LAMBERTVILLE, N.J. - An unusual magnesite sculptural relief
believed to be a maquette for a playground design by Isamu
Noguchi sold at more than six times the high presale estimate at
the Sollo/Rago Twentieth Century Modern auction this past
weekend, October 29 and 30. Sold among 1,500 lots, the auction
grossed an impressive total of more than $4.3 million.
The unusual piece, incised "IN" on the reverse, featured an
almost lunar quality with what was thought to be craterlike areas
to hold the sand. Circa 1940, the lot carried a $25/35,000
presale estimate, yet when bidding subsided the lot garnered
$216,000.
A complete review of the auction will appear in a future issue.
-DSS
