Snake Auction Observer 009
Design intelligence: cheap Boby Eames Thun Cassina Corbusier Sottsass
10 items on LiveAuctioneers ending this week that I think are undervalued, or affordable—auctions ending soonest first. (Instructions on bidding at email bottom).
Auctions:
Matteo Thun stacking ashtray, LA, flat shipping from NY: Always good to get anything beautiful for under $200, Memphis-affiliated is a bonus… this one has a stacking doll situation and isn’t necessarily for cigs. (Though no ashtrays are.) Thun has a litany of hits, I like his coffee services the most, it avoids the B-52s aesthetic he sometimes leans into. The same tray sold from Jasper, this house, earlier this year for a bit over list; this one is likely a re-list, with reserve price is 125. Ends today
Stoppino for Rexite cassette racks, LA from NY, FS: Modular cassette shelving by Gio Stoppino (responsible for stacking stools, the great plastic magazine rack you’ve probably seen and lots of chrome work for Acerbis) that might be my ideal item. Harsh, direct, modular, loud, simple, mildly impractical. Only holds 10 tapes, buy more to add more. Some others on eBay and 1stDibs, about the same price. Stoppino had a profitable relationship with Rexite, making these together and a very good umbrella stand, too. That one also looks like a corporate ashtray. Whatever price, but nonetheless the Snake Lock of the Week at $140
Pace Boca Credenza, LA from NJ: Maple and occasional ebony credenza sitting in the sweet spot of ‘30s Deco-adjacent and Michael Graves. I’ve bought from this house before, they’re great. There’s a good bar that serves hot Italian sandwiches and pies and is also as a hunting lodge. The rest of the auction is empty except some OK murano glass and a decent 1890s bike race poster. Pace Collection was around for 40 years and is very much the shortest route to the kind of furniture Henry Hill’s girlfriend had in her apartment. Should be a household name. Steal at $100
Corbusier Cassina chair frames, LA from NJ: Another hit from the above house, a disorienting piece, almost harsh without the big fat LC2 cushions. There’s good insight here into how the chair fit into the rest of LC’s work. Perfect! These would make a good project for a designer or someone creative. Maybe put a small flat cushion in there? Maybe not. Hard to improve upon, but why not try? $175
Griffey/sports posters, lot, LA from PA: These posters are really a high point in American graphic design; someone needs to get all the good ones together and display them in a gallery. I love how the font change allows for a Star Trek reference. All of these seemed to have been thought up in five minutes. Though maybe I am tripping and these aren’t that good. Does it matter? House has a good collection of flea junk (marbles, baseball bats, grandma cutlery, comix), but not much else. $5
Two Colombo Boby carts, LA from Beacon NY: I wrote at length about Colombo in my previous letter. These carts are design staples, old, and in need of some cleaning, but are cheap without too many watchers. Sell one, keep both, whatever. House doesn’t have much else comparable: one set of Eames plywood chairs (for a market price, or above) and a bunch of rugs (good ones). Otherwise mostly fireman shit. $110
Eames two-seat lounge sofa, LA from KC: Seller seems to have four identical two-seat sofas by Eames from the late 80s, all starting at around $1,000. I don’t think it’s a listing mistake since the auction text says it’s from a Fortune 500 company’s offices. Perfect sofas. House also has some Eames tables, Poul Cadovius pieces, this beautiful drop leaf dining table, Knoll end tables, all probably from that company, and the worst bust of Beethoven I’ve ever seen. Eames is in its nadir of popularity. Should it be? I’ll address this in a Snake Lore letter sometime soon. Mega deal at $1,000, enough that one might sell at start price.
Euro Wildcards of the Week:
Light week in domestic auctioning this week, so here are a few from the continent. If you feel like spending cash to ship something overseas but still want a deal buy:
Centro Studi Cassina Archizoom chair, LA from Milan: ‘73 One of the five most perverse pieces of Italian design: outside the realm of fun and good taste and just straight up difficult… looks like a dentists’ chair. The blue makes it. Another house has two in a more neutral color for a couple hundred Euro more; a number of these didn’t sell, not many domestic. Perfect chair honestly… €400
Casati Hybsch Simone Comfort sofa, LA from Milan: Part of the mini movement of spaceage hard white shell furniture from the ‘60s and ‘70s that looks like it should be on Star Trek. I don’t love it, but this one, by Cesare Casati (a giant, did the pill lamps, nuff said) and Enzo Hybsch (pretty much just made these, and a similar chair) may be the best. It’s almost an anti-sofa. The little metal tabs between the chairs appear to be ashtrays… very good. €3,000
Sottsass Fischietto vase, LA from Milan: Earlier Sottsass vase, based off a drawing of his from ‘62, and a lot more minimal than ones he’d go on to hang his hat off later. Looks like a flute reed or the Matteo Thun ashtray umbrella holder. House has a few of his more recognizable vases, too. €500
Odds and ends:
Magistretti Veranda sofa, LA from Chi., $2k
Jean Prouve daybed with the thing near the headrest, LA from CA, $8K
Thanks. Hit me up for a zine, I have some extras.
Snake
Other work: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-JLRt0Ec6gZBm50hAmLctnF9GhVijoEbam50JSw/edit
How to bid: Sign up to LA with your credit card ahead of the auction, register for that auction on the item page — there’s a button/prompt on every auction page — before bidding. Houses usually accept registrations within a day, but early’s better.
Bidding happens live in a pop-up window, though prices sometimes jump up before. Both app and website have good bidding UX. Sometimes items go for a lot, sometimes they don’t. Sometimes lots of watchers means something; sometimes not. Not much different from eBay. Because of buyers’ premiums (~25%), and freight, expect to pay over list. After winning you have ~a week to get the item. Houses can recommend third party shippers; some ship themselves. If so, In-House Shipping will be noted on the page below the bid amounts. Sometimes shipping is affordable, sometimes it’s not. Picking it up yourself is cheapest.
As with anything, insane steals are rare, nice deals are occasional, and fair prices are frequent. If you have more questions, email Snake.