 368, $2/3,000), a walnut side table (lot 369, $6/800), and a lot of six grass seated chairs (lot 373, $6/8,000). The sale also features many early examples of Nakashima's work from the Goldman estate in Lexington, Massachusetts. The Goldman house was designed by noted architect Hugh Stubbins. A review of this home and its contents was published in Progressive Architecture in May 1957.

Furniture highlights also include an extensive selection by Harvey Probber, a designer who had showrooms in several major cities in the United States, and made high quality, well constructed furniture characteristic of mid-20th century designs. Featured are pieces of the late 1960s from the Broffman estate as well as a New York residence, including a lot of two metal and upholstered lounge chairs with U-shaped back and arms (lot 455, $7/9,000), a scrubbed rosewood/ebony rectangular dining table and six chairs (lot 439, $4/6,000), a special order wall unit (lot 460, $3/4,000), an armless sofa (lot 448, $2,5/3,500), and a teakwood bookcase with adjustable shelves (lot 447, $2,5/3,500).

Arts and Crafts furniture designs by Gustav and L. & J. G. Stickley include oak bookcases (lots 8 and 32, $2,3/3,500 and $4/6,000 respectively), as well as a set of six armchairs (lot 129, $3,5/4,500), a sideboard (lot 130, $2,5/3,500), and a pedestal base table (lot 128, $2/3,000). Highlights also include a tile-top occasional table (lot 120, $1,2/1,500), a spindle coffee table (lot 123, $8/1,200), and a corner cabinet (lot 151, $1,8/2,200). Gustav Stickley pieces will include a three-drawer library table (lot 161, $3/5,000), and a lady's spindle-arm oak Morris chair attributed to the maker (lot 46, $2,5/3,500), among other examples.

A Cosmo de Salvo screen (lot 205, $1/1,500) highlights Art Deco furniture, in addition to a decorated lacquer wardrobe decorated with silver gilt devices (lot 206, $2/2,500), and a Paul Frankl vanity with a mirror and table lamp (lot 220, $1,5/1,800). Selected Modern furniture includes designs by Charles and Ray Eames, Mies van der Rohe, and George Nelson.

Lighting and Glass

The sale offers a number of lamps by Tiffany Studios and Handel, as well as a broad selection of decorative glass. Leading the Tiffany Studios selection is the Peony lamp, with other examples including a turtle-back swivel lamp (lot 282, $8/9,000). Handel lamps include reverse-painted table lamps (lots 283 and 284, $6/8,000 and $4/6,000 respectively), and a metal overlay and slag glass table lamp (lot 289, $3/5,000). Spotlighting European pieces is a Daum art glass table lamp (lot 307, $4/6,000). Tiffany glass offerings include a bronze and gold iridescent glass trumpet vase (lot 272, $3/4,000), a decorated blue favrile glass compote (lot 274, $2/3,000), and a gold favrile glass six-piece sweet meat service (lot 276, $1,2/1,800). Decorative glass also features a Massachusetts collection of Steuben, a broad selection of colored and iridescent glass hand-blown by gaffers in Corning, New York in the first half of the 20th century. A large collection of stemware by Cenedese and C. of Italy features hand-blown and elegant footed plates, compotes, stemware and candlesticks.

Pottery

Skinner has been offering pottery from the Arts and Crafts Movement for three decades. In keeping with the tradition, this auction features an array of Marblehead pottery, highly prized for its decorative quality and glaze colors. Among the highlights is a vase decorated with cats, discovered by Skinner's Stephen Fletcher in a closet in the consignor's home (lot 158, $2/2,500). Additional features include a vase executed by Arthur Baggs (lot 167, $2/3,000), and a vase decorated by Hanna Tutt (lot 165, $2/2,500). A large and varied collection of Moorcroft pottery comes to the auction from an estate in Natick, Massachusetts, originally acquired by a couple with a lifelong passion for this floral decorated pottery produced in England in the 20th century. Forms include vases, plates, bowls, a ginger jar, and covered dishes, among others. Pottery also features a collection of works by Rozsika Blackstone consigned by her family. A potter and artist who lived in New York and Arizona from the 1920s to the 1960s, Blackstone is listed with the United Federation of Artists (lots 334-350). Offerings of Fulper, Rookwood, Weller, and Dedham also will be featured.

Additional auction highlights include silver by George Jensen and Arthur Stone, led by an eight-piece silver tea and coffee service by Jensen (lot 198, $10/15,000), and an extensive lot of 156 pieces of Pyramid silver flatware (lot 199, $6/9,000). Rounding out the sale is a varied selection of artwork.

Website, Catalogue, and Preview Information

Previews for the auction will be 12 to 5 p.m. Thursday, December 8th, 12 to 7 p.m., Friday, December 9th, and 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday, December 10th. Illustrated catalogue #2301 is available by mail for $32 ($39 for foreign requests) from the subscription department at 978-779-6241 x240.  It is sold at the gallery for $29. Prices realized will be available at www.skinnerinc.com during and after the sale. For more information, visit www.skinnerinc.com . Skinner's site also allows users to view all lots in the auctions, leave bids, and order catalogues online.

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About Skinner

Skinner, Inc. is one of the nation's leading auction houses for antiques and fine art and the only major auction house headquartered in New England. With expertise in over 20 specialty collecting areas, Skinner draws the interest of buyers from all over the world and its auctions regularly achieve world record prices. Skinner provides a broad range of auction and appraisal services, and it is widely regarded as one of the most trusted names in the auction business. Skinner's appraisal experts regularly appear on the PBS-TV series, Antiques Roadshow, and its specialty departments include American Furniture & Decorative Arts, Paintings & Prints, English & Continental Furniture & Decorations, Fine Ceramics, Jewelry, Couture, 20th Century Furniture & Decorative Arts, Fine Musical Instruments, Asian Art, Fine Judaica, Toys, Dolls & Collectibles, Science & Technology, Oriental Rugs & Carpets, American Indian & Ethnographic Art, and Discovery. Skinner galleries are located in Boston and Bolton, Mass. For more information on upcoming auctions and events, visit Skinner's web site www.skinnerinc.com