Favorite Picks: Wright: Living Contemporary

Anonymous brass and wood cabinet, circa 1970s

The fall auction season has begun, and to start things off is Wright's annual Living Contemporary sale, featuring a beautifully curated selection of art and design.  These are my favorite picks.

Auction takes place in Chicago, September 26. See the full preview here.

Pierre Paulin  Tulip lounge chairs, pair

Gino Cenedese, untitled

Italian sofa, circa 1955

Ellsworth Kelly, Red-Orange over Black

Josefa Filkosky, untitled

Milo Baughman brass ounge chairs, pair

T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings, Day Break chaise, model 1708

Tommi Parzinger floor lamps, pair

Oscar Torlasco sconces, pair

James Lee Hansen, Rattleman Study

Farewell Charles Pollock

Sad news from New York this morning. Charles Pollock, the legendary designer behind George Nelson Associates' Swag Leg Chairs, Knoll's Pollock and Sling Chairs, and most recently Bernhardt's CP Collection, died in a fire at his home yesterday. He was 83.

Photo above via Bernhardt Design, below Dwell.

Farewell Ruth Asawa

Ruth Asawa, a sculptor, teacher and advocate for the arts whose work brought into modern sculpture a complexity of line never ventured before, died Monday night. She was 87.

Photos above by Nat Farbman, below Imogen Cunningham. Last photo features her Ruth with her children.

Via SFGate.

Listen: Small Black: No Stranger

Icons: The Saarinens

Eero on Eliel Saarinen's shoulders in 1912.  Eric on Eero Saarinen's shoulders in 1943.

Like father, like son.

Via Knoll:

Eero Saarinen, known for his soaring, futuristic architecture and furniture of the industrial era, is the son of Eliel Saarinen, another master architect. The two shared a birthday, not to mention a passion for building and craft. Like father, like son:

From the moment the 3-year-old boy crawled under the drafting table in the ample studio-house in Hvitträsk and started to draw, there was no doubt in the elder Saarinen’s mind that his son would be an architect. The common pattern—especially in America—would have been to preserve one’s individuality and independence by rebellious escape into another profession. “But,” Eero says wonderingly, “except for a brief excursion into sculpture it never occurred to me to do anything but follow my father’s footsteps.”  Louchheim, Aline B. “Now Saarinen the Son.” The New York Times 26 Apr. 1953.

Back row L to R: Eero Saarinen, Lily Swann Saarinen, Florence Schust Knoll.  Middle row: Eliel Saarien, Loja Saarinen and Hans Knoll.  Front: Eric Saarinen on rocking horse.  Copyright Cranbrook Archives, Saarinen Family Papers

Eames, Eero and Aline Saarinen, 1958.  Photos courtesy Eero Saarinen Collection, Yale University Library, copyright Tony Vaccaro Photography

Part 9 of a series of photos I will be posting (via Knoll) leading up to Fathers Day, which takes a more intimate look at the life of these design icons.

Special thanks to Elizabeth Mallory and Sarah McLellan.

Icons: The Bertoias

Above montage: Celia and Harry  Bertoia.
Top right courtesy Celia Bertoia.  Other images: George Cserna.

Below: Lesta and Val Bertoia.  Photo George Cserna.

Part 8 of a series of photos I will be posting (via Knoll) leading up to Fathers Day, which takes a more intimate look at the life of these design icons.

Special thanks to Elizabeth Mallory and Sarah McLellan.

MS MR - Hurricane (CHVRCHES remix)

CHVRCHES completely transforms MS MR's Hurricanes with this amazing remix. Enjoy!

Icons: The Albinsons

Albi and Don Albinson.  Image courtesy Bruce "Albi" Albinson.

Below, a vintage ad for Albinson's stacking chair.

Part 7 of a series of photos I will be posting (via Knoll) leading up to Fathers Day, which takes a more intimate look at the life of these design icons.

Special thanks to Elizabeth Mallory and Sarah McLellan.