On 25 June, Roseberys London is hosting a curated auction of ‘Design: Decorative Arts 1860 to the Present Day’, which features a roster of famous pioneers of design active from the mid-19th century to the present. Within this trove of treasures are significant pieces of design, including studio ceramics and furniture, all of which traverse various styles and periods, from gothic revival to arts and crafts, art nouveau, art deco, post-war and more.
Fiona Baker, Rosebury’s Head of Department says, “We are delighted that our sale Design: Decorative Arts 1860 to the Present Day represents so much of our date line. We have Gallé, Majorelle and Carlo Bugatti for Art Nouveau, Edgar Brandt, Lalique and Alvar Aalto for Art Deco, and Eames, Quinet, Fornasetti, Max Ingrand for Fontana Arte and Parisi for Post-war design… so something for everyone.”
The star of the Roseberys London sale is undoubtedly this walnut, ebonised wood, pewter and brass inlaid and hammered cabinet designed by none other than influential Italian artist and designer Carlo Bugatti (1856-1940).
Born in Milan, Bugatti trained at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts and was greatly influenced by the early exponents of the ‘New Art’ and their reaction against the heavy, ornate Baroque and Rococo styles fashionable in the mid-19th century.
As a stylist, Bugatti was highly individualistic. This cabinet dates to c. 1900 – a period of great success for Bugatti, when his furniture designs were triumphing at European decorative arts exhibitions. Its twin doors enclose small drawers, a central arched compartment, a carved frieze, and shelves with inlaid pewter and brass geometric decoration. The doors and sides are applied with ebonised stepped wood section and inlaid borders, the doors with circular inlaid roundel, brass centre and turned wood pull, having brass hinges and mock hinges on the sides, raised on step-cut feet.
Also in the sale is an extremely rare and sought-after piece from the Finnish architect and designer Alvar Aalto (1898-1976). This early model of an ‘A803’ birch cabinet, made for Finmar in c.1935, seldom comes up for auction. Not only this but it is fresh to the market and in original condition. Aalto’s work includes architecture, furniture, textiles and glassware, as well as sculptures and paintings, though he never regarded himself as an artist – seeing painting and sculpture as "branches of the tree whose trunk is architecture”.
More exciting and rare furniture comes in the form of a three-piece suite designed by Carlo de Carli (1910-1999) and Gio Ponti (1891-1979), two of the most sought-after names in Italian post-war designer. The set, which forms part of a thirty-lot private collection of mostly post-war designed furniture and lighting, was originally created in c.1960 for the Hotel Parco dei Principi in Sorrento. Engineer Roberto Fernandez purchased the site in 1959, commissioning architect Gio Ponti to create a modern luxury hotel there. Gio Ponti collaborated with several major architects and designers of the day to furnish and decorate the hotel interior, including Carlo de Carli, Ico Parisi, Fausto Melotti and Max Ingrand. This rare suite includes a pair of armchairs and a two-seater sofa.
Finally, from Italian to English design there are two lots comprising a set of eight chairs and a scarce dining table by 20th-century architect, designer and tastemaker Terence Harold Robsjohn-Gibbings (1905-1976). This particular group was designed in the 1950s and produced by American company Widdicomb. These American made pieces seldom come up for auction this side of the Atlantic.
As a reminder, the sale at Rosebury’s London is taking place on 25 June. Should you wish to take advantage of all the comprehensive design pieces on offer, explore the full catalogue below.
Discover all items available at Roseberys here
Cover image: Alvar Aalto’s house and studio. Photo via The Modern House
