Binh Pho (Vietnamese/American, b. 1955) “Twomo” Studio Glass Vessel (Lot 312, Estimate $8,000-$10,000)
BOSTON, MA – May 27, 2014 – Skinner, Inc. announces a 20th Century Design auction on June 28 in Boston. Artists, craftspeople, and collectors donated fifty lots to the auction to support Fuller Craft Museum. “This is an excellent opportunity to support the arts and to find handcrafted, beautifully designed objects by contemporary artists,” said Jane Prentiss, department director. The sale also features pottery, glass, lighting, metalwork, and fine art, with a special focus on furniture, from the Art Nouveau period through contemporary design.
Fuller Craft Museum Benefit Auction
Skinner is committed to supporting the arts community in New England, and is pleased to announce that proceeds from the sale of lots 270 through 320 will go to benefit Fuller Craft Museum.
Artists and collectors responded to Museum Director Jonathan Fairbanks’s idea for a benefit auction with generous donations. Many of the artists featured in the auction are represented by very prominent galleries, and their work is in the collections of institutions and museums. Paul Stankard, an American craftsman, creates elaborate and life-like glass paperweights, such as “Fecundity Bouquet” (Lot 295, Estimate $4,000 to $6,000). Binh Pho is represented by an intricate glass vessel decorated with gold leaf (Lot 312, Estimate $8,000 to $10,000). Studio potter Chris Gustin, fiber artist Kay Sekimachi, and wood-carver Michelle Holzapfel, among others, also have works in the auction.
Pat Warner of Fuller Craft Museum says, “Ours is the only craft museum in New England. We want to be recognized not only in the Boston area, but around the country. For this auction, many people worked together to support a very important cause.”
Join us for a free event on June 27 at 6PM at the Skinner Boston Gallery. Jane Prentiss and Jonathan Fairbanks of Fuller Craft Museum will discuss highlights from the auction.
Modernism Spanning Art Nouveau to Mid-Century
Tiffany Studios Dragonfly Table Lamp, New York, c. 1910 (Lot 189, Estimate $60,000-$80,000)
The 20th Century Design auction features modernism from a range of periods and movements. A tall clock from Shop of the Crafters in Cincinnati, Ohio (Lot 42, Estimate $6,000 to $8,000) represents the Arts & Crafts movement, and a Tiffany lamp in the desirable dragonfly pattern (Lot 189, Estimate $60,000 to $80,000) captures the aesthetic of Art Nouveau.
Scandinavian furniture from the mid-century fits seamlessly into a contemporary home. Two examples of the Hans Wegner Papa Bear chair — an iconic, comfortable design — are available in the auction (Lots 394 and 395). An early Niels Vodder “Copenhagen” easy chair (Lot 403, Estimate $10,000 to $15,000) is also featured, and was referenced in 40 Years of Danish Furniture Design, a compilation of the Copenhagen Furniture-makers Guild exhibitions, 1927-1966 by Greta Jalk.
The Studio Movement and Contemporary Art
George Nakashima (1905-1990) Desk, New Hope Pennsylvania, 1977 (Lot 324, Estimate $8,000-$10,000)
George Nakashima, a master furniture-maker, created pieces that capture the essence of the old growth wood he worked with. A walnut desk (Lot 324, Estimate $8,000 to $10,000) and a coffee table in black walnut and rosewood (Lot 329, Estimate $18,000 to $22,000) are both beautiful examples of his inspired, naturalistic style. His daughter, Mira Nakashima, followed in her father’s footsteps, and this auction offers the opportunity to see their work side by side. A dining table in maple burl, cherry, and sap cherry (Lot 343, Estimate $35,000 to $45,000) demonstrates how Mira Nakashima added her own voice to the family trade.
The auction also includes a range of fine art, including Pablo Picasso ceramics. Contemporary crafts include two red quan chairs by the Chinese artist JinR (Lot 488, Estimate $800 to $1,200) and a pair of candlesticks by Albert Paley (Lot 379, Estimate $6,000 to $8,000).
Previews, Catalog, and Bidding
Previews are free and open to the public, and will be held on Thursday, June 26, from noon to 5 PM, and Friday, June 27, from noon to 8 PM. Illustrated catalogs are available from the Subscription Department, at 508-970-3240, or from the Gallery. Prices realized will be available online at www.skinnerinc.com both during and after the sale. The Skinner website enables users to view every lot in the auction, leave bids, order catalogs and bid live, in real-time, through SkinnerLive!
About Skinner
Skinner auctions draw international interest from buyers and consignors alike, with material regularly achieving record prices. The company’s auction and appraisal services focus on fine art, jewelry, furniture, and decorative arts from around the globe, as well as wine, fine musical instruments, rare books, clocks, Judaica, and more. Monthly Skinner Discovery auctions feature a breadth of estate material. Widely regarded as one of the most trusted names in the business, Skinner appraisers have appeared on the PBS-TV series Antiques Roadshow since the show’s inception. Skinner has galleries in Boston and Marlborough, Massachusetts, and in Coral Gables, Florida, with an international audience of bidders participating in person, by phone, and online through the SkinnerLive! online bidding platform. For more information and to read our blog, visit the website at www.skinnerinc.com, find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/skinnerauctions, or follow us on Twitter @Skinnerinc.
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Contacts
Jane Prentiss
Director of 20th Century Design
508-970-3111
20thCentury@skinnerinc.com