Roseberys are delighted to offer a strong selection of important Design works from 1860 to the present day. The sale will feature an extensive single owner collection of Venini glass as well as an impressive section of Arts and Crafts furniture including a fine secretaire cabinet by George Washington Jack and a wall mirror by Liberty & Co. In Post War Design, highlights include furniture by Gio Ponti, Piero Fornasetti, lighting by Serge Mouille and Fontana Arte and studio glass by Sam Herman.
Leading the sale is an extensive private collection of Venini glass, Lots 24-49. Painstakingly collected by the original owner over two decades through the 1960s and 70’s on annual trips to the Venini showroom in Venice, this collection exemplifies the skill, flair and craft of the most renowned glass studio in the world. The collection includes several exquisitely crafted Commedia dell’arte figurines, an extremely rare Faraona model (guinea fowl) by Toni Zuccherri and scarce lamps by the founder of the great glass works, Paolo Venini
Toni Zuccheri (1937-2008) for Venini, Rare 'Faraona' (guinea fowl), circa 1964
Roseberys are extremely excited to offer Lot 6, Le Bouc Bleu’, a rare and important tapestry designed by French artist Jean Lurçat. Lurçat is widely credited for reviving the craft of tapestry-making in the early to the mid-20th century. His highly sought after designs with their striking and distinctive style now reach large sums at auction. Measuring 164cm x 229cm, this tapestry dates from circa 1950 and comes fresh to the market having remained in the same family since its purchase from new.
Jean Lurçat (1892-1966), 'Le Bouc Bleu' tapestry, circa 1955
Lot 19 is a unique and early work by renowned Brazilian designers Fernando and Humberto Campana. Entitled ‘Flintstone’ bench, it is constructed from welded pieces of iron and is an early example of the brothers’ unorthodox experimentation with found objects and industrial materials. Like many of their later designs, in this case function becomes secondary to the materiality of the object through the transformation of everyday materials into objects of beauty. This one-off piece comes to auction with an estimate of £8,000-12,000.
Fernando Campana (1961-2022) & Humberto Campana (b.1953), Unique and early 'Flintstone' bench, 1989
Lot 1 is a striking modernist desk designed by Pierre Jeanneret for the Administrative buildings of Chandigarh in India, circa 1957. Chandigarh was built in the early 50s to serve as Punjab’s first state capital following partition, and Le Corbusier was the architect charged with designing the city’s capitol complex. Le Corbusier, born Charles Edouard Jeanneret, asked his cousin and long-time collaborator Pierre Jeanneret to design the furniture for his newly built city. These pieces, including the present lot, have since become icons of 20th-century design, and are highly sought-after by collectors.
Lots 140-146 form a small but impressive private collection of works by seminal studio glass designer Sam Herman. Some of these examples were given as gifts directly from Sam Herman to the current owner while studying at the Royal college of Art in the 1970s. The market for Herman’s work has seen a sharp upward trajectory in recent years as collectors come to appreciate the importance of Herman’s role in bringing the studio glass movement to the UK.
Sam Herman (1936-2020), Freeform vase, 1982, Blown glass, Signed and dated to base
Lot 52 is a gracefully proportioned secretaire cabinet of exceptional quality by George Washington Jack (1855-1931). Jack was born in New York in 1855 to Scottish and Irish parents. Upon his father’s death in 1860, the family returned to Glasgow. After leaving formal education, Jack worked for various architectural practices before joining Phillip Webb’s firm in 1882. Thereafter, Webb introduced Jack to William Morris and from 1885 Jack began working for Morris & Co. as chief designer. Jack’s talents as a craftsman and his attention detail are showcased within the present lot, having quarter veneered panels, banded by chequer inlaid line stringing and with astragal glazed windows. The secretaire section enclosing a leather-inset writing surface, small drawers and pigeonholes flanked by cupboard doors. Furniture by Jack seldom comes to auction, this impressive lot bears stamps for Morris & Co. and will be offered with an estimate of £4,000-5,000.
George Washington Jack (1855-1931) for Morris & Co., Secretaire cabinet, circa 1895
Roseberys forthcoming Design sale will also include two striking glazed earthenware plates by Pablo Picasso. Lot 7 ‘Corrida’ & Lot 8 ‘Petit Visage no. 12’ were produced by Picasso in the 1950’s & 60’s at the Madoura pottery run by the Ramie family in Vallauris. Fresh to market from a private collection, these lots come to auction with pre-sale auction estimates of £7,000-10,000 & £3,000-5,000 respectively.
Pablo Picasso (1881-1973), 'Corrida', (Alain Ramié 181), edition of 200, 1953
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