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View Conditions of Sale >
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\n","auctionDetailsSmall","London Auction 4 November 2025","extraInfo","

Antonia King
\nHead of Sale, Design
\nAKing@phillips.com

\n","enableHighlightsView","enableOnlineCatalogue","endSale",true,"hideSoldLots","isChineseTranslate","isExhibition","isLiveAuction","isMixedAuction","makeLive","showAdvanceBidButton","showArtCollector","showBuyButton","showCatalogueDownloadLink","showInquireButton","showPrintCatalogueSection","showRegistrationLink","showSaleOffers","showSoldPrice","lots",[265,266,267,268,269,270,271,272,273,274,275,276,277,278,279,280,281,282,283,284,285,286,287,288,289,290,291,292,293,294,295,296,297,298,299,300,301,302,303,304,305,306,307,308,309,310,311,312,313,314,315,316,317,318,319,320,321,322,323,324,325,326,327,328,329,330,331,332,333,334,335,336,337,338,339,340,341,342,343,344,345,346,347,348,349,350,351,352,353,354,355,356,357,358,359,360,361,362,363,364,365,366,367,368,369,370,371,372,373,374,375,376,377,378,379,380,381,382,383,384,385,386,387,388,389,390,391,392,393,394,395,396,397,398,399,400,401,402,403,404,405,406,407,408],"viewing",{"_246":247,"_248":249,"_48":250,"_251":252},"articles",[176,177,178,179,180],"departments",[171],"auctionCurrency",{"_168":72,"_169":170},{"_159":160,"_161":162,"_163":164,"_165":49,"_166":167},"totalLotCount",144,"auctionMobilityAuctionRowId","1-AOZN7S","auctionUrl","https://www.phillips.com/auction/UK050225","auctionResultsFile","https://www.dist.phillips.com/content/web/auction-results/auctionResultsFile_UK050225.pdf","countryName","United Kingdom","countryCode","GB","line1","30 Berkeley Square","city","postCode","W1J 6EX","currencyCode","currencySign","£",{"_172":173,"_174":96,"_175":96},"departmentId",3,"departmentName","departmentDisplayName",{"_181":237,"_183":96,"_184":238,"_16":239,"_187":240,"_189":241,"_191":221,"_193":194,"_195":196,"_197":242,"_199":196,"_201":243,"_203":244,"_205":245},{"_181":227,"_183":96,"_184":228,"_16":229,"_187":230,"_189":231,"_191":221,"_193":194,"_195":196,"_197":232,"_199":233,"_201":234,"_203":235,"_205":236},{"_181":216,"_183":96,"_184":217,"_16":218,"_187":219,"_189":220,"_191":221,"_193":194,"_195":196,"_197":222,"_199":223,"_201":224,"_203":225,"_205":226},{"_181":207,"_183":96,"_184":208,"_16":209,"_187":210,"_189":211,"_191":192,"_193":194,"_195":196,"_197":212,"_199":173,"_201":213,"_203":214,"_205":215},{"_181":182,"_183":96,"_184":185,"_16":186,"_187":188,"_189":190,"_191":192,"_193":194,"_195":196,"_197":198,"_199":200,"_201":202,"_203":204,"_205":206},"coverUrl","https://flockler.com/thumbs/sites/889/ponti-mani-letter-1b58a5ca-8d67-45d8-98ae-2917fc633a88_s600x0.png","section","summary","The legendary architect and designer's letters form a vibrant archive of his aesthetic philosophy and interpersonal sensibilities. ","Gio Ponti: Design as Emotion","body","

Gio Ponti, 'Mani' letter, circa 1955. Design London.

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Gio Ponti's creative legacy extends far beyond the realms of architecture and design, reaching into the intimate and expressive world of personal correspondence. His illustrated letters, imbued with metaphor, whimsical imagery, and emotional subtlety, offer a rare window into the poetic core of his design thinking. Far from mere exchanges, they reveal how he consistently blurred the boundaries between functional design and poetic gesture, personal intimacy and cultural symbolism, ultimately deepening our understanding of his rich and multifaceted creative vision.

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The 'Stivale' Letter: Between Fashion, Fantasy, and National Form

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Gio Ponti, 'Stivale' letter, circa 1960. Design London.

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Among the most striking entries in Ponti’s epistolary archive is the 'Stivale' letter, centered on the image of a highly stylized boot. While the form initially recalls Italy’s iconic geographic silhouette, Ponti reimagines it with a theatrical flair: the boot is elongated, high-heeled, laced, and adorned with a bow, tapering off into a curling plume of smoke.

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This transformation imbues the image with surrealist energy and feminine sensibility, aligning Ponti with the visual culture of mid-century fashion illustration and the dreamlike aesthetics of Elsa Schiaparelli and Salvador Dalí. The boot becomes not a literal object, but a metaphorical site, suggestive of transformation, desire, or combustion.

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Far from a design sketch, the 'Stivale' letter embodies Ponti’s refusal to separate functional form from poetic imagination. Its strangeness recalls the eccentric charm of his biscuit porcelain figurines (often caricatures of house guests) created with equal parts humor and elegance. Here, the boot is both accessory and emblem, an evocative symbol that fuses national identity with surreal theatricality.

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The 'Mani' Letter: Gesture, Longing, and the Poetics of Touch

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Gio Ponti, 'Mani' letter, circa 1955. Design London.

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Hands recur frequently in Ponti’s visual lexicon, as icons of making, symbols of emotion, and extensions of the self. In the Mani letter, a simple yet expressive drawing of a hand accompanies the handwritten phrase, "Quando tornate?" ("When are you returning?"). This brief message, paired with the open palm, transforms the motif into a gesture of longing and affection.

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The hand here is dual: it is the designer’s tool, but also the human connector. Rooted in both Renaissance symbolism and modernist abstraction, Ponti’s rendering resists pure formalism, instead emphasising affective resonance. The hand becomes a metaphor for presence, return, and relational closeness.

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This motif resonates with Ponti’s gold-plated hands designed for Lino Sabattini in 1978, forms inspired by rubber glove molds, transformed into elegant sculptural objects. Whether drawn or cast, the hand for Ponti was not just anatomy, but allegory: a symbol of creativity, intimacy, and the human dimension of design.

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The 'Cucchiaio' Letter: Elevating the Everyday

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Gio Ponti, 'Cucchiaio' letter, circa 1955. Design London.

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The 'Cucchiaio' (spoon) letter exemplifies Ponti’s lifelong interest in refining the design of everyday objects. His collaborations with manufacturers such as Lino Sabattini and Christofle foreground his ability to synthesize elegance with practicality, tradition with innovation.

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In this letter, the spoon transcends its utilitarian function, becoming a graceful emblem of Ponti’s philosophy: that even the most humble objects deserve aesthetic consideration. The proportions are carefully drawn, the lines simple yet refined, illustrating his belief in the dignity of domestic life.

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The handwritten phrase, "facciamo qui una sera in pochi con invitati vostri?" ("Shall we have a small gathering here one evening with your guests?"), adds a layer of intimacy and conviviality. As with much of Ponti’s correspondence, the letter operates on multiple levels: personal invitation, design reflection, and poetic musing. It connects to his broader role as an industrial designer, devoted to humanizing mass production through thoughtful form.

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The 'L'ammirata' Letter: Admiration as Emotional Architecture

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Gio Ponti, 'L'ammirata' letter, circa 1955. Design London.

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Titled ‘L’ammirata’, the feminine form of “admired one”, this letter evokes themes of esteem, affection, and wonder. The name suggests a personal, perhaps romantic dimension: a correspondence addressed to someone who inspired Ponti’s admiration.

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Whether directed to a muse, a collaborator, or an idea, the letter becomes a symbolic tribute. It resonates with Ponti’s enduring fascination with the dialogue between sender and receiver, designer and audience, subject and object. As a proposed title for a book cover, ‘L’ammirata’ highlights Ponti’s seamless weaving of private narrative into public expression. Like many of his letters, it straddles the line between personal artifact and cultural object, an emblem of admiration rendered through language, drawing, and design.

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The delicate motifs within may recall the stylised birds Ponti designed for the enamels of Paolo De Poli, creatures of grace and abstraction, representing beauty distilled into essential form.

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The 'Ieri ero a pranzo' Letter: Everyday Poetics and Abstract Nature

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Gio Ponti, 'Ieri ero a pranzo' letter, circa 1955. Design London.

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The letter titled ‘Ieri ero a pranzo’ (“Yesterday I was at lunch”) captures Ponti’s singular ability to mine poetic depth from the mundane. Abstract motifs – floral or avian in appearance – emerge not as literal representations, but as stylized evocations of memory and sensation. This abstraction reflects modernist tendencies toward essential form and emotional resonance. Rather than depict lunch as a scene, Ponti evokes its atmosphere, its colors, rhythms, and quiet intimacy, through fluid lines and suggestive shapes.

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His imagery recalls not only his own work in ceramics and textiles, but the broader modernist impulse to find meaning in minimalism. The natural world, for Ponti, was a constant wellspring, not for replication, but for reinterpretation. Even a simple lunch becomes an artistic moment, a spark for imaginative seeing.

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Gio Ponti’s illustrated letters transcend their function as personal notes. They are intimate, expressive, and richly imaginative artifacts that encapsulate his philosophy: that design is everywhere, that the poetic is inseparable from the practical, and that emotion is a form of intelligence.

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From spoons to boots, from gestures to metaphors, Ponti’s correspondence reveals a deeply personal dimension of his creative world – where affection becomes form, and every object carries the potential for beauty. These letters form a kind of Gesamtkunstwerk – a total work of art – where design, drawing, and language come together to celebrate the human spirit.

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Discover More from Design >

\n\n

Recommended Reading

\n\n

PERSPECTIVES: Luiz Kessler >

\n\n

Timeless Design: Specialist Picks >

\n","publishDate","2025-10-21T19:46:11.000000Z","authorCredit","Arian Murati","coverPosX",50,"coverPosY",0,"articleUrl","https://www.phillips.com/article/163192345/gio-ponti-design-as-emotion","displayOrder",4,"auctionEditorialID",5884,"editorialID",5106,"flocklerID",163192345,"https://flockler.com/thumbs/sites/889/fritsch-vase-1png-1a484b98-80fb-44e0-a6e9-cb40d456b106_s600x0.png","Ahead of Phillips' 4 November Design auction in London, Head of Sale Antonia King examines the celebrated British Ceramic Artist’s practice and retrospective exhibition at The Hepworth Wakefield.","Elizabeth Fritsch: Rhythm and Colour in 2 ½ Dimensions","

Elizabeth Fritsch, 'Floating particles' vase, circa 1989. Design London.

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What is it about Elizabeth Fritsch’s work that speaks to you?

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Elizabeth Fritsch (b.1940) is considered one of the UK’s most acclaimed contemporary artists of her generation. I love how original, striking, and, in some cases, bold, Fritsch’s signature style is, as seen through her exploration of colour, geometry, pattern, form, volume, and scale.

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What I also find fascinating about Fritsch’s practice is the myriad influences she draws upon, including Cubism, Surrealist literature, Renaissance fresco paintings, metaphysics, mathematics, architecture, and music.

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What makes Fritsch’s style so distinctive and desirable?

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Fritsch’s vessels display the playful quality of perspectival and optical illusions through hand-building and manipulating the clay into foreshortened or flattened '2½-dimensional' forms. This, in tandem with her masterful use of colour and hand-painted geometrical motifs, distorts our perception of assumed three-dimensional space and depth. On a pictorial plane, such as a canvas, this would be reminiscent of painterly Cubist or even Op Art qualities. For Fritsch, who describes herself as a "painter who makes pots," the vessels are her canvas upon which she uses colour and rhymical patterns to contour and carve illusory form and space.

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Fritsch was classically trained in music, first in harp at Birmingham School of Music and then piano at the Royal Academy of Music before turning her hand to ceramics. The rhythmic patterns and geometries seen in her work recall her appreciation and understanding of both classical and jazz rhythms. There is a real sense of lyricism in her practice.

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Installation image of Elizabeth Fritsch: Otherworldly Vessels, The Hepworth Wakefield, 8 March 2025–22 February 2026. Image: Antonia King.

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The mind boggles, you’re constantly surprised when you move around a piece, with every angle revealing a new perspective and challenging our perception of what a pot can be. Her works go beyond the ostensibly functional and become feats of architectural genius as much as they are sculptural and painterly masterpieces. Aside from their beauty, Fritsch’s visual language pushes the boundaries of the medium. By avoiding conventional ceramic descriptors, her work avoids strict or formal categorization that the traditional language provides. I think this is just one of the reasons why there is such a great and broad appreciation of her work.

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Installation image of Elizabeth Fritsch: Otherworldly Vessels. Image courtesy The Hepworth Wakefield.

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Which work in the show made the strongest impression on you?

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To pick just one work is incredibly difficult! This is in part because the way the works are presented, it’s almost impossible to separate one work from the groupings that are on display. Visitors to this major retrospective are treated to a survey of over 100 works Fritsch made between the 1970s and 2013, many of which are from her own rarely seen personal collection.

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Installation image of Elizabeth Fritsch: Otherworldly Vessels. Image: Antonia King.

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What is immediately apparent is that within her self-imposed boundaries there is an extraordinary variety in her works. Fritsch, along with the exhibition’s curator, Dr. Abi Shapiro, have composed meticulous groupings of (often juxtaposed) vessels, inviting you to walk around landscapes of forms and engage in the dialogues and contradictions that they evoke. Walking around, there was something of Giorgio Morandi about her groupings. We see a fascinating interplay between harmony and tension, form and decoration, order and chaos, balance and precarity, symmetry and asymmetry, stillness and movement, the real and the surreal or indeed otherworldly.

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Fritsch has said: “The spaces between pots assembled in groups is, to me, more lovely and musical than any of the spatial relationships which may be incorporated into an individual piece. These groups are I suppose like movements in classical music – in which the arrangement adds up, hopefully, to more than the sum of its parts… enabling a dance and play in space.”

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For this reason, these are the groupings which made the strongest impression on me:

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Installation images of Elizabeth Fritsch: Otherworldly Vessels. Image: Antonia King.

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Fritsch’s 'Floating particles' vase, circa 1989, will be offered in our upcoming London Design auction on 4 November. What makes this work so exciting right now?

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This wonderful work we are offering in our upcoming Design sale is an intriguing and surreal object in that it asks questions of the viewer, which is an unusual quality in a pot. It displays Fritsch’s signature style beautifully – the flattened 2½-dimensional form, the geometric pattern, and the stunning blue hue.

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Elizabeth Fritsch, 'Floating particles' vase, circa 1989. Design London.

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While many will be familiar with Fritsch’s work, Elizabeth Fritsch: Otherworldly Vessels at The Hepworth Wakefield and the deserved excitement it has generated has been a wonderful opportunity to celebrate Fritsch, her work, and reignite the conversation around her critical role in the evolution of Modern and Contemporary British Art. To have the opportunity to offer one of her beautiful works in the midst of this, is incredibly exciting to us.

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Fritsch has earned national and international recognition, and her work has found home in many prestigious private and public collections worldwide, to name but a few: Victoria and Albert Museum, London; National Museum Cardiff; Crafts Study Centre, University for the Creative Arts, Surrey; Sainsbury Centre, University of East Anglia, Norwich; Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris; Design Museum, Copenhagen; The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; and The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo.

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How do you consider Fritsch’s work within the lineage of British Ceramicists?

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In the mid 1960s, deciding not to pursue a career in music, Fritsch taught herself to hand-build clay vessels at her kitchen table. She then went on to study ceramics at the Royal College of Art from 1968-71 and was taught by Hans Coper, Lucie Rie, and Eduardo Paolozzi.

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Portrait of Elizabeth Fritsch. Image: © Elizabeth Fritsch Estate.

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While honing her practical, technical, and firing skills, it was arguably Coper who had the most profound impact on her education. Coper encouraged his students to ask why am I making something rather than how am I making something. He encouraged Fritsch to develop her own style, to break away from traditional notions around functionality and explore the relationship between the physical form of a vessel and its influence on the intentionality of the use of colour and abstract pattern (even though his own work was monochromatic). Coper recognised Fritsch as a painter, rather than a potter, which somewhat parallels what Rie had said of Coper in 1988: "I am a potter, but he was an artist."

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Fritsch was one of the first of a pioneering group of women ceramicists who emerged from the Royal College of Art during 1970s, including Alison Britton, Jill Crowley, Carol McNicoll, and Jacqueline Poncelet. This radical and progressive cohort of graduates, dubbed the 'New Ceramics' represent a key shift in the development in British ceramics, adopting a far more experimental approach. Their work blurred the lines between craft, sculpture, and art through expressions of sculptural form and colour and moved away from the more utilitarian ceramics and earthy palettes that had come before.

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Left: Commemorative stamps issued by Royal Mail, 1987. Image courtesy Tony Evans. Right: Installation image of Elizabeth Fritsch: Otherworldly Vessels. Image courtesy The Hepworth Wakefield.

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In 1987, a set of four commemorative stamps was issued by Royal Mail to mark the centenary of the birth of Bernard Leach, regarded as the father-figure of the Studio Ceramics movement in Britain. The set included a work by Bernard Leach, Hans Coper, Lucie Rie, and Elizabeth Fritsch. With her own formidable style, this further highlights Fritsch’s place alongside other titans of British studio pottery. (In 2023 Phillips was honored to sell the Lucie Rie Vase with flaring lip which also featured in this set of stamps!)

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In 1995, Fritsch was made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) for services to the Arts and elected as Senior Fellow at the Royal College of Art.

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Elizabeth Fritsch: Otherworldly Vessels is on display at The Hepworth Wakefield until spring 2026 and is a must see!

\n\n

Discover More from Design >

\n\n

Recommended Reading

\n\n

PERSPECTIVES: Luiz Kessler >

\n\n

Timeless Design: Specialist Picks >

\n\n

\n","2025-10-16T20:32:48.000000Z","https://www.phillips.com/article/163044444/elizabeth-fritsch-rhythm-and-colour",5880,5097,163044444,"https://flockler.com/thumbs/sites/889/italian-lights-lede-cf4dbb17-325e-4f9b-ba53-056147ca2943_s600x0.jpg","Behind the firm that illuminated modern Italy in more ways than one. ","Five Things That Set Arredoluce Apart","

Archival image of ceiling lights on display in the Arredoluce showroom in Monza, featuring Angelo Lelii’s 'Tre lune' and 'Sei lune' ceiling lights (lots 108, 109), shown alongside Ettore Sottsass’s 'Balena' ceiling light, model no. 12600 (lot 113). Credit: Arredoluce Archives/Fragile Milano

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From the post-war optimism of the 1940s to the radical experimentation of the 1970s, Arredoluce stood at the intersection of innovation, elegance, and technical mastery. More than just a lighting company, it was a cultural force that helped define the modern Italian aesthetic. What follows is a closer look at the key qualities that set Arredoluce apart: from the visionary leadership of Angelo Lelii and a deep culture of collaboration, to a sculptural approach to lighting and an uncompromising dedication to craftsmanship.

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1. Angelo Lelii’s Vision

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What truly set Arredoluce apart was the singular vision of its founder, Angelo Lelii. Established in Monza in 1943, in the heart of Italy’s design-rich Brianza region, Arredoluce emerged as a brand where technological precision met sculptural elegance. Lelii, originally from Ancona, brought a distinctive creative energy to his adopted city, forging close ties with local society and quickly earning a reputation for his refined, Liberty-inspired lamps.

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Lelii’s ambition went far beyond decorative lighting. He approached design as a synthesis of art, engineering, and atmosphere, imagining light not only as function, but as experience, too. Arredoluce’s lamps were not mass-produced artifacts — they were crafted statements, distinguished by their geometric clarity, material sophistication, and uncompromising attention to detail.

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He was also a technical innovator: from solid brass components turned from a single block to seamless welds and the brand’s signature switches, every element reflected his obsession with quality. This perfectionism helped define the identity of Arredoluce within the wider Made in Italy movement, a name synonymous with craftsmanship, modernity, and vision.

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Angelo Lelii, 'Sei lune' ceiling light, circa 1961. Design London.

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A particularly emblematic lot is the 'Sei lune' ceiling light (lot 109). With its six opaline glass diffusers radiating from a central brass structure like stylised solar rays, it embodies Lelii’s belief in light as both architecture and poetry. Each detail, from the soft glow of etched glass to the radiating brass arms, speaks to the balance of form and function that defined Arredoluce.

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Even the company’s name and logo — a blend of arredo (furniture) and luce (light), set in a clean red typeface designed by Lelii himself — reinforced the brand’s clarity of purpose and identity. In every sense, Angelo Lelii didn’t just build a company; he shaped a new language of Italian lighting design.

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2. A Culture of Collaboration

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Another defining feature that set Arredoluce apart was its genuine culture of collaboration. While many post-war manufacturers relied on anonymous production or licensed designs, Arredoluce, under Angelo Lelii’s direction, became a creative laboratory, forging close partnerships with some of Italy’s most visionary designers, among them Ettore Sottsass, Nanda Vigo, Gio Ponti, and Vico Magistretti.

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Lelii’s openness to experimental ideas, paired with the company's technical expertise, created a rare synergy between industrial capability and artistic innovation. His charisma and unwavering commitment to quality attracted designers who sought more than just commercial outcomes, they found in Arredoluce a space for material research, sculptural exploration, and conceptual design.

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Ettore Sottsass: Beyond Function

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In the mid-1950s, Ettore Sottsass began designing lamps for Arredoluce, during a period when he was challenging the strict rationalism of modernist design. From 1956, he introduced industrial plastics into lighting — a radical gesture at the time. His work between 1957–58, including prototypes and small series, explored stacked geometric forms and experimental materials such as Plexiglas, joined by fine metal wires.

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A standout result of this collaboration is the ‘Balena’ ceiling light, model no. 12600 (lot 113), a striking composition of layered volumes that anticipates themes later seen in Sottsass’ ceramic and postmodern work. The ceiling light suspended an aluminium form suggestive of a whale’s movement, fluid, organic, and quietly monumental. Held by nylon threads, it seems to float in space, achieving a delicate balance between industrial minimalism and natural form. It embodies Arredoluce’s willingness to push design beyond the conventional.

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Ettore Sottsass, Jr., 'Balena' ceiling light, model no. 12600, circa 1957. Design London.

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Nanda Vigo: Sculptural Precision

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Another key collaborator was Nanda Vigo, whose transdisciplinary approach blurred boundaries between art, architecture, and design. First meeting Lelii in San Francisco, Vigo described him as an “enlightened entrepreneur” — one who championed both innovation and the dignity of craftsmanship.

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Vigo’s contributions often took the form of limited editions and prototypes, combining industrial ambition with artisanal finesse. Vigo approached light as an almost immaterial substance to be shaped and diffused. Her work played with transparency, reflection, and ephemeral surfaces, often using steel and glass to create objects that were as much about perception as they were about form. Her 1968 Prototype floor lamp, model no. 14033 (lot 107) embodied this philosophy, merging architectural presence with a sense of ambient transformation. Crafted in polished steel with bold cylindrical and parallelepiped forms — a vocabulary difficult to manufacture at the time. Her use of glass surfaces gave these works a distinctive, reflective quality, transforming light into spatial experience.

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Archival photograph of the Prototype floor lamp, model no. 14033 designed by Nanda Vigo (lot 107). Credit: Arredoluce Archives/Fragile Milano

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Nanda Vigo, Prototype floor lamp, model no. 14033, 1968. Design London.

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Together, these collaborations cemented Arredoluce’s identity as a company where radical design thinking met technical excellence — a rare model of partnership that produced some of the most refined and forward-looking lighting of the 20th century.

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3. A Sculptural Aesthetic

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A key element that set Arredoluce apart was its commitment to lighting as a sculptural medium, not merely a functional necessity, but a vital component of spatial and artistic composition. In contrast to manufacturers focused on utility or mass production, Arredoluce treated every fixture as a carefully conceived three-dimensional object, designed to engage both environment and observer.

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Angelo Lelii, Ceiling light, model no. 12432, circa 1953. Design London.

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This vision was pioneered by Angelo Lelii, whose work combined geometric rigour with poetic restraint. His Ceiling light, model no. 12432 (lot 111), with its brass structure appearing perfectly poised through a delicate play of balance (“un gioco di equilibri”), exemplifies this ethos: a lighting piece that functions as both instrument and sculpture, shaping light with the sensitivity of an artist.

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A signed archival drawing of the model Ceiling light, model no. 12432 (lot 111) designed by Angelo Lelii, completed in 1961, a few years after the model’s initial design. Credit: Arredoluce Archives/Fragile Milano

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These designs defined spaces, acting as visual anchors that heightened atmospheres and emotional resonance. Arredoluce’s lamps blurred the line between industrial design and fine art, earning their place in museums and private collections alike.

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At their core, these pieces expressed a belief that lighting should be intellectually engaging and emotionally compelling — functional artworks that invite contemplation, interaction, and aesthetic delight. It is this sculptural sensibility, underpinned by technical sophistication, that ensures Arredoluce’s legacy as a pioneer of modern Italian design.

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4. Technical and Material Innovation

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Arredoluce distinguished itself through a relentless pursuit of technical precision and material experimentation. Unlike many of its contemporaries, the company consistently pushed the boundaries of what lighting could do and how it could be made. It embraced modern materials such as aluminium, acrylics, and opaline glass, combining them with mechanical ingenuity to create lighting that was both functional and dynamic.

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Many Arredoluce models featured adjustable arms, pivoting heads, concealed wiring, and innovative methods of light diffusion, allowing the user to shape and direct light with unprecedented control. Rather than passive décor, these fixtures became interactive tools, responsive to the changing needs of domestic and architectural space.

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This bold technicality was deeply rooted in Angelo Lelii’s intuitive, hands-on approach to materials. Among his lifelong passions was a particular love for glass, especially the Venetian murrine. As his son Luciano recalled, Lelii would personally travel to Venice to select and acquire glass from Venini, a testament to his attention to detail and commitment to quality. From the 1960s onwards, several Arredoluce models incorporated these refined elements. One notable example is the Set of seven wall lights (lot 112), in which the use of murrine reflects a seamless blend of craft heritage and contemporary form.

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Angelo Lelii, Set of seven wall lights, circa 1966. Design London.

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Through this combination of material daring and engineering elegance, Arredoluce helped redefine lighting design for the modern interior, bringing together form, function, and sensory richness in ways that still resonate today.

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5. Consistent Craftsmanship

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While Arredoluce embraced modernity in form and material, it remained deeply rooted in a tradition of exceptional craftsmanship. Every piece was meticulously produced in Italy, often by highly skilled artisans, ensuring a standard of construction that matched the company’s bold design ethos.

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Angelo Lelii, Pair of rare ceiling lights, circa 1963. Design London.

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This unwavering attention to detail — visible in flawless welds, precision-machined components, and carefully finished surfaces — ensured that Arredoluce’s creations were not only visually striking but also mechanically robust and enduring. It is this combination of innovative design and rigorous build quality that explains why so many of the brand’s pieces have survived in remarkable condition and are now prized as collectible icons of 20th-century design.

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Arredoluce did not treat craftsmanship as secondary to concept; instead, it was integral to the vision — a guarantee that form, function, and finish would always align.

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Archival image of the prototype of the Pair of rare ceiling lights designed by Angelo Lelii (lot 106). Credit: Arredoluce Archives/Fragile Milano

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Discover more from Design London >

\n\n

\n","2025-10-20T20:32:19.000000Z","Jesse Limbacher","https://www.phillips.com/article/163157928/five-things-that-set-arredoluce-apart",2,5883,5104,163157928,"https://flockler.com/thumbs/sites/889/loos-clock-0e30f031-cd35-4463-891e-f2fe49cdcc0f_s600x0.jpg","Our London Design team shares their expert selections from the upcoming auction. ","Timeless Design: Specialists' Picks","

Adolf Loos, Rare longcase clock, circa 1904. Design London.

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Adolf Loos

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Adolf Loos, Rare longcase clock (detail), circa 1904. Design London.

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Sofia Sayn-Wittgenstein, Head of Department, London

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Adolf Loos’ clock feels astonishingly contemporary — it is almost impossible to believe it was conceived over 120 years ago. Stripped of ornament, it captures the very essence of Loos’ philosophy: beauty born of clarity and purpose. I am especially drawn to how he makes the clock face appear to float in space, suspended within its perfectly proportioned glass case. The delicate, diamond-shaped legs add just enough lift and grace, grounding the structure while keeping it light. There is an almost architectural precision to the composition — every line deliberate, every element essential. Loos’ rejection of decoration feels not austere but liberating: time, distilled to its purest form. For me, it is a reminder that true modernity lies not in novelty, but in timeless restraint.

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Ico Parisi

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Ico Parisi, Set of four modular side tables, circa 1970. Design London.

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Antonia King, Head of Sale, Design

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What drew me to these tables? Without a moment of hesitation — the colours. However, going beyond this, they are in equal parts functional, versatile and immensely joyful. Parisi spent much of his life collaborating and surrounding himself with other prominent architects, artists and designers, including Lucio Fontana, Fausto Melotti, Mario Radice and Gio Ponti, to name but a few. Could it be that the pink dyed wood we see here was inspired by the iconic Fontana pink? To me, these four modular tables embody the humanistic spirit of how great design can enhance modern life and living. With their ingenious yet simple geometric form, we have before us an almost childlike game or kind of tangram with seemingly endless colour combinations and arrangements, easily movable and adaptable to suit every need. Parisi himself resisted being pigeonholed into any one category (architect, furniture or industrial designer, photographer or conceptual artist), instead his passions and his work were multi-faceted and often blurred the boundaries between these different disciplines, reflecting a post-war optimism with a holistic vision of design as a way of shaping social practice and experience which still very much resonates today.

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Ico Parisi, Set of four modular side tables, circa 1970. Design London.

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Pietro Chiesa

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Pietro Chiesa, Flower holder, circa 1934. Design London.

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Margherita Manca, Senior Cataloguer, Design

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The art of the centrotavola, a decorative centrepiece, has long been a cherished tradition in Italian homes. My grandmother, who loved hosting, always made sure her table featured one with carefully arranged flowers, believing that a well-chosen centrepiece could transform any meal into an occasion. This flower holder by Pietro Chiesa for Fontana Arte, which could certainly be used as a centrepiece, embodies that very spirit, combining elegance and functionality. Designed with six individual brass receptacles set into a bold glass structure, it comes with a special brass key to disassemble the holders, an ingenious touch reflecting Chiesa’s attention to both form and practicality. The thick, luminous glass captures and refracts light while the brass fittings offer a subtle contrast, reinforcing the piece’s sculptural presence. As a centrotavola, it allows for careful flower arranging, encouraging rhythm and balance. It was great fun to shoot with beautiful seasonal branches, carefully selected by our team. Chiesa, who directed Fontana Arte during a period of intense innovation, transformed glass into a medium of experimentation. This piece exemplifies the company’s mastery of materials and technique to create a beautiful object, perfectly suited to both display and ritualised daily use.

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Pietro Chiesa, Flower holder, circa 1934. Design London.

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Yoichi Ohira

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Yoichi Ohira, 'Coriandoli' vase, 2001. Design London.

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Madalena Horta E Costa, Specialist, Design

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Yoichi Ohira’s luminous blown glass vessels have long been a source of fascination for me. Compact and light forms that possess extraordinary depth and compositional balance — extremely complex yet imbued with a profound sense of stillness. His work speaks in a distinctive visual language: original, refined, and deeply poetic. Ohira’s unique ability to abstract the natural beauty of Japan and merge it with the precision and tradition of Italian glassmaking has drawn comparisons to Émile Gallé, yet his voice remains entirely his own. We are delighted to be presenting five examples of Ohira’s work — each a testament to his technical mastery and artistic vision. Selecting a single piece is no easy task. Among them, Coriandoli is especially captivating — joyful and playful, yet serene. Named after the Italian word for confetti, the piece seems to crystallise a fleeting moment of celebration. Its softly rounded, organic form is marked with vertical blue striations and a scattering of vivid murrine inserts — like confetti suspended in air, frozen mid-fall. The interplay of deep purples, fiery reds, turquoise, and amber against the luminous ivory ground gives the impression of movement held in stillness. To me, it evokes the gentle hush that follows festivity — the calm after joy — like waves washing over colorful fragments on a pale sand shore.

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Yoichi Ohira, 'Coriandoli' vase, 2001. Design London.

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Josef Hoffmann

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Josef Hoffmann, Candlestick, model no. 40, circa 1934. Design London.

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Carlotta Pintucci, Cataloguer, Design

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Imagine this: you are in your living room. It’s dark outside, and rain taps gently against the windows, the kind of rain that makes you grateful to be indoors. The only source of light is a single candle, its flame flickering softly, held aloft by a striking candlestick, a masterpiece by Josef Hoffmann. The warm glow dances across the gilded wood, catching every curve and corner of its perfectly balanced form. Shadows stretch gently across the walls, mirroring the geometric clarity that defines Hoffmann’s design. In this quiet moment, the candlestick becomes architecture in miniature. This is the essence of Hoffmann’s philosophy, and the spirit of the Wiener Werkstätte: that even the smallest elements in a room contribute to the beauty and harmony of the whole. Design is not separate from life, it is life, expressed through form and function. In the background, Billy Joel’s Vienna plays softly, and for a moment, it feels as if the Vienna Secession still breathes through the room: refined, modern, and deeply human.

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Josef Hoffmann, Candlestick, model no. 40, circa 1934. Design London.

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Gerald Summers

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Gerald Summers, Pair of high back chairs, circa 1934. Design London.

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Rosie Simon, Intern, Design

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In her team pick for the Spring sale this year, Cecilia Moure, on our New York Design team, discussed the privilege we have of spending so much time with pieces and the deeper understanding and new tastes we develop through this. I found myself reflecting on her words as I considered the draw I felt to Gerald Summers’ High back chairs.

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While neither my personal style nor my academic interests typically lean towards the minimal, they kept calling me back. Perhaps it is how surprising they are: designed in the 1930s, their form is a nearly unbelievable precursor to the groovy modernism of the later century. Or perhaps it is their considered nature, each dramatic feature serving a specific purpose: calming the mind plagued by modernity and subtly, creatively ensuring comfort. Influenced by his wife and business partner Marjorie Butcher, and free-form modernist poets, nearly a century after their creation, the chairs still feel fresh and still respond to the same challenges Summers set out to conquer. Little of this context can be gleaned by a quick glance at the chairs, which is testament to their timelessness, and Summers’s vision of modernity, but for me they stand also as a symbol of the value of time spent with an object, of open-mindedness and the power of good design to carry stories across the years.

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Gerald Summers, Pair of high back chairs, circa 1934. Design London.

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Discover more from Design London >

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Recommended Reading

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PERSPECTIVES: Luiz Kessler >

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Elizabeth Fritsch: Rhythm and Colour in 2 ½ Dimensions >

\n","2025-10-22T13:11:24.000000Z","https://www.phillips.com/article/163191643/specialist-picks-design-london-november-2025",1,5882,5108,163191643,"https://flockler.com/thumbs/sites/889/kessler-1-bd819339-31ec-455f-b60a-41b056809f4b_s600x0.jpg","The London-based design gallerist and founder of JCRD Design shares his insights on collecting and his picks from our upcoming Design auction.","PERSPECTIVES: Luiz Kessler","

Luiz Kessler, founder of JCRD Design, in the Phillips London gallery.

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The Rio de Janeiro-born gallerist Luiz Kessler has made waves in the London design scene for his appreciation of details, reverence for history and culture, and his charismatic nature — to say nothing of his impeccable taste. These attributes come to life through JCRD Design, the gallery he founded that operates with a dynamic, global exhibition model, meticulously curating international presentations rather than operating from a single, permanent space. JCRD has exhibited in some of the world’s finest design fairs, including Design Miami and PAD London, and will soon participate in Salon NY — bringing Brazilian modernism to a broad audience.

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But his expertise goes far beyond Brazilian design — he speaks of great works from a multitude of categories with intelligence and an infectious admiration. Earlier this month, Phillips sat down with Kessler to hear about his background, his favorite lots from the upcoming Design auction, and some choice tips for emerging design collectors.

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PHILLIPS: How did you discover your love of design? How does this passion manifest in the work of JCRD Design?

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LUIZ KESSLER: I wanted to say that I discovered this love in Brazil, where I’m from, and which remains the core of JCRD Design. But it was actually over 20 years ago, while traveling through the South of France, that everything began. I visited the Fondation Maeght in Saint-Paul-de-Vence — still one of my favorite places in the world. When I stopped by their café for a coffee, I noticed the most sculptural and intriguing chairs — heavy in presence yet refined in form. Captivated, I asked the lady behind the counter who designed them, and she replied, “Diego Giacometti.” Inside the foundation, I kept encountering more of his pieces — tables, stools, and an incredible lamp on the terrace. I was 18 at the time, and that moment sparked my lifelong fascination with design that blends art, craftsmanship, and soul — a philosophy that continues to guide everything we do at JCRD Design today.

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P: What draws you to historical design?

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LK: I love the idea of traveling back in time and imagining how groundbreaking those pieces were in their day — Pierre Chareau immediately comes to mind. Nearly a century later, his and many others’ works still feel timeless and continue to inspire contemporary designers. I’m fascinated by the impeccable craftsmanship of Joaquim Tenreiro just as much as I am by the raw honesty of Jean Prouvé. And of course, I’m deeply inspired by the beauty of the Brazilian vernacular — a vital part of our design process — championed by visionaries like Lina Bo Bardi and José Zanine Caldas.

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Luiz Kessler in the Phillips London gallery.

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P: What buying advice would you offer collectors new to the category? And what are your personal guidelines for collecting or sourcing works?

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LK: It might not be a trivial exercise — we’re no fortune tellers, after all — but I’d advise new design collectors to look at a piece and ask themselves: “Will this still be considered timeless in 50 years?” or “Will I be as pleased to look at this piece years from now as I am today?” I’m a firm believer that good design requires a “yes” to both questions. That philosophy serves as both my buying advice and my personal guideline for collecting.

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When it comes to sourcing, find someone who truly specializes in what you’re looking for. My dad once told me it’s better to excel at one thing than to be mediocre at many — and that wisdom applies perfectly to your design sources, too.

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There are so many ways to discover great design — through dealers, galleries, art fairs, and auction houses — but ultimately, it’s the relationships you build with these people that make the journey of collecting so much more fascinating, beautiful, and insightful.

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Luiz Kessler in the Phillips London gallery.

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P: What is your most treasured object — both a single item from history and one from your personal collection?

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LK: Francis Bacon once said that Michelangelo, Brancusi, and Rodin were the greatest sculptors the world has ever known. On that note, Constantin Brancusi’s Beginning of the World (1920) is my forever coup de coeur — a piece that continues to move me every time I see it.

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From my own collection, it certainly is a plaster ‘Tête de Femme’ table lamp by Alberto Giacometti from the 1930s.

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P: Which works from our upcoming London Design auction speak to you the most and why?

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Jean Royère

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Jean Royère, Large sideboard, circa 1955. Design London.

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LK: The combination of wood and cane must be one of my favorite pairings in design. I also have a thing for sideboards — especially one of this size!

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George Nakashima

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George Nakashima, 'Slab II' coffee table, 1967. Design London.

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LK: To me, there’s no such thing as too much wood in one’s design collection. Seeing such an impressive, large-scale, and rare coffee table by Nakashima is truly fascinating.

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Charlotte Perriand

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Charlotte Perriand, Early and rare armchair, circa 1946. Design London.

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LK: I can’t resist a rare early piece — especially one by Perriand. There’s something electric about seeing her ideas in their raw, experimental form.

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Jean Royère

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Jean Royère, 'Val d'or' coffee table, circa 1962. Design London.

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DK: Despite its strong structure, this table feels wonderfully light and understated — and it's painted in that distinctive red, a very specific hue so deeply associated with Royère's unmistakable aesthetic.

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Hans Coper

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Hans Coper, Small bottle with disc top, circa 1967. Design London.

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LK: Hans Coper, together with Lucie Rie, are undoubtedly my favorite potters of the 20th century. I’ve always had a soft spot for ceramics in my design life, so it’s only natural I’d choose this beautiful piece by Coper, with its calm and soothing palette.

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P: Lastly, if you could have one work from the sale, what would it be?

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LK: It’s got to be Adolf Loos’ clock. Loos is one of those geniuses who, the more you research, the more you fall in love with. This clock does what great art and design should do — it transports you. If I had this piece, every day I’d be taken to one of my favorite projects ever, which turns out to be his: Dr. Vogl’s flat. I like to imagine that Jean-Michel Frank drew inspiration from it when he designed one of my other favorite interiors: the Rockefeller apartment in New York.

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Adolf Loos, Rare longcase clock, circa 1904. Design London.

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Discover more from Design London >

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Recommended Reading

\n\n

Five Things That Set Arredoluce Apart >

\n\n

Gio Ponti: Design as Emotion >

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Bernar Venet is celebrated as one of the most inventive sculptors of his generation. After early training at the Villa Thiole art school and later working as a stage designer at the Opéra in Nice, he moved to New York in 1966. There he encountered the pioneers of Minimalism and Conceptual Art, including Donald Judd and Sol LeWitt, and began to fuse industrial processes with abstraction. By the late 1960s he was experimenting with unconventional materials such as coal, asphalt, and tar, and in the 1970s and 1980s his practice evolved into the monumental steel arcs, lines, and angles that became his signature. Mathematics, science, and geometry have remained central to his design language, giving his work both boldness and precision.

\n\n

His furniture series includes chairs, stools (lot 35), and the present model sofa, as well as smaller objects such as candlesticks (lot 33) and vases (lot 36), which translate his sculptural style into linear functional forms.

\n\n

Venet’s making process is integral to the aesthetic: steel is cut with a torch, then treated—often waxed—to highlight its raw texture and reveal traces of both tool and hand. The variety of geometrical works offered here reveal Venet’s consistent vision across scales. His pieces are never merely decorative but design for everyday life—objects where raw, industrial reality and formal precision come together in ways that continue to define his place in 20th-century design.

\n\n

\"\" — Bernar Venet at work in his studio.
\nImage: © Taran Wilkhu Photography

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32

Bernar Venet

Sofa

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Bernar Venet