#artecase

Friday Finds!

Here are some beautiful pieces we have seen this week!

Image 1:The sensuous and organic form of this contemporary bronze lamp ('Grande Lyre') by Philippe Cuny drew us in. The glow from the bronze is gorgeous.

Image 2: This reclinable chair in rosewood by Eugene Printz is like poetry in motion! The curved arm rests are exquisite.

Image 3: One of a pair of sofas (model 485) by Edward Wormley. Edition Dunbar 1954. We love the simple design and clean lines.

Image 4: This gently curved and elegant sofa by Augusto Bozzi for Saporiti (1950s) is an example of great mid century design. Highly covetable! 

Image 5: This chic and beautiful desk (c 1935) in varnished wood with Hermes leather is by Paul Dupré-Lafon. The two rectangular compartments for storage on the desk top have sliding covers with ivory and brass handles. We can see it gracing an elegant sitting room or adding depth to a study.

Friday Finds!

Image 1: Upon visiting the breathtaking couture exhibition entitled 'Les Années 50' now on view at the Musée Galliera here in Paris, we found ourselves discussing how some of the themes and goals we saw in the clothes were being explored in furniture design as well. Like the fashion of this time the furniture designers were also focused on functionality, technical innovation and elegance.  Some of the fabric styles are quite similar to the furniture upholstery. There is also a sense of control felt in the many buttons of the jackets and the firm cushions forms of the furniture yet the swirling full skirts created by Dior in these years sent shockwaves through France and the bright colored upholstery covering radical new furniture forms created excitement and optimism. During the 1950s a more democratic system of licensing was put into place by some houses (such as Lanvin boutique) to make the lines more available to a public without access to the couture salons.  At the same time the first generation of French designers creating ultra-modern work that was meant to be mass produced. Enjoy the images below. And don't hesitate to contact us when you are tempted by these gorgeous designs!

Image 2: In the 1950s, the shape of the seating corresponded to social and practical criteria of the time. The historical context adds enormously to the story of each piece. This sofa by Genevieve Dangles and Christian DeFrance is made of numerous chairs which put together make up a magnificent arched-shape sofa. The shape of the chair backs kept the sitter's posture straight which was important since the women all still wore skirts (before the advent of Saint's Laurent's revolutionary pant suits for women). Photo Courtesy  Galerie Pascal Cusinier.

Image 3: This pair of fauteuils '44'  (1957) also by Dangles & Defrance was one of their most revolutionary designs at the time. The sense of forging ahead breaking new boundaries is palpable and exciting. We love the energy of the design of this period. Photo Courtesy Galerie Pascal Cusinier.

Image 4: Looking back at this interior from the 1950s the furniture, to our eye, looks formal and uniform in its arrangement.  But with a little imagination, you can take elements from this period and incorporate them into your home, crossing eras and styles and making your own original and personal statement. The pieces  that we have found this week are refined, elegant and with simple lines reflecting the optimistic but practical postwar outlook of a brave new world. They speak  to the forward-looking ideals of that time. Perhaps these ideals resonate with you? 

Image 5: Designed for Chandrigah in India in the 1950s by Jeanneret and Le Corbusier, the timelessly beautiful, and architecturally rigorous chairs by Jeanneret in this interior at La Banane Hotel in St Barts add a strong aesthetic statement to the space, giving us a glimpse of the artist's cutting edge creative thinking in bridging Art Deco and Modernism.  Impossible to ignore without being domineering, the strong angular lines of the chairs contribute to the stylistic dialogue in the room creating a marvellous energy.  Just think what pieces like this could add to your home! 

Image 6: This wonderfully sculptural chair (1950s) in oak is one of a pair by Rene Gabriel. They  look good from every angle! A specialist in 'meubles de series', Gabriel was Influential in the development of 20th century design in France and the 'Rene Gabriel award' is to this day, highly prestigious for emerging designers. There is a feeling of freedom and you sense the sheer joy of designing in this piece. Just imagine the statement it would make in your home!

Image 7: This elegant 1950s table lamp in leather and brass is by Jacques Adnet. The base is covered in beautifully stitched leather interspersed with brass. It would impart a warm and elegant glow to any room.

Image 8: We were excited to find this chic and highly covetable late-1950s Leleu Deshays desk in rosewood and leather.  It would look equally stunning in a traditional book-lined study or in a more minimalist room. Magnifique!

Image 9: This restrained and beautiful early 1950s desk is Austrian. In stainless steel and black lacquer, we love the uniform line of the large number of simple drawer handles standing out against the richness of the smooth lacquer.

Image 10: This pair of wicker chairs by Abrahams & Rolls (end of the 1950s) are not only beautiful and technically brilliant but they are also really comfortable!

Friday Finds!

Image 1: Treasure hunting in Paris on a beautiful fall day.

Images 2 & 3: This is one of a pair of 'Pipe Line Series 2' chairs (1983) in lucite and chrome by Jeff Messerschmidt. With a small production of just 75 chairs, they were an exciting find! Each chair has an incised signature and number on a back leg and has been reupholstered. Price for the pair is €2,200.

Image 4: The visually light yet sturdy 'Grasshopper' chair was the first chair Eero Saarinen designed in a series of sculptural chairs created for Knoll throughout the 1940s and 1950s. We spotted this re-edition produced by the German company Lange at the end of the 1990s. The leather is original and the chair is in great condition with beautiful leather-wrapped armrests. €6,000. 

Image 5: We loved this fabulous round marble table with elegant stainless steel base (1972) by British designer Richard Young. D147cm. Price €5,000.

Image 6: This eye-catching Italian standing light by Mazzega in murano glass and brass dates from the 1960s. The glass is amber-tinted giving off a beautiful golden glow of light. H 155cm. Price €1,800.

Images 7 & 8: The Seconda 601-602 chair was designed by Mario Botta for Alias in the 1980s in Italy. In black enameled steel with an upholstered padded backrest and seat pad, we found this stunning pair which have the original upholstery. They are very architectural and rigorous in design and wonderfully comfortable. Use your imagination - these could be gorgeous with beautiful horsehair cushions! H73cm x W52cm x D58cm.  €700 for the pair.

Images 9 & 10:  Several mid century classic chairs. Choose your color!

This is the type of work that we get very excited about sharing with you! Images 1-4: Aldo Bakker is a young designer from the Netherlands whose work is defiant. He is inspired by forms or parts of forms he encounters in daily life ranging from animals, to nature to architecture.  He draws a form and tries to distill it down to its geometrical essence and in so doing he also questions the function of the object and challenges preconceived ideas about that object. Through this process of deconstruction and gradual rebuilding he creates objects  based on his study of form then adds function. (As opposed to "Form follows function. - Louis Sullivan,  a principle associated with modernist architecture and industrial design in the 20th century).  The objects look natural and comfortable in the world yet it's not always obvious what their function is ... and this is what the designer wants!  He is 'defying' accepted norms and proposing new ways of using his objects, which refocus our attention on simple acts in our daily world.   This is a big idea and we hope you love it as much as we do!!

Image 2: Indigo Tonus Tabouret handmade out of a solid block of oak wood and treated with iron. Size: 54 x 36 x 34 cm

Images 3 & 4: Tonus Tabouret handmade out of a solid block of oak wood. Size: 54 x 36 x 34 cm

Images 1-4: All photos by Erik and Petra Hesmerg.

Images 5-8: The following photos are from a very special vernissage on Tuesday night.

This is a new body of work by Johanna Halford, a young British artist, who lives and works in Paris. Image 6: The serene beauty of the owl quietly soaring in the air also evokes an electric tension in his eyes. This direct piercing gaze  is questioning and inescapable.  It's this contrast between quiet/calm and electric/startling feelings that keep us engaged.

Her work evolved through elaborate explorations including live models and found feathers and historical research into the cultural significance of wings and birds and specifically owl. Images 7 & 8 are a few of the paintings of various types of wings and feathers.

Image 1 & 2: This is a set of six 19th/Early 20th Century Scholars chairs from Shandong, an Eastern province in China.  They would look great in a formal dining room or a more contemporary setting. The pair is offered for about 300 Euros.

Image 3: Same style chair in a beautifully eclectic interior.

Image 4: A French mid-20th century desk lamp. About 200 Euros.

Image 5:  Fontana Arte bougeoir in glass, model 2237. This unusual trio of candlestick holders are attached by silver plated joints on square bases. 

H.35cm

€4,000- €5,000.

Image 6: An AFRA and Tobia Scarpa Sorianna canapé for Cassina in 1970 is coming up for sale at Christie’s in Paris on 14 October in the debut Interiors sale with items chosen by renown interior designer Nicolas Dufour. We have found these from time to time and know of a BLACK one right now. Will be interesting to see what this one sells for …  the estimate is 800-1200 Euros.

Image 7: Seriously luxurious and bohemian style. photo credit: http://www.markseelen.com/portfolio.php

Images 8 & 9: And as fashion week winds up here in Paris, here is a nod to the great Coco …

A print of the portrait of Coco Chanel by Georgette Tavé

Un portrait, c’est un caractère !”. Celui de Coco Chanel apparat sans fard. “Sans le vouloir… C’est sorti comme ça. Elle était un peu cadavérique, toujours ces roses autour de son chapeau, le visage pointu comme son caractère. ” Quand l’artiste a prêté le portrait pour une exposition à Tokyo, les Japonais faisaient la queue dehors pour voir ce petit minois dur comme le succès.”

Valérie Duponchelle Le Figaro 20 octobre 1998:

Translation: “A portrait is a character. This one of Coco Chanel, appeared without makeup. ‘Without hope/desire … It arrived like this. She was a bit dark, always with roses around her hat, her face pointed, like her character.’ When the artist lent this painting to an exhibition in Tokyo, the Japonese lined up for hours to see this little this sweet little face hardened by success.”

Are you looking for a light or pair of chairs by a specific designer or from a certain period? Have you been dreaming of owning a …? You fill in the blank and Artecase will help you find it! 

~~ The design events of the last couple weeks have been truly inspiring. We are still going through all of our photos! Here are a few ideas and objects that caught our eye!

1. Charlotte Perriod Nuage biblioteque circa 1955, a beautiful Mid-century piece that was  on view during Design Week.

2. The Duna lounge chair was one of the pieces we saw last week at  an evening talk on how the Design market is infiltrating the Art market. It is composed of 60 separate pieces freijo, a Brazilian wood, which together create a chair form evocative of sand dunes.

3. and 4. Beautiful Lalique display of vases and wall appliqués during Paris Design Week

5. and 6. This cluster of lights presented at Maison et Objet this month is quite beautiful and look to be inspired by old Parisian holophane street lights, which are in photo 6. We can source the originals for you! 

7. This commode is designed by Caroline Sarkozy, one of our favorite Parisian interior designers. If you have a chance do go visit the Décors à Vivre: Les Arts Décoratifs accueillent AD Intériors 2014, which is on view until the end of November.

8. We spotted this pair of Elisabeth Garouste and Mattia Bonetti chairs called “The Night and the Day”, Circa 1990 behind glass this week. We know a few of you had inquired about the one on our blog that was offered by Artcurial several months ago. The chair was withdrawn from the sale.

Here is a pair available for you!

We have some truly wonderful objects to present to you today!

1. 1940s Venini chandelier from a private home in Paris. This is a unique piece and it is truly exceptional. Restrained and elegant in expression and proportion ... block out the ceiling and other lights in the background of this photo and imagine it in a entryway or dining room.  It is in pristine condition.  80 cm high and 85 cm wide. The price is right.  Contact us for more photos and the price. [email protected]

2. Italian 1960s bronze table base. We love the sweeping lines and the perching parrots! We can source a vintage glass top or have a new top made for you. 

3. Rare and beautiful pair of 19th century Chinese cache pots on bronze bases. It's rare to find a pair like this in perfect (age appropriate) condition. Just fill with water and add goldfish!

4. This floor lamp ('Les Yeux sans Visage') in chrome-plated and black lacquered steel and polished aluminum is a true statement piece and we love the shadow created on the wall behind.

5.  These 'Male' and 'Female' lights (1978) in polished cast aluminium and chrome-plated steel are iconic pieces. Limited edition of 30 + 2 artists proofs.

6. This stunning light (1972) in bronze, also by Lebovici is a unique piece. The light head pivots from the base allowing light to be focused directionally.