LONDON.- Phillips’ Autumn auctions of Design will be highlighted by an evening sale dedicated to Nordic Masters. Presenting 55 exceptional pieces from the early 20th Century to the present day, the sale is highlighted by two rare works by Axel Johann Salto (1889-1961), which will be offered at auction for the first time and come directly from the family of the artist. Together with the Design auction, which will also be held on 21 September, the auctions are expected to realise a combined total in excess of £3.5 million.

Alexander Payne, Worldwide Director of Design, Phillips: “Nordic Masters presents an unprecedented offering of Nordic Design to be auctioned in London. Featuring museum-quality pieces by Scandinavian master cabinet makers, ceramicists, glass makers and architects, the sale is led by a curated collection of early works by Poul Henningsen. These are exceptional in age, scale, condition and provenance and symbolise our approach to offering unique and important pieces of design which appeal to the greatest connoisseurs and collectors.”

Highlights from Nordic Masters include three rare pieces of glazed stoneware by the Danish artist Axel Johann Salto, one of the greatest sculptural potters and designers of the twentieth century. Two of these come directly from the Salto family, ‘The Italian Bowl’, is thought to be the original, made in the Saxbo workshop in 1931-1932 (estimate: £50,000-70,000). The ‘Sommervase’ was first produced by Royal Copenhagen in 1931, and the present example was made in 1957 and presented by Salto to his daughter Naja Salto, the distinguished artist, as a gift for her 14th birthday in 1959 (estimate: £40,000-60,000, illustrated above left). These pieces are full of energy and sensuality, expressing a sense of growth and movement as Salto continued to be inspired by natural forms throughout his lifetime.

This sale features a curated collection of ten early important works by Poul Henningsen, led by one of only three known remaining examples of the ‘Paris’ lamp. The ‘Paris’ lamp, was celebrated for its innovative distribution of light after Henningsen and his manufacturer Louis Poulsen spent years perfecting and experimentating with layered shade design. The ‘Paris’ lamp can be considered the progenitor for the “system of lamp shades that completely surround the source of light so that no radiating rays can meet the eye directly.”

Arne Jacobsen Unique chest of drawers was designed for the villa at Vedbæk Strandvej 464. The villa, built in 1933, is one of the first projects Jacobsen designed in its entirety, working on both the building’s exterior and interior furnishings. The chest of drawers, which stood in the bedroom of the villa, is a rare collaborative work between Rud. Rasmussen and the young architect.