ZAHA HADID AND PATRICK SCHUMACHER
‘VORTEXX’ HANGING LIGHT, DESIGNED 2005, EXECUTED 2007
Estimate 70,000 — 90,000 Lot Sold 106,250
‘Switch On’ was an innovative section of the 20th Century Design sale held on November 4, 2015 at Sotheby’s in London, illuminating key moments in the history of lighting design in the 20th and 21st centuries. The sale began with Art Deco designs which showed the innovative use of new materials and culminated with the work of contemporary designers who’s artistic concepts pushed the use of new materials to their limits. The finale offered some especially fine examples of hallmark designs by Scandinavian artists such as Poul Henningsen and Italian artists including Max Ingrand and Gino Sarfatti.
Each lot in the ‘Switch On’ collection told a unique story. They included the pre-war origins of lighting design when new, industrial materials, were introduced – a radical departure from the ‘bare bulbs’ of previous times when the novelty and prestige of electricity and light meant bulbs were deemed too precious to obscure. The collection also traced the history of the scientific Scandinavian look towards light refraction and the playful and energetic Italian mid-century focus on research and innovation. ‘Switch On’ culminated with contemporary design including the architectural innovations of Zaha Hadid, the sculptural influences of Ingo Maurer and the colourful Perspex designs of Johanna Grawunder.
Ingo Maurer, ‘Ei Liegendes’ Floor Light, 2007
Estimate: £45,000-55,000
Lot Sold: £53,750
This rare ‘Ei Liegendes’ Floor Light, exists in very limited numbers as it is only produced on request by the Ingo Maurer studio. The piece encapsulates notions of purity, fertility, birth, damage and renewal – as light is being emitted from the darkness of a perfect form that has cracked.
Ingo Maurer,‘J.B. Dragonfly’, 2011,
Estimate: £12,000-18,000
Lot Sold: £56,250
Accentuated by delicately handmade dragonflies attracted to the central light, ‘J.B. Dragonfly’ was commissioned for RED, an innovative exhibition held at The Conran Shop in London in 2012. These unique items of furniture, lighting, fashion and home accessories were inspired by the iconic British Pillar Box. An artist that is notably associated with post-war and contemporary lighting design, Ingo Maurer’s works feature in museum collections, such as MoMA, the Stedelijk Museum and the Vitra Design Museum.
Tord Boontje,‘Ivy Shadow’ Chandelier, 2014, Produced by Porta Romana
Estimate: £8,000-12,000
Lot Sold: £10,000
This ‘Ivy Shadow Chandelier’ was the first piece produced for Tord Boontje’s ‘Enchanted Forest’ collection. Boontje’s vision was to recreate the shapes and shadows of sunlight shining through a tree canopy. Sprawling lengths of ivy twist their way through a flowing central frame, all suspended in the sky by a fluted cornet. This work is a wonderful juxtaposition of method and form: meticulously devised technical laser cutting was used to create something of whimsical and delicate beauty.
Fernando & Humberto Campana,‘Ouro Preto’ Floor Lamp, 2011
Estimate: £25,000-30,000
Lot Sold: £18,750
This ‘Ouro Preto’ Floor Lamp forms part of the Brazilian Baroque collection produced by Galleria O. in 2011, which comes to the sale from a Private Collection. The pieces contain ornate gilt bronze decoration in a variety of whimsical motifs – a playful reworking of the baroque aesthetic from the 17th and 18th centuries.
Gino Sarfatti, ‘Spider’ Ceiling Light, Model No. 2023, circa 1946-50
Estimate: £8,000-10,000
Available.
This Italian mid-century piece featuring 24 arms has rarely appeared at auction and utilises characteristic brass materials in its simple undulating arms and in the subtle decoration of the socket holders surrounding each bulb.
Stuart Haygarth,‘Tide’ Chandelier, 2005
Estimate: £10,000 – 15,000
Lot Sold: £13,750
Aptly titled ‘Tide chandelier’, this piece is created from debris washed up on the beach at Dungeness in southeast England. The unique combination of found objects creates an interesting and playful lighting effect.
The complete inventory of lighting that went up for sale including estimate price / sale price can be found here.
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