Date: Fri 17-Jul-1998

Publication: Ant

Author: DAVIDS

Quick Words:

Sotheby's-20th-Cent-Auction

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20th C. At Sotheby's

By DAVID S. SMITH

NEW YORK CITY -- The Twentieth Century Decorative Works of Art auction at

Sotheby's attracted a great deal of attention on June 12 as a host of new

collectors vied with the old guard for a wide variety of merchandise.

Items offered ranged from fairly common, yet desirable pieces of art glass and

Tiffany to extremely rare examples, coupled with a good selection of Deco

furniture and some extraordinary accessories.

Barbara Deisroth, Sotheby's Twentieth Century department director, commented

after the auction, "We were extremely pleased with the results of the sale,

which attracted strong bidding from private collectors at every level." The

auction, which offered 343 lots, was more than 80 percent sold with an

impressive gross of $3,816,555.

Leading the sale was a previously unknown example of a Lalique cire perdue

glass figure of a standing maiden. Gregory Kuharic, Sotheby's Twentieth

Century specialist, called the rare figure a "great discovery. It had been in

a private European collection for the past 80 years and is only the third

known example."

The last time one of these figures appeared on the market was in November of

1987 at Sotheby's when a smaller nude figure encircled by flora sold for a

record price for Lalique at $148,500. The piece was rumored to have been

resold to a Japanese museum shortly after for in excess of $1 million. The

third known example is in the collection of the Lalique family.

Sotheby's described the manufacturing process by stating in its catalogue,

"The manufacturing of large lost statuary in glass was extremely challenging

technically for Lalique considering the rudimentary conditions of his studio

in his country house [where this piece was made]." The catalogue further notes

the importance of these examples as they "were achieved at Lalique's earliest

point of transition from jeweler to glass maker."

The lost wax process involved the form first being sculpted. When finished, it

was encased in plaster. The plaster was then gently steamed, thus melting the

wax and letting it run off through a hole in the mold. Molten glass was poured

into the plaster mold, and after an annealing process, the plaster was broken

away revealing the finished statue.

Of the three known figures, this example was regarded to be the most

successful of Lalique's attempts at this process. Estimated at $80/120,000,

the rare piece sold to a private American buyer for a record price of

$288,500, including premium.

As with all Twentieth Century auctions at Sotheby's, numerous important pieces

of Tiffany graced the showroom floor. A great rarity appeared among the

selection this time around with the offering of a monumental 12 light

candelabrum designed for the Tiffany and Co exhibition chapel of the Chicago

World's Exposition of 1893. The massive candelabrum, measuring nearly four

feet high and almost as wide, was constructed of bronze and highlighted with

opalescent glass cabochons.

Partial provenance of the candelabrum revealed that after the exposition the

piece had been sold to St John the Divine of New York for installation in its

chapel. Although after some design changes in the chapel, the candelabrum was

sold back to Louis Comfort Tiffany and installed on his estate, Laurelton

Hall. After the estate fell into a state of disrepair, the chapel on Tiffany's

estate was rescued by Hugh and Jeannatte McKean and reinstalled in the Charles

Hosmer Morse Museum in Winter Park, Fla. Also purchased by a private American

buyer, the rare candelabrum more than doubled presale estimates selling for

$134,500.

Other Tiffany pieces included a wide selection of floor and table lamps with a

Dragonfly lamp in green and yellow on a bronze "bird skeleton" base selling

for $90,500, while a Tiffany Double Poinsettia floor lamp in greens, yellows

and reds realized $85,000.

Several pieces of Galle were listed among the top ten items sold at Sotheby's,

the first being a rare Galle mold-blown Cameo white elephant vase. Kuharic

referred to the white elephant vase as being "legendary" and further commented

that the example was "superb" in all its details. The large ovoid vase,

measuring more than 15 inches high, was made in a golden amber glass overlaid

in a creamy ivory white. Parading around the middle of the vase are several

elephants of various size walking amongst leafy palm trees and under stylized

clouds. The vase, also selling to a private American buyer, brought $112,500.

A similar vase in brown and yellow, although much less accomplished in

execution, brought $63,000.

Other Galle pieces attracting major attention included a marquetrie de verre

internally decorated and wheel carved flori-form vase. The piece, in lavender,

pink and red with bright yellow stamens and wheel carved blossoms, was mounted

on a green and amber base. Spirited bidding on the rare lot saw it pushed to a

selling price of $79,500. Also sold was a rare calla lily vase with a pale

yellow base color overlaid in rich crimson and molded in low and medium relief

with calla lilies and foliate. Strong coloration and appealing form helped

this piece earn its $74,000 selling price.

Leading the furnishings was a rare pair of Edgar Brandt wrought-iron gates

designed for the Pavillion de L'Intransgeat, circa 1925. The Deco gates were

decorated with a repeating pattern of fluted fans and closed buds among

alternating scrolls. Estimated at $20/30,000, the lot saw plenty of action.

The gates sold for $101,500. Also among the Edgar Brandt offerings was an

important wrought-iron oval mirror decorated with cornucopias filled with

roses, beginning on the bottom at each side and extending to the top. Active

bidding on this lot was also recorded, and it sold for $68,500.

The furniture of George Nakashima has been popularized, much in part by

Sotheby's, and this sale continued the trend. Leading a handful of Nakashima

lots was an unusual triangular form Minguren II coffee table constructed of

slab walnut and macassar ebony. Estimated at $2/3,000, the lot was heavily

competed for with it selling for $9,775. Also bringing a substantial price was

a large walnut slab dining table on a canted trestle base. It was hammered

down at $9,200. A set of six chairs brought $6,900, and a two-door cabinet

constructed of cherry sold at $6,325.

Prices include the buyer's premium. For information, Sotheby's, 1334 York

Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10021, or call 212/606-7000.