What is up fools — reporting live from Paris’ 10th, 10 items on LiveAuctioneers ending this week that are are undervalued, or affordable—auctions ending soonest first. (Instructions on bidding at end).
Housekeeping:
I found the Kickback street, it’s in the Bastille. I’m happy to take photos for subscribers.
Snake shirts (designed by R&M Corp, which is open for commissions) are available for purchase at SUPPLY TOKYO in the Shibuya neighborhood.
If you are in Japan, check it out.
Auctions:
Bertoia Knoll side chair, CA: Lots of hits from this auction—old Colnago bikes, a bracelet lot, cheap HM ‘Everywhere’ desk (one of the best), fake Paulin ribbon chair—but this one jumps out for a couple reasons. It’s a side chair—nicer shape than the other one—and it’s the best kept up Bertoia I’ve seen in years on LA. They’re always so beaten down. Navy pillow is a nice touch too. Probably not era original, but seems old, maybe 80s or 90s. If anyone can date these markings, get in touch. $150, ends today
Pablo studio lamps, CA: Can’t front like I know what these are, but a quick search shows they’re new, and, off top, look like the Tolomeo, just better. Not to say they’re incredible, but they’re not bad. Orange is the move, smooths off the lamp’s rough current edges. Same house as above, $150
Nakashima Conoid chair, NJ: Another solid Rago offering, lots of wood, some Wendell Castle-adjacent furniture, some rough art, and this Nakashima design, executed by Sakura Seisakusho, a Japanese furniture manufacturer. What can you say about Nakashima? Not often where you’d rather get something from Bucks County than Japan. Still, the dropoff here is from penthouse to park view. Near NY, $1800
Wendy Evans Joseph drafting table, NJ: Also from Rago, a very Michael Graves like table (though not Satanic), by Joseph, who worked for Pei Cobb (I love Cobb, like capital L) and who only has one completed auction on LA (a table that’s almost as good). This thing is terrific. What are you going to draw on here that’s as nice as this table? Maybe a skinhead pondering something or a thank you note for stumbling on the Snake Lock of the Week. Drafting tables’ angles are so loud, their design might as well be. $450
Mazza Tau pendant lamp, NY, flat shipping: Arguably an automatic purchase here, a high price for a lamp that goes for about half this, but with flat shipping (from Italy), so it shakes out. Sometimes you need to spend extra if you want something good right away. Rare to see a good non Danish pendant, even with the fussy glass (which I argue makes it) it’s still nails. $950
90s Piretti chairs, GA, IHS: Fairly normal looking except when up close chairs by Giancarlo Piretti, designed for Castelli, where the arms on this thing don’t make sense either in terms of color or angle. Which is obviously the point. Pirelli has so many good chairs. Nat has an Eames management chair with a similar arm situation, better than an OG. From Jasper, which has another pair of these in a different color at the same price. $600, $760 reserve
Castelli Ferrieri valet for Kartell, NC: Wrote about this one a couple months ago, no one bought it, it’s relisted and still only $50
Gio Ponti Air Ala Littoria ashtray, Dallas: Gio Ponti, best known for founding Domus (important magazine), the Pirelli building (there should be one in every city, it’d make things convenient—”meet me by the Pirelli building,” for example) and the Superleggera chair (pretty good), didn’t know he made ashtrays. This is for Snake favorite Richard Ginori, promoting a prewar Italian airline. Doesn’t get better. Sold by Heritage Auctions, which can ship cheap. $400
Italian Grace Designs/Memphis-adjacent desk, Dallas: Curious desk with Sottsass’ Spugnatto design on the top (cow spots) and Micidial (‘89 Mac, by de Lucchi) on the sides. For sale by Grace Designs, which apparently distributed Memphis stuff in the 80s exclusively, like Jason Scheller’s run as Crucial Response America. From HA, maybe cheap shipping. $1,500
Salotti Billy sofa, Austin: This and several other items listed by an Austin house from the personal collection of Milton Verret, who owns the Michael Jackson Thriller jacket, and who’s a Porsche and Ferrari collector (Instagram). He’s an entrepreneur, just like me (scroll up for T-shirts). Provenance notwithstanding, a fine, timeless (because it’s black leather) sofa that will get you over until you get a bigger one or an Anfibio. Rest of the auction is Roche Bobois, Regency, grandma furniture, with a couple hits, including a cool fish plate and a maybe Raymond Cohen desk. $1500
Coat rack mirror, Atlanta: In league with the not Calka Boomerang desk from last week (sold for 5K), it’s one of these endless poppy Italian-style plastic pieces that veer into children’s aesthetics and are not quite crossing state lines for but which are worth rolling the dice on if they’re cheap, which this almost is at $75
Sergio Asti ICM BOCA flatware, Atlanta: The best flatware ever made. (I have these.) Only 17 pieces but also only $100
Euro Wildcard of the Week:
Elio Martinelli Robot lamp for Martinelli Luce, Brescia: One of the better second-tier Italian lamps from the 60s, which therefore is a first tier lamp overall… part of a very democratic/nearly flea market level set of auctions from this house in Italy. Kita Toshiyuki, Cardin, Marzollo, Stillnovo, all under $50… business as usual in the old world. Martinelli was the designer and the company. A dozen or so past Martinelli robot auctions on LA, only one sold, so the price here, €10, isn’t without reason.
Odds and Ends:
Bellini Rotonda Cassina table, CA, $450
Piretti 90s chairs, pair, IHS, $600
FLW harsh coffee table, Dallas, $1K
Pierre Cardin/Venini egg of the king, IHS, $10 possible STEAL
Elio Martinelli cobra lamp for Martinelli, NJ $350 (Stacy Peralta)
Thanks for reading.
Snake
Other work: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-JLRt0Ec6gZBm50hATYCYmLctnF9GhVijoEbam50JSw/edit?overridemobile=true
How to bid: Sign up for Liveauctioneers with a credit card ahead of the auction, register for that auction on the item page — button/prompt’s on every auction pg — pre-bid. Registrations take a day or so.
Bidding is live in a pop-up window, most prices jump during auctions. Both app and website have good 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 these prices. When you win you have ~a week to get the item. Houses may recommend third party shippers; some ship themselves. If so, In-House Shipping is noted on the page. Picking it up yourself is cheapest.
As with anything, insane steals are rare, nice deals are occasional, and fair prices are frequent. Respond if more questions.