NEW YORK, NY.- Sotheby’s will present Thomas Molesworth: Designing the American West as a highlight of our summer sales of 20th Century Design in New York. The 30 July auction offers 55 works of iconic Molesworth furniture, together emerging from a private collection held in a ranch in Jackson, Wyoming.

Celebrated for establishing an unabashed Western interior design aesthetic in the early 1930s, Thomas Molesworth’s genius was rooted in his remarkable ability to create an idiosyncratic style that inspired an entire generation of Western vernacular furniture design. Molesworth’s style is rustic yet highly refined. The sophistication and superb craftsmanship of Molesworth’s designs make his furniture timeless and versatile to a wide range of contexts.




Exhibiting Molesworth’s characteristic burled wood, colorful rich leathers and dynamic Chimayo weavings, this exceptional group presents a variety of iconic forms, from graphic keyhole side chairs to tables and seating with vigorous burled legs. With thoughtful curation and commitment to Molesworth’s Western aesthetic, this collection presents some of the rarest and most important models by Molesworth to ever appear at auction.

The 30 July auction follows Sotheby’s record-breaking sale of Molesworth furniture from the Ruth and Jake Bloom Collection, which totaled $2.7 million in May 2018 and established an entirely new top 10 auction results for the designer’s work.

All of the works will be on view by appointment in Sotheby’s New York galleries beginning this Saturday, 25 July, alongside our Important Design auction.

Jodi Pollack, Co-Worldwide Head of Sotheby’s 20th Century Design Department, commented: “We are delighted to present this exceptional collection of Thomas Molesworth furniture as part of our Design sale series in New York this July. While there were western designers before and after Molesworth, few have been able to capture the rustic spirit and unique charm manifested in his signature style. As we witnessed in May 2018 with the record-breaking results from our sale of the Bloom collection, there is a marked demand amongst collectors worldwide for Molesworth’s inimitable furniture designs. We look forward with great anticipation to presenting this exciting collection and continuing to expand collectors’ awareness for this legendary designer.”