Collected by the creative visionaries over the course of nearly two decades, the 140+ pieces on offer lived in one or more of the Krakoffs’ impeccably-designed residences: their New York City townhouse, the famed Lasata estate in East Hampton, the sprawling Clark House in New Canaan, Connecticut, and their historic 18th-century home in Paris. The collection presented by Sotheby’s this May exhibited an encyclopedic range of works by leading artists and designers, spanning centuries of genres and styles – from 18th- and 19th -century American and French furniture to Pre-War, Post-War and Contemporary Design, Contemporary Art, and beyond.

THOMAS MOLESWORTH: DESIGNING THE AMERICAN WEST | THE RUTH AND JAKE BLOOM COLLECTION Auction Total $2.7 Million

Our Wednesday sale dedicated to 65 pieces of Thomas Molesworth furniture from the Collection of Ruth and Jake Bloom represented the largest auction offering of these highly-coveted designs in more than 20 years, and established new top 10 auction prices for works created by the designer. Prolonged bidding battles on the phone and in the room drove an impressive three-quarters of all lots on offer to achieve prices above their high estimates – led by an exceptionally-rare Octagonal Games Table that sold for $225,000 (estimate $50/70,000), and Four Early Panel Back Armchairs from O.T.O. Ranch, Montana that achieved $150,000 (estimate $40/60,000). One of Molesworth’s earliest commissions, the “O.T.O” Ranch once hosted notable guests such as Theodore Roosevelt and Marcellus Hartley Dodge (son-in-law of William Rockefeller), and is where some of his quintessential designs first gained traction among the country’s elite.

STRONG BIDDING DRIVES THOMAS MOLESWORTH SALE TO DOUBLE ITS HIGH ESTIMATE

Lauded for establishing a truly western interior design aesthetic in the early 1930s, Molesworth’s genius was rooted in his remarkable ability to create an idiosyncratic style that was romantic and unique, yet cosmopolitan and familiar. With thoughtful curation and a commitment to Molesworth’s signature western vernacular, the Blooms seamlessly interlaced his distinct pieces – characterized by knotty wood burls, vibrantly-colored leathers and woven Chimayo cushions – with captivating examples of Contemporary art in their serene Sun Valley-home. The result was a refreshingly-daring juxtaposition of these two genres and a timeless representation of the western American aesthetic.

May 2018 20 Century Design