Auctions

6 Noteworthy Sales at Wrights ‘Important Design’ Auction

The Chicago-based auction house sold a trove of works by Leo Amino and a collection of vintage editions of Visionaire

December 15, 2018

Eight vintage wooden chairs with padded seats and backs arranged in a row on a white background. — A set of eight dining chairs by Pierre Jeanneret which sold for $40,000 at Wright’s Important Design sale. Photo: Wright

This morning Wright, a Chicago-based auction house specializing in modern and contemporary art and design, presented Important Design, an auction offering the works of some of the most influential designers, artists and architects of the 20th century — Frank Gehry, Isamu Noguchi and Leo Amino among them.

The auction included a veritable trove of works by Amino, all from the collection of Emanuel and Linda Wright, who owned some 50 pieces by the artist, including three pieces by Amino that they donated to the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Surprisingly, some works by big names in design including Noguchi, Ron Arad, Gio Ponti, and Jean Royère failed to find buyers.

Below, we take a look at 6 interesting pieces that sold at the Important Design auction.

Tall abstract metal sculpture with geometric shapes on a white pedestal against a plain background. — Leo Amino, *Untitled*. Wright

1. Leo Amino

The 1954 work, made of hand-carved mahogany and steel wire had a high estimate of $50,000 and sold for a whopping $197,000.

Rustic wooden Z-shaped chair with a distressed finish on a white background. — Gerrit Rietveld, *Zig-Zag Chair* Wright

2. Gerrit Rietveld

The lacquered elm chair from the celebrated designer and architect sold above its $7,000 estimate, going for $10,625.

Rectangular abstract sculpture with a textured surface, featuring various raised and indented geometric shapes. — Paul Evans, Sculpted Bronze cabinet, model PE-41 Wright

3. Paul Evans

The bronze cabinet from the American designer sold for $32, 500, $12,500 above the high estimate.

Two mid-century modern wooden chairs with woven cane backs and gray cushions, displayed against a plain background. — Pierre Jeanneret, pair of lounge chairs Wright

4. Pierre Jeanneret

The teak and cane lounge chairs from the Swiss-born designer sold for $16,250.

Colorful ceramic mugs and cups with artistic painted figures on neutral background. — Ken Price, set of five erotic cups Wright

5. Ken Price

A set of cups by the renowned sculptor with erotic motifs sold for $23,750, above its $15,000 high estimate.

A collection of colorful, assorted book covers and packaging arranged neatly on a white background. — A collection of 37 issues of Visionaire Wright

6. A Trove of Editions of Visionaire

This collection of 37 issues of the limited edition art and fashion publication Visionaire, including 20 COMME DES GARÇONS (a 1997 issue with Rei Kawakubo as the magazine’s first guest-editor) sold for $8,750.