On Wednesday, February 20, the PIASA house will open the 2019 auction season with a two-part Scandinavian Design Sale. These events, which have become a must, are always a new opportunity for all enthusiasts to discover new Danish, Finnish or Swedish creations.
Lot 21 - Axel-Einard Hjorth (1888-1959)
Console
Result : 24 700€
The first edition, Scandinavian Selected Design, aims to highlight Scandinavian pre-design through a selection of important pieces over a period from 1880 to 1930.
Lot 85 - Poul Henningsen (1894-1967)
Floor Lamp
Result : 41 600€
Creators such as Finn Juhl (1912-1989), Børge Mogensen (1914-1972) and Poul Henningsen (1894-1967) also left their mark on the period. Their design, combining rigour and harmony, still resonates today.
PIASA will present a very beautiful "Judas" dining table by Finn Juhl in rosewood inlaid with silver coins. These indicate the number of guests invited to dinner according to the number of extensions (lot 76 - estimate: 40 000 / 60 000 €). First criticized as too radical, the architect's organic style later influenced the greatest names in design. His favourite wood species, teak and rosewood, would later become the symbol of Scandinavian design.
Among the highlights are three models from the "Hunting chair" series: a pair of chairs and a series of ten chairs. In 1950, the exhibition of the Copenhagen Cabinetmakers' Guild presented a series of furniture under the theme "A hunting lodge" in which Mogensen, for the first time, designed solid wood furniture with large leather parts forming the seat and backrest.
Lot 76 - Finn Juhl (1912-1989)
Judas - Dining Table
Result : 49 400€
Lot 160 - Børge Mogensen (1914-1972)
Hunting Chair - 3238 Model
Result : 8 450€
Part of the sale will also be dedicated to a collection by the master of Danish ceramics, Axel Johannes Salto (1889-1961). This selection opens with a masterpiece, an organic enamelled stoneware vase of exceptional size created in 1959 (lot 29 - estimate: 60 000 / 90 000 €). First of all a painter, the artist was awarded the Grand Prix de la Céramique at the 1937 Universal Exhibition and the Grand Prix de la Triennale de Milan in 1951 for his work as a ceramist. Two other great names in ceramics, Birger Kaipiainen (1915-1988) and Wilhelm Kåge (1889-1960) completed this ensemble.
Lot 29 - Axel Johannes Salto (1889-1961)
Vase
Result : 83 200€
Lot 170 - Birger Kaipiainen (1915-1988)
Plate
Result : 14 300 €
Among the "Master pieces" of Scandinavian design presented in the sale is undoubtedly the "Snowflake" suspension (lot 68 - estimate: 60 000 / 80 000 €) in brass and gold metal by Paavo Tynell. This suspension consists of four light sources hidden in a perforated base. Snowflakes" made of metal and brass mesh float on wires connected to elongated arms, diffusing the special light of the designer's creations that echo the shapes of nature. Paavo Tynell's works are associated with the works of the famous Poul Henningsen (1894- 1967). The Louvre suspension (lot 133 - estimate: 12 000 / 18 000 €) perfectly represents the work of the artist, a true sculptor of light.
Lot 68 - Paavo Tynell (1890-1973)
Snowflake Suspension
Result : 91 000€
Lot 133 - Poul Henningsen (1894-1907)
Louvre Suspension
Estimate : 12 000 - 18 000 €
The second session, on Tuesday, March 12, will be devoted in part to a tribute to the Swedish designer Hans-Agne Jakobsson (1919-2009). More than fifty luminaires created between 1950 and 1960 will be presented. Inspired by the beauty of Scandinavian landscapes, Jakobsson designs both original and graphic works. Copper, brass and glass are his favourite materials. Hans Agne Jakobsson offers lamps that subtly direct the rays and colour of light, such as the famous cylindrical model G81 created in 1950 (10 000 / 15 000 €). The sale dedicated to Italian Selected Design on March 27, 2019 will continue the season initiated by this sale.
Hans-Agne Jakobsson (1919-2009)
G81 Lamp (à droite)
Estimate 10 000 - 15 000 €
