New Season – New Highlights: Provenance Alvar Aalto
Provenance Alvar Aalto
Bukowskis is honoured to present selected items from the private collection of Alvar Aalto during this season's Design Sale Helsinki. Among the items being sold by Aalto's grandchild are two rare glass vases, furniture, and lamps that were once part of the interior of Aalto's home on Riihitie in Munkkiniemi, Helsinki.
Architect Alvar Aalto found his way into glass design in the 1930s by participating in several design competitions in the field. Perhaps the most important victory can be the art glass competition announced by the Karhula Glassworks factory in 1936. In this competition, he introduced the now-iconic glass models 9749 and 9750.
In 1936, Alvar Aalto was chosen to design the Finnish Pavilion in Paris for the following year's World's Fair. Shortly afterwards, the Karhula Glassworks factory organised a design competition focusing on glass objects. These objects were to be exhibited in Paris and Aalto won the design competition again. His work presented in the competition was called ‘Eskimoerindens skinnbuxa’. Aalto had sketched several different vases with curved lines and some of which were seen at the Paris World's Fair.
In the pre-war years, only small quantities of the various vase models that originated from the competition were manufactured. The design also posed technical manufacturing challenges - they were originally manufactured using a wood mold until the 1950s. This technique resulted in the particular and richly textured glass structure that gives each vase a distinct feeling. Their shapes reflect Aalto's characteristic design style, marked by organic and nature-inspired forms.
> Two early vases, 9750 and 9749, from Alvar Aalto's private collection. Image: Bukowskis. Photography: Anton Reenpää.
Among the furniture pieces, you will find a cabinet, model 216, from the 1940s, and a pair of dressers, model B96, which were designed for an apartment exhibition in Helsinki in 1930 and later used as nightstands by the Aalto family. The collection also includes two ceiling lamps: an A22 from the early 1950s, designed by Aalto himself, and an early PH-4/4 designed by the Danish designer Poul Henningsen.
Poul Henningsen was a close friend of the Aalto couple. They met him in Copenhagen in 1928, and the lamp included in the auction was acquired when they moved to their new home in Turun Maalaistentalo. Later, when the couple relocated to their new home on Riihitie in 1936, the lamp was placed above the dining table and can later be seen in photos from the upstairs area.
> Poul Henningsen, a 'PH-4/4' 'Pulley pendant' light for Louis Poulsen, manufactured 1926-1928. Image: Bukowskis. Photography: Katri Kapanen.
With their unique provenance from Aalto's private home, Bukowskis proudly welcomes collectors and design enthusiasts to acquaint themselves with these rare design objects from one of the most celebrated modern designers.
The objects will be for sale at Bukowskis' online auction Design Sale Helsinki, October 18–29. Discover the catalogue and place a bid already today.
Do you have a design object that you would like to sell?
We are currently inviting consignments for our upcoming auctions. Contact us for a complimentary auction estimate and learn more about the benefits of selling with Bukowskis. As part of the Bonhams network, Bukowskis reach a global market with millions of customers through a combination of our digital platforms and auction houses in Stockholm, Helsinki, Copenhagen, London, Paris, New York, Los Angeles, Hong Kong and Sydney. We are now accepting consignments for our upcoming auctions. Welcome to contact our specialists already today.
