![Poh Chap Yeap, four stoneware vases, various sizes [detail]. Image © Sworders](https://images.prismic.io/barnebys/d660145a-7163-4ac3-8d70-7c59888906a7_10.2+copy-2.jpg?auto=format,compress)
The UK-based auction house Sworders is holding their second sale of the year on 4 and 5 May, a two-day design extravaganza with nearly 700 lots going under the hammer. British, Scandinavian, French and Italian furniture and design will all be represented, with designs by Paolo Buffa, Max Ingrand, Hans Wegner and Pierre Paulin, to name just a few. There will also be an impressive selection of ceramics, including a few of Picasso’s pieces from the Madoura collection. Read on to discover some of the star lots from this upcoming sale.
The first day of the auction begins with Art Deco and Arts and Crafts pieces, including this rare sideboard designed by Sir Frank Brangwyn. Brangwyn was a prolific and talented jack-of-all-trades, and he received artistic training in William Morris’ workshop. This sturdy oak sideboard represents his skill as well as the visual ideals of the Arts and Crafts movement, and features four cupboards with carved chevron details, three frieze drawers with round pierced handles and a raised back with a grooved plate rail.
Stylised as a pair of lips, this plush Italian sofa is certain to add '50s flair to your sitting room. The high back tapers dramatically into the curved seat, creating a pretty pout with an armless design. It is upholstered in luxurious pink velvet fabric, while the base is covered in grey velvet, and it stands on short, gently tapered wooden feet.
Created in the style of Alessandro Mendini, these three turquoise plinths can be used separately throughout a room or together for a larger, eye-catching table. Mendini was one of the figureheads of the Radical Design movement in Italy, and he created innovative and playful designs for everyday objects. These geometric plinths follow his same principles, with their irregularly shaped components and bright, cheerful finish.
The result of a collaboration between Roberto Pamio, Renato Toso and Noti Massari for Stilwood, the Lara sofa is a unique modular piece that fits together like an organically shaped jigsaw puzzle. Their design uses foam structurally, creating two almost sculptural pieces that make a low-slung L-shape when they are placed together. Each piece can also be used individually, and the dark navy upholstery is easy to incorporate into existing colour schemes.
The second day of the sale begins with fifty lots of studio ceramics from Trevor Coldrey’s collection. Coldrey ran the Harlequin Gallery in South London for many years, and he amassed ceramic works from artists such as Dan Kelly, Phil Rogers, Julian King-Salter, Jim Malone and Marcio Mattos. There are also several stoneware vases from the British Chinese artist Poh Chap Yeap, who was recognised as a major player in the studio pottery world during the 1970s and 1980s.
Created by the French artist Max Ingrand for Fontana Arte, the Model 1748 ceiling light showcases Ingrand’s mastery of studio glass. He was known for his modernist sensibilities, recognisable even in the stained glass windows he created for churches. This irregularly-shaped lamp feels undeniably contemporary, and features acid etching, chipped details and a lacquered, waisted mount.
If you’re looking to add visual interest to your garden, this bronze sculpture by Elio Garis is a top-notch option. The sleek, aerodynamic shape looks ready to lift off, and it is mounted on a rotating pole so that it will turn in the breeze.
Sworders’ ‘Design’ sale will take place on Tuesday, 4 May at 1 p.m. and Wednesday, 5 May at 10 a.m., and you may schedule a viewing between 30 April and 3 May at their location in Stansted Mountfitchet. Although the auction rooms are currently closed for in-person attendance, live internet bidding, absentee bidding and telephone bidding will all be available.
