The rebirth of postmodern design
The market for the movement is in its infancy, but growing, thanks to scholarship and collector interest
By Nicole Swengley | Web only
Published online 10 Oct 11 (Market)
LONDON. When Marc Benda of the New York gallery, Friedman Benda, unveils a major presentation of ceramics by the Italian designer, Ettore Sottsass (1917-2007), at the Pavilion of Art & Design in London, it will be the first time that many of these pieces from the 1950s and 1960s have appeared in public. It’s the right time, Benda says, to dedicate his booth to the arch-postmodernist. “Scholarship and interest has increased significantly since we started holding annual gallery shows of Sottsass in 2003,” he says.
His confidence is echoed by other PAD exhibitors. London-based Lamberty Antiques is showing two Joe chairs, shaped like giant baseball gloves (£9,500 and £11,500), from a 1990 edition of the 1971 design by Italian architects, Gionatan De Pas, Donato D’Urbino and Paolo Lomazzi (sourced from collector Tom Watkins) and a late 1980s edition of Ettore Sottsass’s 1981 Carlton Bookcase (£12,500). Meanwhile London gallerist David Gill is exhibiting two limited edition “superbox” cabinets, signed and dated by Ettore Sottsass (Rolling Stones, £45,000; Omaggio a Honda, £75,000). Originally created in 1966 as prototypes for Italian design company Poltronova, Gill’s cabinets were fabricated in 2005 with Sottsass’s consent. “More people are looking at collecting named and limited pieces and Ettore Sottsass is among the most important names of the 20th century,” says Gill.
An early pioneer in postmodern sales, Chicago-based auction house Wright frequently sees results exceeding estimates. Alessandro Mendini’s 1979 Kandissa mirror fetched $11,250 in March (est $2,000-$3,000). And last year a 1969 vase from Ettore Sottsass’ “Yantra” series sold for $13,750 (est $5,000-$7,000), a limited edition 1984 Michael Graves tea service for Alessi achieved $20,000 (est $7,000-$9,000) and a pair of 1978 Robert Venturi Sheraton chairs fetched $17,500 (est $3,000-$5,000).
