AUCTION FINDS OF THE WEEK APRIL 8TH: RAGO ARTS AND AUCTION CENTER
by Kelly Keating on 04/08/13
This week I have 5 auction finds all from Rago Arts and Auction Center in Lambertville, New Jersey. The auction is on April 19th and all the items in the auction are being offered without reserve.
The first item, lot 476, is a French sideboard from the 1940's with a sleek, geometric design and a post-Art Deco feel. The oak and sycamore piece has lovely parquetry doors with brass fittings and the blond finish to the wood makes the piece feel light and exuberant. Although more than 70 years old, it would complement any modern setting. It is being offered with an estimate of $2,000-3,000.
Also in a light wood, a bleached mahogany, is a pair of American Art Deco 1920's side tables, lot 147. The pair of tables are wonderfully architectural with a large circle on a rectangular plinth bisected in the middle with a similar shaped shelf and topped with another rectangular piece. The pieces are quite bold and would be the centerpiece of any drawing room perhaps with a simpler couch and a rug that echoes their geometry. The side tables are estimated at $400-600 which is quite inexpensive for such an expressive pair of tables.
The next find, lot 133, is also from the Art Deco era- a pair of aluminum table lamps by Storco in Kenilworth, New Jersey. Perhaps this pait would look well on the side tables or the sideboard discussed above. This pair of lamps exude a very Metropolis, machine age feel in their shape and material. The lamps are being offered with an estimate of $300-400.
The fourth piece found at Rago, lot 126, is the final piece of Art Deco design in this week's finds- a chic garnish box made of silverplated brass with a glass insert for use on a bar. The style of the piece exhibits the skyscraper style of the 1930's such as The Empire State Building completed in 1931 and The Chrysler Building completed in 1930 with its geometric shapes and crowning finial. The piece was made by Louis Rice of Apollo Studios. The estimate for this item is $700-900.
The final piece from the Rago auction is a strong departure from the Art Deco items alreay mentioned- lot 435, a 19th century Louis XVI painted wood side chair. While this chair is a traditional item, what gives it its edge is the use of commercial sack cloth to upholster the piece. This use of fabric is not really new, but I like the look of distressed, painted wood of the chair and the textured and graphic quality of the sack cloth. It would be wonderful to do a French inspired room with several traditional pieces covered in this industrial material. How about these Louis XVI chairs in a dining room with a glass table and the French 1940's sideboard mentioned above? I think that would look fab. This chair has a estimate of $400-600.
So, check out the Rago April 19th auction for some great pieces and probably some great deals.
Kelly T Keating- [email protected]
