Hanging high above its peers, this Max Ingrand chandelier for Fontana Arte, model 1563, circa 1950s, was the top seller at $42,750.
Review by Z.G. Burnett, Photos Courtesy Doyle New York
NEW YORK CITY — The Doyle + Design auction on March 15 brought a catalog of 315 lots that would have cohesively filled any of the best galleries in the business. Prominent names of Twenty and Twenty-First Century design and fine arts lined Doyle’s polished roster, achieving over its $465,100/734,100 estimate to realize $783,713 in total sales. Bidders from seven countries on three continents participated in the sale, buying 283 out of 315 lots.
Max Ingrand (French, 1908-1969) was the star of the auction, with two of his designs out of six for Fontana Arte ranking in its upper lots. Known for his studio glass pieces and stained glass windows, Ingrand was the artistic director for Fontana Arte from 1954 to 1967. First in sales was a gilt metal and glass Dahlia chandelier that exceeded its $20/30,000 estimate for $42,750; it showed 16 tapered, translucent green petal-shaped glass panels over its light sockets and measured 49 inches in diameter. Next in price and size at 30 inches in diameter was a chandelier with five overlapping colored glass discs, held together by a bronze tone metal fixture, that achieved $21,420 within its $15/25,000 estimate. Both of these were consigned from the property of a Miami estate.
Next in the sale was an art glass vessel by Mary Ann “Toots” Zynsky (American, b 1951), one of her distinctive heat-formed filet-de-verre (glass thread) pieces. This individually made method was developed throughout her career; Zynsky studied with Dale Chihuly while at the Rhode Island School of Design and worked in Murano’s Venini glassworks and in other prominent European workshops. Zynsky works with “powerful, life or death” colors as seen in this vessel, which more than doubled its high estimate to $21,420 ($7/10,000).
Tied in price with the vessel was another piece of art glass that grew past its estimate, a Lalique molded glass Cactus console table for $21,420 ($10/15,000). Designed by Marc Lalique (1900-1977), this example was made circa 2000. The table came from the estate of Palm Beach and Boston philanthropist Sandra Gusky Krakoff (1937-2021). This form of Lalique console has appeared often at auction and design shows of late, and this example was in good, undamaged condition.
Selling just over its high estimate was “Phenomena Council Bluff,” 1977-78, by Paul Jenkins (American, 1923-2012) at $15,120 ($10/15,000).
Fine art was another strong category in the auction, led by two watercolors by Burhan Dogançay (Turkish American, 1929-2013). First was “Western Heart,” a signed and dated trompe l’oeil of a torn heart painting against a stark black background that sold for $18,900 ($6/9,000). The second Dogançay, “Heartful of Soul,” was painted in the same year and repeated the illusionistic motif, but showed a brighter color palette of pink, green and yellow, and sold for $16,380 ($5/7,000). Both were originally bought at the Sneed Hillman Gallery, Rockford, Ill., and descended to the consignor.
A collection of about 82 drawings by William Hunt Diederich (American, 1884-1953) exceeded expectations by multiplying its $1,5/2,500 estimate to $16,380. The unframed graphite, crayon and ink drawings’ subjects included architectural drawings for parks in New York City and Brooklyn and related industrial designs, as well as studies of animals and sporting figures. Seven of the drawings were signed by Diederich. The collection last sold at Christie’s New York in 2001.
Furniture and design by Karl Springer (1931-1991) consigned from the estate of a Park Avenue Lady also almost doubled its estimate range and brought $171,549 to the total sale. Out of more than 50 lots, a set of four signature shagreen-covered lamps brought $13,860 and a pen shell veneered desk achieved $12,600. According to specialist Roger Ward, “Springer’s designs are characterized by their relatively restrained forms, the very high quality of construction, and the use of exotic animal skins and custom finishes.”
Prices quoted with buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house. The Cocktail Sale at Doyle will take place on April 18. For information, 212-427-2730 or www.doyle.com.
