Classic Spaces: 1940: Franco Albini's Milan Apartment

Rare 1940 photos of Franco Albini's Milan home. The one-off sailboat inspired bookshelf-prototype from 1938 acted as a space divider until it collapsed. It has now been meticously re-constructed and reproduced by the technicians of Cassina. Via L'Esprit Nouveau.

Watch: Les Miserables: Trailer

A moving first trailer from the upcoming big screen adaptation of Les Mis.  Looks very promising.

Via pedestrian.

Listen: Chromatics: I'm on Fire

A sleepy, pretty cover of a Springsteen classic.  Ruth's voice will melt your heart.

Spaces: An Apartment by Isabelle Stanislas + Leiko Oshima : Paris

From an article by Tina Komninou for Yatzer:

Isabelle Stanislas and Leiko Oshima, aka SO-AN is an architecture & interior design studio with a strong identity. In looking at their projects, there is a mutual language of elegance, contemporary living, revival, grandness and black & white contrasts. This signature design is successfully apparent in the transformation of an XVIIIth century Louvre facing building, from an office space, into a glamorous art loving residence. 


With a ceiling height of 4.45m, right from the start, this project overwhelms its viewer. The whole interiors were modified to create large open spaces while at the same time retaining the great sensitivity of the building’s history. All the mouldings, wood flooring and detailing have been preserved which aids in the preservation of unique elegance and poise within. One of the most spectacular details is the existing mirrors throughout the residence which have been restored to represent one of the most dominant features. In the living room, the gold plated life size mirrors at opposite ends of the space bring about an overly opulent feeling reminiscent of the Versailles where the skirting, dado rails wood panelling and ceiling motives make you appreciate the old times.


This elegant mix of traditional and contemporary detailing is complimented with a few choice pieces of 20th Century Modernism, including several wire chairs by Harry Bertoia, and a rare and impressive 7-arm wall lamp by Serge Mouille.


Photos by Olivier Löser.

Watch: Tell Me, Daphne: Simon de Pury + Daphne Guinness Pt. 2

Simon de Pury and Daphne Guinness in Conversation, Part Two

"Lauded patron of the arts and fashion world fixture Daphne Guinness discusses space travel and the transformative power of clothing with celebrated auctioneer Simon de Pury in part two of filmmaker Johnnie Shand Kydd’s double-bill feature. Known for her unrivaled couture sensibilities, Guinness is a recognized presence on the culture circuit. “I’m really a great admirer of Daphne, and even though she is so radical in her look, one forgets what her extraordinary heritage is,” explains Shand Kydd who has known Guinness personally for years. The daughter of brewery heir Jonathan Guinness, the 3rd Baron Moyne, and French artist Suzanne Lisney, Guinness was surrounded by creative talents from an early age. “Daphne’s mother was photographed by Man Ray with octopuses on her breasts, and Cecil Beaton, who photographed her grandmother Diana Mitford’s generation, was a great one for dressing people up in balloons and tinfoil,” says Shand Kydd, “so there’s a tradition of extraordinary outfits, and it comes very naturally to Daphne.” At a Christie’s auction next month, the fashion icon will sell select pieces from her personal wardrobe, including items from Balenciaga, Chanel, Alaïa and Alexander McQueen. All proceeds will go to the Isabella Blow Foundation, which supports young talent in art and fashion."

Part One here.

Via Nowness.

Favorite Picks: Christie's: Important 20th Century Decorative Art and Design

After reviewing the offerings of Phillips de Pury, Wright, Sotheby's NY and Sotheby's France, we'll now take a look at Christie's Important 20th Century Decorative Art and Design auction, including 2 blockbuster works from the American Modern Movement:

A highly important and unique plywood sculpture by Charles and Ray Eames from 1943. Through this experimental sculpture, the Eames' were able to develop the technology to create 3-dimensional shapes in molded plywood, technology which they utilized for their first major commission: the leg splint for the US Navy. The rest is history.

I am actually quite surprised to see this work come to market.  Ten years ago I began my career as a dealer by specializing in vintage Eames design, and while researching I must have come across photos of this sculpture countless of times. I assumed it was still in either MoMA's or Eames Office's permanent collection, but now someone has the opportunity to own a piece that helped set the Eames' legacy in motion.

An excerpt from the lot notes:

The present sculpture, whilst superficially appearing to have been constructed from a single sheet of plywood that simply was cut and molded, was in fact the consequence of an extensively laborious hand-crafted process. This commenced with the cross-layering of extremely thin plies of wood, glued and heat-sealed utilising the Eames' self-built molds to ensure that sufficient and even pressure was maintained throughout the four-to-six hour molding process. Careful examination of the edges of this sculpture reveal that the laminate thickness varies from twelve to eight laminations, corresponding with the regions of the sculpture that were to either remain rigid and robust, such as the legs, or were to be subject to more complex curvature. The careful and specific layering of these laminates would have to have been identified at the start of the design process, confirming that the undulations, curves and planes of the sculpture were predicted and mathematically calculated in advance of construction. Once formed and sealed, the sculpture was delivered from the mold, the edges trimmed with a hand-saw to the desired finished shape, and the surfaces sanded by hand. Included in the seminal exhibition 'Design for Use', Museum of Modern Art, 1944, this wholly hand-crafted work endures as the perfected synthesis of aesthetic intuition allied to experimental yet rigorous technical expertese.


A unique privately-commissioned coffee table by Isamu Noguchi.

An excerpt from the lot notes:

Commissioned by Mr. and Mrs. Samuel C. Dretzin in 1948, and remaining within the family ever since, this sublime table is one of Isamu Noguchi's rare private design commissions. It is unquestionably the most important piece of Noguchi furniture ever to come to public sale. Defying the pragmatic constraints of mere furniture, the softly carved and polished structure offers a composition of poetic subtlety, prescient with evocation and delivered with sculptural mastery.


Some of my other favorite picks:

A rare sculptural chess table by Isamu Noguchi for Herman Miller.

A black glass table lamp attributed to Jacques Adnet.

An Antony bookcase by Charlotte Perriand.

A plywood Shell settee and a leather Ox lounge chair and ottoman, both by Hans Wegner.

Leather PK33 stools by Poul Kjaerholm.

An Art Deco nickel-plated center table by Donald Deskey.

An articulated silver-plated lamp by La Maison Desny.

A sleek pair of chrome floor lamps by Curtis Jeré.

A Palmes table by Armand Albert Rateau.

A set of sconces by Maxime Old.

A Modernette cuff by Art Smith.

A luxurious Boule sofa by Jean Royere.

A glamorous sideboard by Tommy Parzinger.

A pair of important Long chairs by George Nakashima for the Japanese House of Governor and Mrs. Nelson A. Rockefeller.

A music stand sculpted from solid walnut by Wharton Esherick.



The auction is slated for June 14th.  See the full auction preview here.

Favorite Picks: Phillips de Pury: Design

The finest works of 20th and 21st Century design and decorative arts coming to the market as all the major auctions houses prepare a strong finish to the 2012 Spring/Summer season.

We return to New York for a truly exceptional collection of works to be presented at Phillips de Pury's Design auction.  These are my favorite picks:


A set of six Klismos chairs by Jorgen Juul-Moller.

A Croisillon armchair, a pair of lyrical Persane wall lamps, and a rare privately commissioned chair, all by Jean Royère.

A rare ceramic coffee table by André Borderie.

An Agrafée deux rotules table lamp and a set of 4 ceiling lamps, all by Serge Mouille.

A beautiful privately commissioned Art Deco Redhead dressing table and Tivo side chair, both by Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann.

Rare and exquisite silver-plated bowls by La Maison Desny.

A set of 4 limited-editioned stone and bronze sheep by François-Xavier Lalanne.

ABCD sofas by Pierre Paulin.

A set of 4 brass ceiling lights by Jacques Quinet, from the Librairie Guibaud.

A Warren Platner executive desk.

Bas Ducharne table by Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann.

A games table with reversible top by Jean Royère.

A Soleil Torsadé wall mirror by Line Vautrin.

A sofa by Finn Juhl.

A pair of Scimitar lounge chairs by Preben Fabricius and Jorgen Kastholm.

A Tri-Symetric table by Vladimir Kagan.

A Flag Halyard armchair by Hans Wegner.



Auction takes place June 15th, see the full preview here.  Also check out Phillips de Pury's virtual flip catalog here.