Sotheby’s Presents
IMPORTANT DESIGN
AND
DREAMING IN GLASS: MASTERWORKS BY TIFFANY STUDIOS

Two Live Auctions to Highlight Sotheby’s Design Week Sales Series
This December in New York

Auctions to Feature:

Masterworks by Design Icons Les Lalanne,
Led by Claude Lalanne’s
Unique “Structure Végétale aux Oiseaux et Papillons” Chandelier
Estimate $800,000/1.2 Million
**
Jean Royère’s Rare “Flaque” Coffee Table Leads
Exemplary Modern Design
from the Collection of Mike and Renée Silverstein
Estimate $150/200,000
**
A Diverse Selection of Thomas Molesworth’s Timeless Western Furniture,
From the Lazy Bar F Ranch in Cody, Wyoming
**
Wendell Castle’s Sculptural Two-Seater Settee
Estimate $200/300,000
**
An Iconic “Wisteria” Table Lamp and
Magnificent “Woodbine” Chandelier by Tiffany Studios
Estimates $400/600,000 and 200/300,000 Each
**
Sotheby’s Design Week Exhibitions Open by Appointment
Beginning Tomorrow on York Avenue

Live Auctions 10 December

NEW YORK, 4 December 2020 – Sotheby’s is honored to present highlights from our marquee winter sales of Important Design and Dreaming in Glass: Masterworks by Tiffany Studios on 10 December, as part of our Design Week auctions in New York.

All of the works from both sales will be on view by appointment in Sotheby’s New York galleries beginning this Saturday, 5 December, alongside A Celebration of Art Deco: Masterworks from the Collection of Dr. Stephen E. Kelly Evening Sale and Day Sale. Separate release available

IMPORTANT DESIGN
Live Auction 10 December at 2PM EST

This season’s sale presents a curated survey of Design from the last century, from notable examples of American Arts & Crafts and French Art Deco to outstanding pieces of Contemporary Design.

RARE AND WHIMSICAL WORKS BY LES LALANNE

An exceptional selection of sculptures and furniture by Claude and François-Xavier Lalanne are led by a Unique “Structure Végétale aux Oiseaux et Papillons” Chandelier (estimate $800,000/1.2 million). Created in 2008, this chandelier is a classic example of how Claude Lalanne drew inspiration from the natural world to serve as both structural foundation and decorative motif in her work. Demonstrating the French designer’s adeptness with the material, the entanglement of tree limbs realistically mimics the texture of wood with its grainy bark and small spurs. Amongst other chandelier designs in Lalanne’s oeuvre, the present lot stand outs in the way that it singularly combines birds and butterflies.

Additional highlights by the iconic design duo include a gilt bronze Grand Mouton de Peter (estimate $400/600,000), a Table au Requin (estimate $400/600,000), and “Grand Oiseau de Marbre” Armchair and Low Table (estimate $200/300,000), each by François Xavier Lalanne, and an extraordinary  “Iolas” Flatware Service and a Unique Végétal Mirror by Claude Lalanne (estimate $200/300,000 and $300/500,000).

JOURNEY TO MODERNISM:
PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF MICHAEL AND RENEE SILVERSTEIN

The auction is anchored by masterworks of mid-century and postwar design  from the collection of Mike and Renée Silverstein, who over four decades acquired superlative works by Jean Royère, Georges Jouve, Maria Pergay and George Nakashima, among others, and displayed them throughout their stunning homes in Sarasota, Florida and Port Washington, New York. Mike and Renee, married in 1958, embarked on a lifetime collecting journey from French Art Deco through Modernism, brought together by their strict commitment to quality and a connoisseurial approach. Their collection includes iconic examples of European and American design, seamlessly woven together to delight the observer with unexpected and provocative dialogues. Highlights include: Jean Royère’s Rare “Flaque” Coffee Table (estimate $150/200,000) and “Ondulation” Table and Four “Baltique” Side Chairs (estimate $50/70,000), Harry Bertoia’s Untitled (Gong) (estimate $50/70,000) and Mira Nakashima’s “Minguren II” Dining Table (estimate $40/60,000).

EXCEPTIONAL WORKS BY MID-CENTURY DESIGN MASTERS

The auction also features works by mid-century design masters, highlighted by an Easel by Carlo Scarpa ($80/120,000). In 1952, the Italian architect and designer was commissioned by the Museo Correr to re-think the presentation of its collection and the present easel played an integral role in Scarpa’s vision. The easel’s bracket can be lifted and lowered to ensure that no matter the size of the work on display, it addresses the visitor directly at eye level. Displaying paintings in this manner, taken off the wall and projected into the visitor’s space, Scarpa enhanced the three-dimensionality of the art and invited more active, personal engagement. His design principals prioritized the visitor’s experience and democratized the museum, and consequently remain deeply relevant to display techniques used today.