Highlights from the first day of the auction Modern Art + Design
Following successful auctions for contemporary art and design, Bukowskis continues its live season with Modern Art + Design – Scandinavia's leading auction for modern design. The opening day of the auction featured design pieces by Josef Frank, Axel Einar Hjorth, and Otto Schulz, sought-after ceramics from Stig Lindberg, and textiles from Märta Måås-Fjätterström. A section dedicated to luminaries from Nordiska Kompaniet lit up the auction with impressive final prices.
Record Levels for Josef Frank
With a track record of setting new world records for Josef Frank, Bukowskis once again delivered record-breaking prices. The star lot of the day was a Flora chest of drawers covered with illustrations from Nordens Flora by C.A Lindman, which, after lively bidding, equaled the previous world record by selling for a final price of 1 125 000 SEK.
Additional highlights by Josef Frank included a Flora Linné chest of drawers, a 2007 anniversary edition covered with illustrations from Plantae Selectae, which sold for more than double its estimate. A cast iron table with a table top in black slate also exceeded expectations.
Among furniture and other works of art, we saw internationally sought-after designs from designers such as Axel Einar Hjorth, Carl Hörvik, Otto Schulz, and Carl-Axel Acking. Hjorth achieved high final prices for a wide range of sports cabin furniture in pine, including models like "Utö," "Lovö," Sandhamn, "Skoga," and "Sport."
Following the success in spring for Otto Schulz and firma Boet, this season also saw high final prices for several objects by the designer. Among them a cabinet clad in blue artificial leather with pearl nail decoration featuring the motif "Paradise, Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden," which sold three times its estimate.
The auction also featured a collection of Danish design with provenance from Anders Pehrson, head of design at Ateljé Lyktan during the 1960s, including rarities from designers like Hans J. Wegner and Poul Kjaerholm. Highlights within Finnish design included design icons such as Alvar Aalto, Paavo Tynell, and Tapio Wirkkala.
Swedish luminaries are in high demand, and highlights from the auction included Carl-Axel Acking, Harald Notini, and Hans Bergström. Two floor lamps by Acking stood out when they sold at an impressive final price of 400 000 SEK each.
Nordiska Kompaniet's Lighting Department
As the market leader in the Scandinavian region for modern design lighting, Bukowskis this season presented a unique collection of luminaires from Nordiska Kompaniet (NK), developed under the leadership of Erik Tidstrand and Bertil Brisborg. Highlights included a ceiling lamp by Simon Gate and Erik Tidstrand in collaboration between NK and Orrefors, a number of table lamps and ceiling lamps by both Tidstrand and Brisborg, and a unique custom-made lamp created by Bertil Brisborg and Olle Elmgren for the Forellen cinema in Luleå. The latter sold after an exciting bidding war for a final price of 300 000 SEK.
Modern Swedish Textiles
Within the department of carpets & textiles, we saw a great interest for modern Swedish textiles. Highlights included Märta Måås-Fjetterström's "röd grön äng", Marianne Richter's "Strålar, grön", and a unique woven wallpaper by Sigrid Hjertén depicting a vegetative landscape, which sold for a final price of 312 000 SEK.
Glass, Ceramics, and Silver
The Glass Department presented collections of art glass by, among others, Bertil Vallien, Peter Hermansson, and Claes Uvesten, as well as sought-after glass works by Eva Englund, Tapio Wirkkala, and Alessandro Pianon. Within ceramics, we saw high final prices for stoneware by Stig Lindberg and Berndt Friberg, as well as sculptures and dishes by Birger Kaipiainen.
There was also strong interest in silver, and the department ended as a white glove, meaning that all items were sold. Among the highlights were several pieces by Georg Jensen, a cutlery set by Johan Rohde, a vase by Wiven Nilsson, and a sculpture by Olle Ohlsson.
Wiwen Nilsson in the spotlight.
Lastly we saw high demand and final prices for design jewellery by Wiwen Nilsson. The department also presented high quality jewellery by names such as Vivianna Torun Bülow-Hübe, Harald Nielsen, Björn Weckström, Sven-Erik Högberg, Inga-Britt "Ibe" Dahlquist among others.
Scandinavia’s only recurring Fine Art auction for modern art and design continues to cement its leading position with increasing international interest.