DALLAS, TX.- Across two consecutive Design auctions this spring, Heritage presents a sweeping survey of glass as both material and muse, tracing its evolution from the poetic naturalism of the early 20th century to the bold and expressive forms of today’s leading studio artists. The April 30 Early 20th Century Design Signature® Auction and the May 1 Modern Design Signature® Auction together form a narrative that spans more than a hundred years of innovation.

If the earlier-era sale establishes the foundation, the May 1 Modern Design auction makes the case for glass as one of the defining artistic mediums of the last half-century. Bringing together pioneers of the studio glass movement and leading contemporary makers, the auction highlights the material’s capacity to capture light, movement and emotion with unmatched immediacy.

“Contemporary glass is one of the most dynamic collecting areas, routinely attracting new, unexpected bidders from across Heritage’s 50-plus categories in addition to a community of dedicated, established collectors,” says Samantha Robinson, Heritage’s Vice President of Design. “This season we are proud to present multiple works by three titans of the medium: Tagliapietra, Chihuly and Powell. Of particular note is the diverse Tagliapietra selection, which boasts one of the most technically triumphant examples of the Dinosaur, fine examples of the Stromboli and Bahia series and the first two-dimensional panel to come to auction. Our May 1 auction further cements Heritage Auctions as a destination for collectors of contemporary glass, both as consignors and as bidders.”

At the center of the Modern Design auction is an extraordinary group of works by Lino Tagliapietra, widely regarded as the greatest living master of Venetian glass. Featuring 10 works, one of the most significant offerings of his work ever presented in a single auction, the selection traces the artist’s lifelong dialogue between tradition and innovation.

A highlight among them, Dinosaur (2017), stands as a tour de force of technical and artistic achievement. Constructed from multiple overlapping decorative systems, the work layers white spiral canes beneath vibrant murrine in fiery tones of orange, red and yellow, all encased within a clear outer shell punctuated by a precise array of air pockets. Created using a balloton mold and further enhanced with powdered glass, the result is a composition of remarkable complexity.

Other Tagliapietra works in the sale, including Stromboli (2019) and Venice Panel (2011), reveal the breadth of his practice. While his sculptural vessels demonstrate a command of form honed over decades, his panels translate that same mastery into a painterly language, where color, rhythm and surface take precedence. They underscore his enduring influence on the global studio glass movement.

Tagliapietra works are in conversation with the works of Dale Chihuly, whose theatrical approach to glass has transformed it into a medium of spectacle and immersive experience. The auction includes 11 works by Chihuly, led by a striking chandelier from 2001. Measuring approximately 5 feet in length and 7 feet in diameter, the chandelier retains the sense of movement and abundance that defines Chihuly’s work, offering collectors the opportunity to experience his signature aesthetic within a domestic setting.

Also featured prominently is Stephen Powell, whose work continues to gain momentum in the market following a recent auction record achieved at Heritage. Represented here by eight works, Powell’s vessels pulse with energy, their swollen forms and sinuous necks serving as canvases for intricate murrine patterns. In Untitled (CCK)from his Teasers series, vibrant colors collide and expand across the surface, reflecting the artist’s lifelong fascination with process and the physical demands of working with molten glass.

Together, Tagliapietra, Chihuly and Powell exemplify what theorist David Pye famously described as the “workmanship of risk” — a mode of creation in which the outcome is never entirely predetermined, and where mastery lies in navigating the inherent volatility of the material.

While glass takes center stage, the Modern Design auction also reflects the broader landscape of 20th- and 21st-century design. Works by Frank Lloyd Wright, George Nakashima, Evelyn and Jerome Ackerman, Peter Voulkos and Philip and Kelvin LaVerne highlight the dialogue between architecture, craft and sculpture, while a selection of Machine Age cocktail shakers and related objects captures the sleek, industrial aesthetic of early Modernism. The result is a sale that speaks to both seasoned collectors and those newly drawn to the field.

And if the May 1 auction celebrates the expressive potential of glass in the modern era, the April 30 Early 20th Century Design auction returns to its origins, where artistry and craftsmanship first elevated the material.

Leading the sale is an exceptional group of works by René Lalique, with more than 70 examples spanning his most innovative and sought-after designs. Among them, the Papillons Coffret (circa 1914) stands as one of the most exquisite of Lalique’s rare coffrets. Combining clear glass with silver reflective foil, sepia patina and richly grained woods, the box transforms a functional object into a poetic meditation on nature, its surface animated by a kaleidoscope of butterflies rendered with remarkable delicacy. Equally significant is his Quatre Guirlandes de Roses Entrelacs Quatre Pieds Vase (circa 1921), executed in Lalique’s prized cire perdue, or lost-wax technique.

“Lalique’s genius lies in his ability to merge technical innovation with an almost poetic sensitivity to nature,” says Nick Dawes, Heritage’s Senior Vice President of Special Collections. “His cire perdue works, in particular, are among the most personal and expressive objects he created, and they continue to resonate with collectors for their beauty and rarity.”

The Early 20th Century Design auction also features additional highlights from the Collection of Rex Rush, a focused group of French glass that builds on the success of its introduction in Heritage’s previous Design sale. Among these is a rare and monumental Lac de Côme vase by Gallé (circa 1925), a striking example of the artist’s landscape production. Standing at an impressive 20 inches, the vase captures an Italian lakeside scene with cypress trees and distant mountains, rendered in richly layered cameo glass that exemplifies Gallé’s technical mastery.

The sale includes iconic works of early modern design, from Tiffany Studios’ luminous Apple Blossom Table Lamp (circa 1910) to a Cypriote Vase (circa 1897) in Favrile glass, as well as Continental masterpieces such as Josef Hoffmann’s Sitzmaschine Chair (designed 1905) and a Zsolnay vase with iridescent eosin glaze. Together, these objects reflect a moment when design was undergoing profound transformation, as artists and makers embraced new materials and forms while redefining the relationship between art and industry.