WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Captivated followers of AMC’s Mad Men knew the time would come that they’d have to bid farewell to moody Don Draper and the rest of the dysfunctional crew at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. In recognition of the smash-hit TV series’ last season, Palm Beach Modern Auctions (PBMA) is hosting an April 11 auction that embodies the sophisticated interior-design style favored by Mad Men of the 1960s.
A pair of matched Philip & Kelvin Laverne Etruscan tables that combine to form a dining table will be offered with an estimate of $30,000-$40,000. Illustrating a synthesis of surreal imagery and minimalist forms, a John Dickinson Model 57 galvanized steel console is expected to reach $20,000-$30,000. And from a collection of Jacques Duval-Brasseur furniture comes a sculptural center hall table with a flower insert that rises from the center. Estimate: $8,000-$12,000.
The list of powerhouse names represented in the sale is a long and illustrious one, and includes such furniture-design giants as: Paul Evans, Wendell Castle, Arne Jacobsen, Charles & Ray Eames, George Nelson, Barovier & Toso, Karl Springer, Eero Saarinen, Wormley/Dunbar, Vladimir Kagan, Charlotte Perriand and dozens of others.
A superb selection of art features original works and editions, as well as sculptures by noted artists. Leading the group is an acrylic on panel by Richard Anuszkiewics titled Soft Turquoise. Estimate: $25,000-$35,000. Other artists whose works will be auctioned include Tom Wesselman, Robert Rauschenberg, Frank Stella, Roy Lichtenstein and Red Grooms. Also, there are original works by Angel Botello, Donald Sultan, Gino Severini, Georg Kolbe and Paul Jenkins.
Harkening the anything-goes era of Studio 54, Lot 365A is the original late-1970s artwork Andy Warhol created for invitations to fashion designer Halston’s “dress drag” party at the fabled New York disco. The 9.75 by 6.25-inch photograph/silkscreen art depicts as its subject a Venezuelan window dresser named Victor Hugo, who became Halston’s lover in 1972 and later worked as Warhol’s assistant. The work is clearly hand-signed by Warhol. Its line of provenance starts with Warhol, who gifted it to Hugo, who, in turn, gave it to the consignor. Its estimate is $10,000-$15,000.
Included in the same late 1970s/early 1980s circle of glamorous party people was model Yelitza Károlyi. Lot 77 in the April 11 auction is a 1974 screenprint, titled Mao, which Warhol created for an exhibition at Musee Galliera in Paris and hand-signed/inscribed to Károlyi. The 40.25 by 29.5-inch screenprint is estimated at $20,000-$30,000.
Another of Károlyi’s friends was photographer Peter Beard, renowned for his stunning images of African wildlife and landscapes. Seven of Beard’s early silver gelatin prints from Károlyi’s collection are entered in the auction. A compelling Beard-inscribed and dated (1964) gelatin silver print of young Africans in native attire bears a rare King Edward VIII Tanganyika stamp. Its presale estimate is $10,000-$15,000.
Hands should go up all over the room for a large and intriguing Harry Bertoia organic-form sculpture from a collection of Bertoia works consigned to the auction. The sculpture passed from the artist to his son, Val Bertoia, then to Richard Thomas, who was Head of Metalsmithing at Cranbrook Academy of Art. After that, the sculpture was acquired by a private collector in Boynton Beach, Fla., and passed by descent through the same family. It is estimated at $15,000-$25,000.
Baca remarked that he and Terwilliger are “obsessive” about tracking trends in the midcentury and contemporary art market, and that they stay on the lookout for new categories that are gaining momentum. “We watch and listen, and of course, the results of each of our sales steer us toward the type of art and design we should offer the next time around,” said Baca.
A fast-growing category for PBMA is luxury goods, Baca said. A selection of quality items will be offered in the upcoming sale, with representation from such designers and brands such as Tiffany & Co., Chanel, Bulgari, Louis Vuitton, Yves St. Laurent, Judith Leiber and many more.
Palm Beach Modern Auctions’ Saturday, April 11, 2015 auction will commence at 12 noon Eastern Time at the company’s exhibition center located at 417 Bunker Rd., West Palm Beach, FL 33405. Guests will be treated to a complimentary lunch, as well as valet parking. Preview: Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 9 a.m. onward on auction day.
All forms of bidding will be available, including live via the Internet through LiveAuctioneers.com. For additional information, call 561-586-5500 or e-mail [email protected]. Web: www.modernauctions.com. View the fully illustrated auction catalog online at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.