Dezeen promotion: auction house Phillips de Pury & Company holds its first London auction of mid-century and contemporary design on 24 April, preceded by the first in a series of free design think tanks involving leading contemporary designers.

The think tank is curated by Libby Sellers, with designers Jurgen Bey, Stuart Haygarth and Peter Marigold.

Items in the auction include a chest of drawers and secretaire cabinet from the ‘Gio Ponti translated by Martino Gamper’ collection, shown top and above, designed by Martino Gamper.

Dezeen readers are invited to attend the think tank, which is called Rethinking Design and which takes place from 2-3pm on Sunday 20 April (not 24 April as previously stated) at Phillips de Pury & Company, 9 Howick Place, London SW1. Admission is free and booking is not necessary - just turn up. Call + 44 20 7901-2900 for more details.

Below are more details of the think tank and the auction:

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INAUGURAL LONDON DESIGN SALE AT PHILLIPS DE PURY & COMPANY – APRIL 24 at 2 pm

MAJOR WORKS BY CROSS-SECTION OF FRENCH MID-CENTURY DESIGNERS: JEAN PROUVÉ, CHARLOTTE PERRIAND AND LE CORBUSIER

IMPORTANT CONTEMPORARY WORKS BY THE VANGUARD OF CONTEMPORARY DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE: MARC NEWSON, RON ARAD AND MARTINO GAMPER TO BE OFFERED

RETHINKING DESIGN, THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF THINK TANKS TO COINCIDE WITH OPENING OF PREVIEW

Phillips de Pury & Company is proud to present Rethinking Design the first in a series of think tanks to encourage a dialogue about the future of design. Rethinking Design, curated by Libby Sellers will coincide with the preview of the Design sale and will be held on Sunday, April 20 from 2 – 3 pm. The opening reception will run from 2-6 pm. Rethinking Design invites Jurgen Bey, Martino Gamper, Stuart Haygarth and Peter Marigold for this first instalment of the series.

Phillips de Pury & Company
9, Howick Place
London SW1
Tel: + 44 20 7901-2900

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

London –April 8– Phillips de Pury & Company is pleased to announce the inaugural Design auction to be held in London at the company’s new European headquarters in Victoria.

The sale will be a fresh opportunity for the London market offering contemporary pieces by the forerunners of contemporary design and architecture to include an important One-Off piece by Ron Arad, early ‘Big Easy Volume 2 for 2’ sofa is estimated between £60,000-80,000 and Marc Newson’s important Black Hole table is estimated between £150,000-200,000.

So far unseen in the auction world are Martino Gamper’s chest of drawers and unique secretaire cabinet from the exhibition ‘Gio Ponti translated by Martino Gamper’ which will be offered with a pre-sale estimate of £12,000 -18,000 and £18,000-25,000 respectively.

Fernando and Humberto Campana’s unique chandelier made for the Swarovski 'Crystal Palace' collection will be offered with a pre-sale estimate of £40,000-50,000.

Norman Foster, Prototype Table estimated between £6,000-8,000 and Stuart Haygarth’s Optical Chandelier estimated between £8,000-10,000 will also be offered.

Featuring a cross-section of major works by some of the most renowned names in French design, such as Jean Prouvé, Charlotte Perriand and Le Corbusier alongside significant examples of Italian and other international mid-century modern pieces, this auction will also offer important works by the vanguard of international contemporary design.

Jean Prouvé’s Sunshutters from the Brazzaville project will be offered with a pre-sale estimate of £10,000-15,000 and Single Model Sunshutters from Conakry will be offered with a pre-sale estimate of £30,000-40,000. Both lots exemplify Prouvé’s ‘metallic carpentry’ and efficient use of aluminium – a lightweight material to ventilate the building serving the ultimate functional and decorative purpose. An exquisite 1950 Façade Panel with porthole windows from Bouqueval, France is estimated between £40,000-60,000. In addition, Wall Shelf System, Cristallerie de Daum, 1946 will be offered with an estimate between £30,000-45,000.

A rare example of Italian Design is the unique important executive desk by Gio Ponti, 1954 estimated at £40,000 - 60,000.

Highlights of the sale also include ten major works by the American designer George Nakashima, which have never been offered before in the UK market. These rare and important commissions include a pair of walnut ‘Conoid’ chairs estimated between £45,000-50,000 and an eight drawer chest estimated between £25,000-30,000.

A complete room from Le Corbusier’s Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris, Maison de Brésil, the housing facility for Brazilian students living in Paris which was opened in 1959 will be offered. One of the most sigificant results stemming from the Perriand and Le Corbusier union, this collection of furniture includes a shower door, sconce, bed, table with drawers, blackboard, bookshelves, room divider and stool.

A selection of important ceramic works by Lucie Rie from a significant private collection will be offered. Twenty-five pieces boldly representing Lucie Rie’s contribution to British Modern art and the breadth of this artist’s prolific output from early to late works will include Tall Vase with Spiral estimated between £12,000-16,000 and Bottle Vase estimated between £6,000-9,000.

Modern works in fabric and tapestry will include: Sheila Hicks, Peter Collingwood and Jack Lenor Larsen.

The sale will also include works by Michael Anastassiades, Angelo Mangiarotti, Mathieu Matégot and Atelier van Lieshout.

The viewing will be open from Saturday, April 19 - April 24 from 10 am – 6 pm

Phillips de Pury & Company
9, Howick Place
London SW1
Tel: + 44 20 7901-2900

www.phillipsdepury.com