A Rare and Important Table by Isamu Noguchi Leads Heritage’s November 21-22 Art & Design Auctions

Fine Tiffany Studio lamps, rare René Lalique glass, significant sculptures by Philip and Kelvin LaVerne, contemporary glass and more shape Heritage’s Pursuit of Beauty and Design Signature events DOWNLOAD DIGITAL PRESS KIT DALLAS, Texas (Nov. 12, 2024) — On November 21 and 22, Heritage will hold a pair of auctions led by one extraordinary masterwork by legendary American artist and designer Isamu Noguchi. As with the other fantastic objects in both auctions, the handmade Noguchi table on offer — which has belonged to one family for more than six decades — epitomizes the aesthetic and functional prowess of the greatest design objects of the last century and serves as a testament to the endurance of their appeal. The collector base for the gems included in Heritage’s November 21 Pursuit of Beauty: Art Nouveau, Art Deco & Art Glass Signature® Auction and its November 22 Design Signature® Auction, which features the Noguchi table, continues to swell, along with Heritage’s reputation for handling these important pieces of our shared cultural legacy. “Our Design team is pleased to present a two-day auction event that boasts significant works of design from the early 20th century to the present,” says Samantha Robinson, Director of Decorative Arts and Design. “Collectors will find iconic Tiffany Studios lamps, works by Art Deco master René Lalique, a rare and important table by Isamu Noguchi, significant sculptures by Philip and Kelvin LaVerne, contemporary glass and more.” Heritage’s Pursuit of Beauty category celebrates the best examples of Art Nouveau and Deco works as well as modern and contemporary art glass and ceramics. A highlight of the upcoming auction is stunning circa-1910 table lamp from Tiffany Studios, Dragonfly, in leaded glass and patinated bronze. “Designed by Clara Driscoll, this exquisite blue and green Dragonfly table lamp was executed by one of the ‘Tiffany Girls’ - Tiffany Studios’ all-women team responsible for selecting and cutting Favrile glass tiles incorporated into lamps and windows,” says Robinson. “It stands as a testament to the contributions of women to the firm’s artistic and commercial success.” Contemporaneous beauties from France join their American counterparts in the auction, and continuing a theme of “blue” and “fauna,” René Lalique’s Tête De Paon Mascot, circa 1928, is a fantastical and rare electric-blue peacock head automobile mascot, and is joined in this auction by a Lalique vase Deux Frises Moineaux en Niche Cire Perdue, circa 1930. Also from France and joining this auction from the extraordinary Nelkin Collection is an important vase by Gabriel Argy-Rousseau, circa 1928: Gazelles et Fleurs, in Pâte de verre. “Pâte de verre is the rarest and most exquisite of all French art glass, made in an ancient technique revived in France in the late 19th century,” says Nick Dawes, Heritage’s Senior Vice President of Special Collections. “Our specialists have greatly enjoyed handling the collection as Ruth Nelkin clearly did, and each of them confirms her remarkable eye for quality and the love and respect she had for great objects.” The England of the era, too, has a major presence in the auction: A spectacular collection of more than 20 works by Daisy Makeig-Jones for Wedgwood — her immensely popular Fairyland Lustre series — shapes the spirit of the auction with its dense and lyrical narrative energy. Introduced just a year after the start of the first World War, Makeig-Jones’ series injected some spark into both Wedgwood’s production and the public’s imagination: The Fairyland Lustre series is made up of vessels, jewelry and more in glazed porcelain that each contain trippy scenes of magic and intrigue in fairytale landscapes that evoke the ornate patterned richness of Art Nouveau’s greatest impulses. Shimmering landscapes loaded with fabulous and chimerical creatures and wonders take these acclaimed works to another level of historic luxury. And to return to the glory (and pure charm) of the blue peacock as glass motif: This American umbrella stand by Frederick Hurton Rhead for Roseville Pottery, circa 1908, in glazed earthenware, is an excellent example of the playful disposition of the Edwardians and their talent for imbuing their most functional objects with over-the-top beauty. The following day: Heritage’s November 22 Design Signature® Auction, as mentioned above, is led by Isamu Noguchi’s extraordinary table. Heritage broke the news of this extraordinary find in late October (the full media release is here). “This significant example of ‘sculpture-for-use’ by Isamu Noguchi has all of the qualities that top collectors look for,” says Robinson. “The table is a work of groundbreaking design executed by Noguchi — one of the most important artists of the 20th century — during an experimental and prolific period of his career. One of only four known examples, this table was exhibited at the Herman Miller Furniture Co. showroom in Chicago in 1948, acquired by an employee of Marshall Fields, and cared for by the original owner’s family for more than 60 years.” Noguchi’s table, which in its elegant, organic and streamlined profile epitomizes the height of mid-century modern appeal, is offered in this auction alongside other gems from the period. A room divider screen from the mid-1950s by France’s Jean Royère, in wrought iron and brass, balances graphic punch with delicacy, and this American black walnut headboard from Noguchi’s friend, the ingenious George Nakashima, was commissioned directly from the artist in 1959. Its sweeping lines are sublime. The 1960s continued to offer up designs and artworks that defined Mid-Century sensibilities, and the metalwork by father-son team Philip and Kelvin LaVerne, both their furniture and their art for art’s sake, are enriched with intricate etchings and thematic explorations. Two sculptures by the pair are in this auction: Both were created in the 1960s, in patinated bronze. One is titled Lovers and the other Two Lovers. And the 1970s saw a continuation of Noguchi and Nakashima’s biomorphic design impulses in the work of Bolinas, California-based Arthur Espenet Carpenter (who in turn has influenced countless of today’s furniture makers). Two important lots by Carpenter will be offered at Heritage on Nov. 22: A long dining table made in 1978 from Hyedua wood, commissioned directly from the artist by the current owner, and a rare set of eight of Carpenter’s signature “Wishbone” chairs in Hyedua and leather, from the same year and commission. These objects vibrate with personality and the careful design process of their maker; finding Carpenter’s hand-worked table and chairs together at auction, made in his career prime, is a collector’s dream. Also on tap in the Design event is contemporary glass, a fast-expanding collector category. Highlights include a fluid 2002 work by influential Venetian glass blower Lino Tagliapietra titled Dinosaur, in which the artist’s experimentation with classical techniques is on glorious display; and, following a theme of pre-history subjects, William Morris’ 1988 blown glass vase pays homage to the petroglyph with a hunting scene that unfolds across a blue and ochre landscape. It is a fantastic example of Morris’ frequent nod to the forms and textures of ancient artifacts and the native people and folklore of the Northwest coast of America. “What distinguishes Heritage’s November 22 Design auction is the exciting variety of historic and contemporary design pieces being brought to market,” says Michael Hartman, Heritage’s Director of Design. “Led by our rare Noguchi table, the sale offers entry points for collectors at every stage of their collecting journey in an expansive range of design movements from the 1920s to the present day.” Images and information about the Tiffany Studios Dragonfly lamp, Noguchi’s table and all lots in Heritage’s November 21 Pursuit of Beauty: Art Nouveau, Art Deco & Art Glass Signature® Auction and its November 22 Design Signature® Auction can be found at HA.com/8170 and HA.com/8172. Heritage Auctions is the largest fine art and collectibles auction house founded in the United States, and the world's largest collectibles auctioneer. Heritage maintains offices in New York, Dallas, Beverly Hills, Chicago, Palm Beach, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Hong Kong and Tokyo. Heritage also enjoys the highest Online traffic and dollar volume of any auction house on earth (source: SimilarWeb and Hiscox Report). The Internet's most popular auction-house website, HA.com, has more than 1,750,000 registered bidder-members and searchable free archives of 6,000,000 past auction records with prices realized, descriptions and enlargeable photos. Reproduction rights routinely granted to media for photo credit. For breaking stories, follow us: HA.com/Facebook and HA.com/Twitter . Link to this release or view prior press releases . Hi-Res images available: Christina Rees, Public Relations Specialist 214-409-1341 or Christina Rees@HA.com