Harry Bertoia - Design & Design Art New York Thursday, December 13, 2007 | Phillips

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  • Provenance

    Gift from the artist to Ed Flanagan, assistant to Harry Bertoia at the Bally, Pennsylvania studio

  • Literature

    June Kompass Nelson, Harry Bertoia: Sculptor, Detroit, 1970, pl. 72 for similar examples; Nancy N. Schiffer and Val. O. Bertoia, The World of Bertoia, Atglen, 2003, p. 179, 184, 191-194, 198, 201, 209-211, 218 and 223 for similar examples

  • Catalogue Essay

    Ed Flanagan was an assistant to Harry Bertoia in his Bally, Pennsylvania studio.  As a great admirer of Bertoia, he would often receive gifts from the artist, particularly pieces which Mr. Flanagan considered to be exemplary or innovative examples of the Bertoia oeuvre.  The offered lot is one of these gifts.    Bertoia was continually honing his sound sculptures to improve their sound.  This unique example bears holes in the base which, Bertoia hoped, would improve the resonance.  This distinctive feature, combined with naturally fine-sounding Beryllium copper rods, result in the perfect clear and sustained sound Bertoia was anticipating.

61

Extremely rare “Sonambient” sculpture

1965
Beryllium copper, brass.
39 x 10 x 10 in. (99.1 x 25.4 x 25.4 cm)

Estimate
$70,000 - 90,000 

Sold for $75,400

Design & Design Art

13 Dec 2007, 2pm
New York