Gaetano Pesce's Lamp Breaks Records at Contemporary Art & Design

Highlights from the design department at the Nordics leading auction for contemporary art and design.

After a successful spring, the first day of this autumn's Contemporary Art & Design live auction opened with the design department presenting an exciting selection of Swedish and international designers.

The auction had several iconic and highly sought-after design objects by Gaetano Pesce. One of the main highlights being the monumental floor lamp "Moloch," designed in 1970 and produced in a limited edition of around 20 numbered examples. After a lively bidding the lamp was sold for a final price of 1 025 000 SEK, setting a new record for a contemporary design object sold at an auction in Sweden. The other pieces by Pesce included the "Golgotha" chair from 1972, which also achieved a high final price of 300 000 SEK.

International Design Icons

Among the international successes of the design department, in addition to Gaetano Pesce, the sale also presented a pair of armchairs "Dossier Droit 1932" by French designer Jean-Michel Frank, the "Serpentine Sofa with Arm" by Vladimir Kagan, and a pair of armchairs from 1960–1970 by American designer Harvey Probber.

Also standing out was the "Easylight" lamp by French designer Philippe Starck, who is primarily well-known for his industrial-influenced furniture design and interior objects.

Contemporary Studio Design

The design department featured unique and sought-after objects from an exciting line-up of studio designers including Hanna Hansdotter, Niklas Runesson, Jenny Nordberg, and Attila Suta.

Nicklas Runesson’s coffee table and four of Jenny Nordberg’s unique mirrors, "3 to 5 Seconds – Rapid handmade production," stood out, all achieving high final prices.