PIASA will hold an American design auction on Thursday, December 10th, at 6pm, with 118 lots. On this occasion, numerous creations by Terence Harold Robsjohn-Gibbings, major figure in American design, will be presented to collectors.
Born in 1905 in London, Terence Harold Robsjohn-Gibbings is one of the greatest figures of American design in the 20th century. After studying architecture at the University of London, Robsjohn Gibbings began his career in the field of naval architecture as a decorator before working for an antique dealer specializing in Elizabethan furniture.
In 1930, he crossed the Atlantic and settled in New York. He became a naturalized citizen in 1945. Singularizing himself with respect to the industrial standards of the time, his creations were a great success. Alongside his pieces, Robsjohn Gibbins produced articles and books, such as Furniture of Classical Greece, published in 1963, which were important milestones in the emergence of functional and classical design, in contrast to Le Corbusier's modernist designs.
Terence Harold Robsjohn-Gibbings (1905-1976)
Bench seat
Estimate : 10000 / 15000 €
From the early years of his career, he developed a keen interest in Ancient Greece, which led him to the collections of the British Museum. Taking his work to its logical conclusion, he moved to Greece in 1966 where he worked on the decoration of Athenian high society apartments. Robsjohn Gibbings specializes in working with walnut and beech, species that he sometimes inlays with copper or leather.
Terence Harold Robsjohn-Gibbings (1905-1976)
Sofa - Unique piece
Estimate: 15000 / 20000 €
His elegant furniture has become a precursor of today's contemporary design. The simple classical forms are derived from classical architecture but are largely devoid of surface decoration.
The designer received numerous industry awards, including the Waters Award in 1950 and the Elsie de Wolfe Award in February 1962, which he shared with fellow designer Edward J. Wormley. A lifelong collector of antiques, the designer decorated his brownstone apartment on East 72nd Street and later his house in Athens as a backdrop for the exhibition of his classical Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Chinese and pre-Columbian art.
Terence Harold Robsjohn-Gibbings (1905-1976)
Pair of armchairs
Estimate : 8000 / 12000 €
