LOS ANGELES, CA.- Timed to coincide with the closing of the celebrated California Design Biennial, Bonhams & Butterfields' September 24, 2007 auction of 20th Century Decorative Arts features a diverse grouping of works spanning a century of design. Held in Los Angeles, the Fall sale highlights an enticing range of 20th century artistic output -- from the important early years through the modern and contemporary periods - including works by California designers Sam Maloof, Sami Hayek, Po Shun Leong, Beatrice Wood, Michael Taylor, Sally Sirkin Lewis, and John Dickinson, among others.

Contemporary designers are well-represented in the Fall sale. Featured makers include: Ron Arad, Danny Lane, Martin Szekely, Galtano Pesce and Oswald Mathias Ungers for Sawaya & Moroni. "We are pleased to add two new names to our offering this season: Eric Powell and Sami Hayek. The latter is brother of actress Selma Hayek, a California-based artist and burgeoning 'Designer to the Stars'. We are honored to be the first major auction house to offer works by these artists," said Frank Maraschiello, 20th Century Design Department Director.

Of interest to an international pool of collectors will be designs of Ron Arad. Arad, a self-taught designer-maker of sculptural furniture, an artist and an architect, founded the London-based architecture and design firm One Off Limited (also called Office Cum Showroom) with Caroline Thorman in Covent Garden in 1981.

One of the first pieces of furnishings produced by Arad was a compilation of two everyday objects selected and designated as art. Assembled from a seat from a Rover 2000 auto and secured to a frame of 1930s designed Kee-Klamp scaffolding, the work titled Rover Chair paved the way for other ground breaking compilations that followed, including his iconic stereo cast in concrete. Credited with capturing the essence of 1980s London, Arad designs and other pieces from One Off Limited paved the way for lost individualism in the new urban landscape that followed punk.

This month, Bonhams & Butterfields is offering a Ron Arad Rover two-seater (est. $10/15,000) and one seat (est. $4/6,000), both designed in 1981, and a concrete stereo, designed in 1983 (est. $10/15,000). Among the artists whose works were shown at Arad's One Off Limited is the American-born glass artist Danny Lane. Recognizable by the distinctive work with layer upon layer of sheet glass, a pair of Lane stacking glass side chairs come to auction with an estimate of $4,000 to $6,000 each.

On offer will be a desk commissioned by Elizabeth Letts Janss, daughter of Harold Janss, a prominent Los Angeles real estate developer who laid out the plans for Westwood, Holmby Hills and other LA County subdivisions. Ms. Janss was the granddaughter of Arthur Letts who founded The Broadway department stores and financed the chain of Bullocks department stores in the mid-1950s. The desk is a prominent, yet understated work executed with mid-century grace (est. $4/6,000) designed by Paul Laszlo. Laszlo's designs were popular with the Hollywood celebrity set and social elite of the day including: future-US President Ronald Reagan, Gary Cooper, Barry Goldwater, Fritz Lang, the Vanderbilts, Barbara Hutton, Debbie Reynolds, Billy Wilder, John D. Hertz and Barbara Stanwyck, among others.

An additional highlight from the sale's California Design section is a handsome contemporary open steel and Douglas fir bookcase by noted sculptor Eric Powell. The piece towers seven-feet tall and is signed and dated by the artist (est. $3/5,000). Highly sought after for his talents, Powell has garnered much attention from museum exhibitions and been offered important commissions for public works. His awards and accolades include those from the Museum of Modern Art, New York, a sculpture for the Northern California BART train system - viewable at the 16th and Mission station very near the auctioneer's San Francisco salesroom, and a commission for the city of Oakland, California, among others.

Also on offer in September is property from the estate of the late Dr. Simon Pinhas, respected Beverly Hills ophthalmologist and a noted collector of fine 20th century works in glass. Initially trained as a jeweler, Pinhas pursued a degree as a corneal specialist at New York Medical College. Over the years he became fascinated with the optical properties of glass and the history of the ancient art form. His collection will offer a full range of early pieces and rare later works in glass including examples by Daum, Gallé, Schneider, Almeric Walter, Duc de Caranza, D'Argental and others.

Another California artist represented in the September sale is Beatrice Wood. On offer will be a whimsical sculpture entitled The Cat Who Went to Philadelphia (est. $5/8,000), a small closed form vase and folded shallow bowl (est. $1,000/1,500) as well as a spherical vase (est. $1,000/1,500).

Also on offer: a collection of ceramic works including studio pottery from Gertrude and Otto Natzler displaying unusual glazes; two 1910 rare Teco vases - Model 157 by William Dodd (est. $5/8,000) and a punch bowl by Fritz Albert (est. $4/6,000); an eight-inch wide green glaze Tiffany Studios Favrile pottery tulip bowl (est. $4/6,000) and work from Harrison McIntosh. Additional ceramicists featured include Clarice Cliff, Janet Lowe and James Melchert.

The marquee lots within the sale's Art Deco section include two French Art Deco rosewood dining room suites by Lyonaise designer Christian Krass. Comprising a dining table and six chairs (est. $10/15,000) and a handsome sideboard (est. $18/25,000), this 1930s suite features sleek Modernist lines and elegant nickeled hardware.

Three lots of work by interior decorator Tony Duquette will also be featured. One highlight, a fanciful gouache on board entitled Tony Cat, is offered with an estimate of $3,000 to $5,000. The work, within a butterfly-adorned painted frame, was a wedding gift to the consignor.

Three unusual Aubusson tapestries will be offered in Los Angeles. The first, Paon de Nuit (est. $3/5,000), is by Jean Lurcat, famed painter and carpet and tapestry designer. Lurcat's works for Myrbor and the Aubusson weavers are highly appreciated -- so much so that the cultural center in Aubusson bears his name. The second, by Elie Grekoff, is a vibrant landscape scene (est. $2/3,000) and the third is by master colorist Victor Vasarely, known for his illusionary Op-Art paintings and prints (est. $4/6,000).

The Modern Design section will include furniture by Isamu Noguchi, Florence Knoll, Hans Wegner, Robert Venturi, Karl Springer and Frank Lloyd Wright for Heritage Henredon, among others.

The September 24 sale of 20th Century Furniture and Decorative Arts is expected to attract collectors and connoisseurs alike with its wonderful examples of style, grace and a century of elegance on the auction block. Los Angeles preview events are scheduled for September 21-23 in Bonhams & Butterfields' Sunset Boulevard galleries.