Design
Heavy Metal Design
Patrick Fredrikson & Ian Stallard, Hurricane Console, 2015. Aluminum, wood, and resin, 20″ H X 73″ W X 31″ D. Image courtesy of Fredrikson Stallard.
If you thought the days of heavy metal were behind you, think again. Recently design furniture has seen a shift in demand as buyers have become more daring. A few years ago wooden design furniture dominated the market. Now, however, metal design furniture is experiencing a renaissance in its demand.
Marc Newson, Pod of Drawers, 1987. Stamped wood, fiberglass and riveted aeronautic aluminum, 51″ H X 28″ W X 18 1/2″ D. Sold for approximately $1.2 million in October 2016. Image and details courtesy of Artcurial [Lot 13].
In October 2016 Parisian auction house Artcurial hosted an auction dedicated to metal design furniture. Every lot sold, five records were broken, and sales totaled $3.1 million. This sale poignantly illustrated the range of metal design furniture as well as its historical appeal with lots dating back to the 1920’s.
For many designers working with metal has been a lifelong love affair. While metalsmithing is a lengthy and difficult process, the gleaming outcome is worth it.
Gianluca Pacchioni, Tropical Fossil II, 2017, unique. Wood structure created with liquid bronze and brass patina. 118 1/10″ H X 78 1/10″ W X 3 1/2″ D. Image and details courtesy of Les Ateliers Courbet.
For Italian designer Gianluca Pacchioni, his forge and studio are across from his home in Milan. He recently showed a set of bronze panels featuring bas -reliefs of tropical fauna at New York’s Collective Design Fair in May.
Gianluca Pacchioni, Tropical Fossil II, 2017, unique. A detailed view of the bas-relief fauna. Image and information courtesy of Les Ateliers Courbet.
Finding inspiration close to home, he selected the plants from his garden and incorporated them into his design. To counterbalance the weight of the bronze, Pacchioni artfully balances for texture and patina that he perfected over months.
As Pacchioni tells Departures Magazine, “Metal shouldn’t scare the observer, but should provoke a sensation of approachability.” Meticulously attention to design and detail allows for an elegant balance of scale, weight, and size.
Claude Lalanne, Crocodile Banquette, designed 2006. Gilt-bronze and copper, 32″ H X 56″ W X 22″ D. Sold in 2009 for $483,000. Image and details courtesy of Christie’s, [Lot 141].
Playful design furniture by Claude Lalanne continues to amaze seasoned and new collectors alike.
Each time Lalanne’s items cross the auction block, they fetch more than the high end of the estimate. Clearly the demand for Lalanne’s designs illustrates a strong desire for sculptural objects in the home.
Zhipeng Tan, Bronze Coffee Table, Walking Collection, 2017. 17 1/2″ H X 86″ W X 47″ D. Image and details courtesy of Zhipeng Tan.
As Zhipeng Tan showed us at Design Miami/Basel this past summer, his approach to designing with metal is a more glamorous approach.
He features designs in solid bronze with separate facets for the tabletop, and a web of small, gleaming legs beneath. We look forward to seeing what pieces Tan displays at The Salon Art + Design fair in November.
Ingrid Donat, Hommage à Klimt, 2014. Patinated bronze, gold leaf, 45 1/2″ H X 29 1/2″ W X 17″ D. Sold for $119,000. Image and details courtesy of PHILLIPS, [Lot 19].
Suzanne Lovell Inc. acquired this stunning cabinet for our client’s Skyline Penthouse. And we are pleased to have included an armchair and ottoman by Donat in our North Shore Contemporary residence.
Our admiration for Ingrid’s work is well established and we are always delighted to place her works within our portfolio.
Given our long and unique relationships with galleries and auction houses, we are well poised to source and acquire the finest objects for our clients. Be sure to follow us on Instagram as we post from The Salon Art + Design fair!
