Continuous and convincing bids from online and telephone bidders sealed the success of the three auction sessions devoted to 20th Century Decorative Arts and Design on 21 and 22 December,
which totalled more than € 1mln, 85% of lots sold and an increase of 195% on reserve prices. An absolutely excellent closing for this 2022, marked by an extraordinary international participation with clients from every latitude (United States, China, Mexico, Portugal, Belgium, Holland, France, England and Germany) that made the stars of Italian design shine, first of all Gaetano Pesce, whose imposing 'Moloch' lamp sold for € 106,250.
Lot 782
Gaetano Pesce, "Moloch", floor lamp-sculpture.
Produced by Bracciodiferro, Genoa, 1970-71.
Sold € 106, 250
The section devoted to Murano glass art has always been highly appreciated by the public: once again the protagonist is the artist Yoichi Ohira with his unique pieces in terms of technical virtuosity and poetic inspiration, including the cylindrical pumpkin-shaped vase with vertical bands in shades of red (lot 777, € 62,500) and the cylindrical vase with transparent bands in shades of green and blue (lot 776, € 50,000).
Lot 777
Yoichi Ohira, vase with slightly cylindrical pumpkin body and truncated cone collar.
Blown glass composed of: two tripartite vertical bands in red glass paste and transparent red glass;
six volute sectors obtained from large "C" alternating murrines, in transparent glass red and lattimo, with faceted surface at the wheel;
black powder and aventurine inserts. Top part in clear, lattimo and red glass engraved. Edge in black glass paste.
Execution by Livio Serena e Giacomo Barbini, Murano, 2003.
Sold € 62,500
Lot 776
Yoichi Ohira, vase with cylindrical body and truncated cone collar.
Blown glass with transparent green and blue bands, black, yellow, red and green inserts with gray and silver powders.
Edge in red glass paste. Execution by Livio Serena e Giacomo Barbini, Murano, 2002.
Sold € 50,000
The vases inspired by Gio Ponti's classical world, made around 1924 by Richard Ginori - 'The Architect' (€ 22,500) and 'Putti with the Serpent' (€ 21,250) - and Barnaba Fornasetti's beautiful 'End of the Millennium Trumeau' (€ 18,750) - received deserved recognition. Lastly, excellent results were achieved by the furniture designed by Franco Albini for the famous hotel-refuge Pirovano in Cervinia (whose undisputed historical value aroused the interest of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage) whose dining table fetched € 21,250.
Pleasantly surprising was the increase on reserve prices of the two cigarette boxes by Pietro Chiesa for Fontana Arte, which fetched € 11,875 from an starting price of € 800.
Lot 760
Gio Ponti, "L'architetto", vase. Manufacture of Richard Ginori,
Doccia (Florence), 1924ca.
Sold € 22,500
Lot 779
Barnaba Fornasetti, "Trumeau di fine millennio", storage cabinet.
Milan, 1999.
Sold € 18,750
Lot 764 Franco Albini
Dining table for the Pirovano refuge hotel in Cervinia. Produced by Poggi, 1951ca.
Sold € 21,250
Lot 728
Pietro Chiesa, Two cigarette boxes model "1132".
Produced by Fontana Arte, Milan, 1950s. Polished solid wood, beveled crystal lid. (large cm 21.5x15; small 17x12)
Sold € 11,875