LAMBERTVILLE, NJ.- Rago/Wright is presenting the exhibition Legacy of Style: Works from a Private Collection on Wednesday, May 24th, 2023. This distinguished selection showcases a sophisticated eye and passion for exquisite craftsmanship across materials, eras, and movements.
Among the highlights, Legacy of Style boasts expressive mid-century mirrors from Line Vautrin, hand-blown glass vessels by Yoichi Ohira, and designs from Finn Juhl, Jean Royère, Matthias Bengsston, Hans Coper, Studio Nucleo, Paavo Tynell, Kerstin Hörlin-Holmquist, and more. From quintessential Arts & Crafts furniture by Gustav Stickley to the evocative photography of Nan Goldin, the collection is both eclectic and coherent, with a deep reverence for modern lines, natural elements, and unexpected details.
So-called "poetess of metal" Line Vautrin became widely known for her inventive approach to her medium, especially as she applied it to mirrors. Made circa 1958, Vautrin's Folie (Le soleil a rendez-vous avec la lune) mirror (est. $150,000-200,000) is a particularly stunning example of her visionary workmanship, and incorporates Vautrin's proprietary Talosel resin. This magic mirror is accompanied by several that she made shortly after, including the Perruque mirror (est. $40,000-60,000) and Papyrus mirror (est. $40,000-60,000), both made circa 1960, as well as the circa 1965 Flamboyant mirror (est. $50,000-70,000).
Design on offer includes a Jean Royère oak and mahogany cabinet (est. $50,000-70,000) made circa 1953, the Boolean and Greyhound pair of tables by Piergiorgio Robino and Edoardo Trave for Studio Nucleo (est. $15,000-20,000), and Mathias Bengsston's intricately crafted Growth Table (est. $20,000-30,000), as well as ceramics from Hans Coper, Hans Hedberg, and Guido Gambone. Art selections include two cibachrome prints by Nan Goldin – Greer’s Life, Chicago (est. $6,000-8,000) and David's Darkroom, New Haven (est. $6,000-8,000) – along with works from Alessandro Pessoli, Rachel Feinstein, Jack Pierson, and James Gobel.
Finally, a robust group of ten exemplary vessels by Yoichi Ohira is also among this auction's noteworthy lots. Raised in Japan and trained in both Tokyo and Venice, Ohira's unique fusion of influences shines in these magnificent and one-of-a-kind works, including the 2002 La Mia Venezia vase (est. $15,000-20,000) and Crateri vase (est. $12,000-15,000).
