Object Culture

George Nelson for Howard Miller Small Cigar Bubble Lamp, ca 1950s This is an iconic bubble lamp designed by George Nelson, originally for the Howard Miller Clock Company. As you can...

Bob Matheny Allied Crafstmen San Diego My Haiku Alphabet Letter E Sculpture 1998 This is a unique sculpture made by artist Robert "Bob" Matheny in 1998, as indicated on the bottom o...

Lee Rosen for Design Technics Incised and Slip Decorated Abstract Design Vase, ca 1950s This is a gorgeous and unique Design Technics vase by Lee Rosen that features a biomorphic sh...

Bob Matheny Allied Crafstmen of San Diego Sculpture, 2013 This unique sculpture, titled "Public Art That is Daring & Daringly Odd", signed and dated 2013 on the bottom, executed by ...

Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen Egg Footstool in Red Wool, ca 1960s This is a hard-to-find original footstool that was designed to accompany the iconic Egg Chair, design by Arne Jaco...

Renzo Stellon for Salviati Orange Satin Finish "Drops" Vase 2003 This is a beautiful hand-blown reddish orange glass vase with a satin finish signed Salviati 2003 (first designed in...

Pucci De Rossi for H Dolin Stuart Signed Battista Occasional Table, 1987 A delightful postmodern sculptural side table with an interlocking charcoal color metal base with glass top ...

Erik Eiserling California Red and Blue Art Glass Fish, ca 2000s Adorable red and blue art glass fish with white eyes. Created by California artist Erik Eiserling in the early 2000s....

Stefano Giovannoni for Alessi, Italy "Fruit Mama" Fruit Holder, designed in 1993 No longer in production, this is a fun, useful and sculptural fruit bowl that is certain to gain att...

Amber Resin Fractal in the style of Francois Godebski, ca 1970s Very cool resin sphere in an amber color, unsigned, but certainly has all the hallmarks of Francois Godebski sculptur...

Robert Kuo Oversized Copper Repoussé Apple, ca 2000s This is a large and beautiful decorative copper apple that is sure to command attention in any area. Robert Kuo designs are the ...

John Dickinson Lacquered Y Table, ca 1970s This is a rare Y-table (model 118) in lacquered resin, designed by John Dickinson. This is a special table and would fit in a variety of d...

Curtis Jeré Chrome Plated Tic Tac Toe Set on Charcoal Black Marble Base, ca 70s This is a great decorative item or useful piece for a collector and admirer of vintage games or of Cu...

Nanbu, Japan Cast Iron Ikebana Footed Vase / Planter ca 1950s/60s Nanbu is an area of Japan that is famous for making quality cast iron products, in...

Yasha Heifetz Rotaflex Table Lamp, ca 1950s A rare version of the Heifetz Rotaflex lamp featuring a spun plastic cord shade that rests inside a pierced brass receptacle that mounts ...

Emilia Castillo Taxco Mexico Silver Plated Vase, ca 1980s Vase measures 13"H high x 16" diameter; mouth measures 7-1/4" diameter and base measures...

Robert Kuo Monumental Limited Edition Cream Lacquer and Copper Liao Floor Vase, ca 2005. This is a beautiful and elegant floor vase that's sure to make a strong presence in any room, whether of a traditional, modern or contemporary design. Quality is the calling card of all Robert Kuo designs and meticulous attention to detail is seen throughout this piece. This is an heirloom quality piece for those with discriminating taste. Robert Kuo's own story presents a life that partakes of the best of Chinese and 20th century traditions. Born in Beijing, he moved with his family to Taiwan in 1947. Kuo grew up in an artistic environment. His father, an art professor and Chinese watercolor painter, started a cloisonne atelier where Robert became an apprentice at age fifteen. Although he never engaged in formal art studies, Kuo gained technical expertise and learned about decorative tradition from "hands on" training. As he mastered each of the steps involved in cloisonne from preparing copper bases to enameling and firing the kilns, Kuo absorbed all the basics that were to serve him throughout his artistic career. While pursuing his studies in Taipei, Kuo assisted his father in the creation of a cloisonne studio. A visit to the United States persuaded the young artist/entrepreneur that the American environment would benefit him, both personally and professionally. In 1973, he immigrated to the United States and opened a studio for cloisonne in Beverly Hills. Kuo cultivated a clientele that appreciated the way he "opened up" Chinese tradition. Utilizing the influences of Art Noueau and Art Deco, Kuo introduced new shapes, finishes, and objects to cloisonne It was during this time that the Smithsonian's Sackler Gallery acquired his "Goldfish Bowl", with its lively naturalism. In 1984, he erected the airy, contemporary building that is still home to Robert Kuo. Located directly across from the Pacific Design Center at Melrose Avenue and San Vicente Boulevard, the Kuo Gallery quickly became a favorite stop for designers seeking distinctive decorative objects for their clientele. By 1985, Kuo shifted his focus from working in cloisonne to repousse, the art of hammering decorative relief onto metal. Instead of applying enamel to a copper base, the artist began to experiment with applying different finishes to the hammered base. Kuo looked to China for artisans experienced in ancient techniques. He trained craftsmen to adapt their skills to repousse forms and objects. Today, he spends 4-6 months of the year in China to create new pieces, which are then finished in Los Angeles. Robert Kuo offers a wide variety of decorative objects, from small tabletop pieces to furniture and large landscaping elements. The work can be seen around the world, from the National History Museum in Taipei to exclusive hotels like the Singapore Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco's Hotel Palomar, Las Vegas MGM Grand Villas and New York Four Seasons. He is inspired by organic forms found in nature, as well as the timeless "motifs" of the Chinese Han and Ming dynasties - often combining them with Deco and Nouveau influences. Sophisticated design showrooms in the U.S. and Europe such as McGuire and Baker Furniture represent Robert Kuo accessories and lighting, while Gump in San Francisco sells special pieces and holds Kuo exhibitions twice a year. While most of his recent work has been in repousse, he has designed a new collection of cloisonne lighting...

Matthews and Parker Custom Tour Eiffel Table After Jean Royère, ca 2005 This beautiful cocktail / coffee table is a classic modern design custom m...

Florence Knoll 1950s Parallel Bar Chair with Fab Abstract Black and White Bird Fabric The Florence Knoll Parallel Bar Lounge Chair, Model 51, is a classic example of mid-century mod...

Kimball USA Pair Fiberglass Bullet Planters on Iron Stands, ca 1950s Charcoal gray fiberglass bullet shaped planters sit into iron tripod stands as shown. These classic bullet plan...

Purvis Young (1943-2010) "Sailing to Freedom" Painting, 1999 Includes signed COA document from Patrick T. and Just A. Parker indicating the painting was acquired directly from the a...

Purvis Young (1943-2010) Abstract Painting, ca 1990s Includes paper attesting to this work being part of the "American Salvage Find" where numeroius work presumed to be Purvis Young...

John De La Rosa California Brutalist Fish Sculpture, ca 2000s Sculpture measures 30" wide, 7-1/4" deep, 17-1/4' high overall, Base plate measures 7-1/4" square, 1" high. Signature e...

Geoffrey Bowman (1928-2009) "Black Diamond", Oil and Mixed Media on Canvas, 1984 Beautiful colorful and textural smaller scale painting by California artist Geoffrey Bowman. Measures 21-1/2" high, 21-1/2" wide as framed. Canvas measures 21" high, 21" wide. Signed and dated on reverse. Retains partial artist tag. Geoffrey Bowman was born in San Francisco on December 29, 1928. In 1946, he quit high school and joined the Navy and traveled to China, Korea, the Philippines, and Hawaii. In 1948 after being discharged from the Navy, Bowman earned his high school equivalency diploma. Five years later he met and married his first wife Mill, and graduated from San Francisco State University with a BA in Social Science. During this time he also became intensely interested in art and printmaking and began to study art formally. By 1957 Geoffrey had earned his graduate degree in art and began to teach art in San Quentin. In 1960 Bowman left his teaching job at San Quentin to spend more time working on his art and examining Asian philosophy at the American Academy of Asian Studies in San Francisco. During this time to support himself and his wife Geoffrey drove a taxi at night so that he could have his days free to work in the studio. In 1964 he joined the art faculty at San Jose State University and moved to San Jose and became a full professor in 1973. Geoffrey taught at SJSU for twenty-nine years, specializing in lithography and intaglio printmaking techniques. At the same time he was deeply involved in his own work and accumulated an impressive professional exhibition record and his work was exhibited regionally, nationally, and internationally. Bowman’s work is in several public permanent collections including the San Jose Museum of Art, San Francisco Museum of Art, Achenbach Foundation of Graphic Arts San Francisco, Lannan Foundation New York, and Crown Press Berkeley. After retiring from teaching in 1994 Geoffrey turned to painting as his primary medium of expression. Although there was a media shift he continued to focus on one subject: the consistency of change. This he accomplished in part with combinations of paint and an assortment of reflective materials such as metallic flake and leaves, glass beads, and light-refracting pigments. Bowman became quite private in his later years and had his last one-man public exhibition in 2001 at the Fredrick Spratt Gallery in San Jose. Bowman died in San Jose, California on October 9, 2009. Source: The Annex Galleries

Nick Crosbie for Inflate UK "Chair" Pair of Inflatable Cushion Chairs ca 1996-97 As much a piece of art as a piece of furniture, this pair of inflatable chairs was produced in Engla...

This is a beautiful sofa in a biomorphic shape emblematic of the designs of the 1950s. Although no labels are present as the sofa has been reupholstered in the past, the dimensions a...

Paul Frankl for Johnson Furniture Cork and Mahogany Corner Table, ca 1951 Unique large corner table that would be perfect with two larger mid-century sofas set in a L-shape arrangem...

1960s Pop Art Oversized Light Bulb Pendant Light Unique pendant lamp in the form of an oversized light bulb made of blown glass and metal cap with a red en...

Peter Pepper Products Palos Verdes California Surfboard Candle Holders ca 1950s Fun and original set of four 1950s wall sconces manufactured by Peter Pepper Products in Palos Verdes, California, ca 1950s. The sconces are purple, orange, green and blue carved wood planks...

Style of Tony Paul Rattan Fish Trap Lamp with Ball Feet, ca 1960s Rattan or possibly bamboo fish trap basket shade woven on a wrought iron frame with...

Gustav Kvapil (1914-2015), Scottsdale Black Walnut Sculpture on Custom Metal Stand, ca 1970s Striking carved wood sculpture in a newer custom metal stand. As seated the overall di...

Waterford Crystal Contemporary Amber and Opal "Evolution" Vase This is a gorgeous opaline crystal vase with amber design throughout and a swirl motif on the base by famed Irish glas...

Lorraine Crawford, Berkeley California Brutalist Iron Sculpture, ca 1960s. Attribution provided by previous owner. Dimensions: Overall: 29½" high x 14" wide x 7½" deep St...

Chinese Round Black Lacquer Box with Mother of Pearl Inlay, likely 20th Century Beautiful and useful 20th century. Chinese lacquer box of circular shape, the domed cover with flora...

American Deco Pair Chrome Bud Vases, ca 1930s Unmarked, therefore listed as "in the style" of Chase and Co. Original vintage condition and expected wear. Some scratches throughout ...

Art Nowo for Elmar Flototto, Germany Postmodern "SUCU" Cactus Lamps, ca 1990 The set consists of two larger lights measuring 30” high x 14” diameter, and one smaller light measuring...

Design Technics Brown Tone Ceramic Lamp with Original Fiberglass Shade, ca 1950s This lamp was purchased in New Jersey around 2013 at the Estate of one of the cousins of the Design ...

Brutalist, USA Sculptural Gilt Eyelash or Wheat Sheaf Chandelier, ca 1970s Union label found on lamp so presume was made in the United States although I have seen listings for the s...

Maurizio Tempestino for Salterini Pair Clamshell Lounge Chairs, ca 1950s Overall dimensions are 22-1/2” wide, 25” deep, approximately 26”high. Seat varies from 11" high back to 15-1...

Measures 12-3/4” high, 7-1/2” wide at the mouth, 2-7/8” wide at the base. Stamped on base METAAL Grainware c 1992 Michael Lax Design ML-4012 There are some light scuffs and scratches especially toward the base, patina to finish. See images for detail. Michael Lax (1929–1999) was an American industrial designer who created household products for companies such as Copco, Lightolier, Dansk, Salton, Metaal, Mikasa, Tupperware, and American Cyanamid. Several of his best-known products, including the Lytegem lamp by Lightolier and the Copco enamel...

Karim Rashid for Leonardo Germany Limited Edition New Move Silver Glass Vase, ca 1999. Measures 8” high, base 3-1/2” wide, and mouth 2-1/4” wide. There is a small scratch of silver finish/coating on glass (we've posted an image of the interior and exterior at the area of the scratch). There is also a faint area of small blemishes at the base See images for more detail. If there’s one thing karim rashid hates, it’s trophies. The 40-year-old designer has more than 40 of them, from big international ones like the 1999 George Nelson Award (given for breakthrough furniture design), to quaint little Canadian ones like Designer of the Year 2001. “It came with a little pin,” says Rashid, “and a … a … very nice …” He tries to describe the shape of the award with his hands but gives up. “It’s time that whole trophy thing changes. It’s kitsch. They’re functionless things.” Rashid was asked to design one for the DaimlerChrysler Design Awards (he’s a past recipient). “I was going to make it electro-luminescent. When the lights go out, it has a sensor so it turns on,” he says. But the trophy-as-night-light, a reminder of one’s worth in the darkest hours, didn’t impress Chrysler’s people. He never heard back. They may well be gnawing their knuckles over that decision right now because Rashid’s conquest of the realm of product design is all but complete. A lush and suitably worshipful retrospective of his work, Karim Rashid: I Want to Change the World (Thames & Hudson; 249 pages), hits Australasian bookstores this month. There was a crowd around anything with his stamp on it-including stools, chess sets and storage units-at the recent International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York City. More than 2 million North Americans are throwing their rubbish into a receptacle he designed, while 750,000 or so park their rears on one of his cheapo plastic chairs. It’s not just in North America. He has been dubbed Der Poet des Plastiks by a retailer in Germany and the prolifico progettista Americano by Interni magazine in Italy. Trophies he may despise, but accolades Rashid can handle. The problem with being the Most Famous Industrial Designer in All the Americas is that you’re still less famous than someone who got kicked off Survivor the first week. Most people cannot name the designer of one nonclothing item in their homes. Rashid, who was born in Egypt, raised in Canada and is living in New York City, is more than happy to bring an end to this anonymity. Not just because he wants to be famous, although there seems to be that, but because he believes design should be a bigger part of the social discourse. “I have been almost alone in this country, trying to make design become a public subject,” he says. His chief method of persuasion is to make the banal better so that people notice design more. He likes creating expensive furniture and perfume bottles just fine, but what really gets his juices going is the everyday: manhole covers, a cremation urn, disposable cigarette lighters, garbage bins, salt and pepper shakers, plastic pens. “I want American Standard to come to me to do the toilets for Home Depot,” he says. In many ways Rashid is more like an itinerant industrial evangelist than a designer. He traveled 200 days last year. He claims to have been to every major mall in America, where he signs his products in high-end design stores and trolls about observing humans interacting with the objects around them. He has taught at design schools for more than a decade, and his work has been in 11 art shows in the past eight months. But mostly he has proselytized the corporate barbarians. And like any good missionary, he has learned to speak the language of his converts. One of the first things he does when he gets new clients is tour their factories to understand their manufacturing capacity. He also visits the retail outlets to see how the product might be displayed. And he really knows how to sell, especially himself. “I work with a guy in L.A.,” says Rashid, declining to name him. “He made a lot of really bad furniture. His business was hand-to-mouth. I proposed seven or eight projects. The pieces I’ve done for him have already become iconic.” The subtitle of his monograph, I Want to Change the World, is not ironic, just characteristically immodest. “Most industrial-design studios try to interpret a client’s needs and come up with a style,” says Paul Rowan, co-founder of housewares manufacturer Umbra. “Karim has his own personal vision.” It helps that Rashid’s vision incorporates things that Rowan needs, like a design that will stack and ship easily and that creates little waste in the making. Rashid’s father was a set designer for Canadian TV who rearranged the family furniture every Sunday. So perhaps it was ordained that Karim would grow up to become one of the pioneers in non-cheesy plastic, making objects that have energy and personality but aren’t wacky. He, like many of his generation, has championed the could-only-be-designed-with-computers blob. But his is not just a blob for its own sake. His Oh Chair...

Evelyn Ackerman Carved Redwood Panel for Panelcarve, circa 1950s. Features a bird, ram and frog in typical Ackerman style. Measures 36" wide, 12" high and 1" deep. Stamped "copyrig...

Victoria Littlejohn California Pottery Notched Ceramic Bowl, ca 1960s Bowl measures 7” diameter at base, 8-1/4” diameter at rim, and 3-1/4” high. Signed Littlejohn 472 on base. There is one pinprick glaze nick or skip, possibly from production. This bowl is highly carved so it's very difficult to see or notice. One "tooth" on the edge may have an older repair, it's difficult to tell but we've added several images and priced accordingly. See photos for details. Victoria Littlejohn is a California native, who received her BFA and MFA from USC, where she studied with F. Carleton Ball...

Midcentury Iron 6 Candle Candelabra, ca 1950s in the style of some of Van Keppel-Green's work in California in the 50s and 60s. Composed of wrought iron rods bent and welded with si...

Mastercraft USA Elegant Black Lacquer and Brass Console, ca 1970s Stunning and long Mastercraft black lacquer and brass console table with Greek key motif. This is an uncommon piec...

Helmut Schaffenacker Ulm, Germany Abstract Ceramic Fish Plaque, ca 50s This is a beautifully executed ceramic wall plaque with abstract fish decor with a deep blue mottled backgrou...

A stunning pair of Light Sculpture Sconces created by Stephen White. Crafted from bent wood and paper and inspired by asian lanterns and the natural beauty of Alaska and Hawaii, thes...

Emma Gismondi Schweinberger for Artemide "Dedalo" Red ABS Plastic Umbrella Stand, ca 1966. This is an iconic space age MOD item made in the mid-late 60s in Italy. A perfect Pop Art ...

Marc Bellaire Balinese Ceramic Covered Dish California ca 1950s. This is a fabulous and colorful hand-painted designed ceramic dish that could be used on a dresser to store trinkets ...

Lorin Marsh fluted lucite ice bucket with gold plated lid and trim, ca 1970s. This is an elegant luxury item retailed at Lorin Marsh, one of the first boutique showrooms in New York....

Marre Moerel Signed and Numbered Limited Edition "Gluteus" Murano Glass Vase for Covo, Italy, ca 2001. This vase is part of her Anatomy Series and is numbered #5 of 29. The glass is a deep purple color (eggplant or wine) cased with white glass sandwiched with a pink/clear glass on the interior. Marre has said that the shapes were in reference to the beauty of the human body and colors chosen to reflect the variety of skin tones. Highly evocative and intriguing, this design is beautiful and also evokes conversation and thought. A true piece of art! This sculpture is part of a project named Smash, and curated by Emmanuel Babled for Covo in 2001. A group of famous designers (James Irvine, Jeffrey Bennet, Jerszy Seymour, Marre Moerel, Richard Hutten, Ritsue Mishima...

Marre Moerel Signed and Numbered Limited Edition "Corpus Cavernosum" Murano Glass Vase for Covo, Italy, ca 2001. This vase is part of her Anatomy Series and is numbered #2 of 29. The glass is a deep purple color (eggplant or wine) cased with white glass sandwiched with a pink/clear glass on the interior. Marre has said that the shapes were in reference to the beauty of the human body and colors chosen to reflect the variety of skin tones. Highly evocative and intriguing, this design is beautiful and also evokes conversation and thought. A true piece of art! This vase is part of a project named Smash, and curated by Emmanuel Babled for Covo in 2001. A group of famous designers (James Irvine, Jeffrey Bennet, Jerszy Seymour, Marre Moerel, Richard Hutten, Ritsue Mishima...

Marre Moerel Signed and Numbered Limited Edition "Corpus" Murano Glass Vase for Covo, Italy, ca 2001. This vase is part of her Anatomy Series and is numbered #6 of 29. The glass is a light pink color (almost a flesh color) cased with white glass sandwiched with orange glass on the interior. Marre has said that the shapes were in reference to the beauty of the human body and colors chosen to reflect the variety of skin tones. Highly evocative and intriguing, this design is beautiful and also evokes conversation and thought. A true piece of art! This vase is part of a project named Smash, and curated by Emmanuel Babled for Covo in 2001. A group of famous designers (James Irvine, Jeffrey Bennet, Jerszy Seymour, Marre Moerel, Richard Hutten, Ritsue Mishima...

Frank Matranga Manhattan Beach California Pottery Spiral Design Vase ca 1970s. This glaze on this vase has a beautiful coloration including purples, reds, blues and browns, The des...

Exquisite Maitland Smith Tessellated Rosso Levanto Marble Box, ca 1990s. This octagonal slope sided box is clad in a beautiful tessellated rosso levanto marble and accented with a ...

Lee Porzio, Untitled, Oil on Gesso Board with String, ca 1960s. Painting measures 32: high x 48" wide; with frame painting measures 33-1/2 high x 49-3/4" wide. Painting is in good vintage condition with new gold wood frame. LEE PORZIO (1913-2004) Lee was born in Paterson, New Jersey in September 1913 to Italian immigrant parents. Growing up in nearby Hawthorne, New Jersey, Lee met first husband Angelo di Benedetto, by then a well-known artist in his own right. They married in 1942 while Angelo was serving in the Air Force. In 1946, when he was discharged, they remained in Colorado, where he had been stationed, settling in Central City near Denver. Apparently, Angelo’s years-long obsession with turning a warehouse into a giant art studio created tension in their relationship ending in their divorce. By 1953, Lee had met Allen Ditson and moved to Arizona; they married in 1954. Once in Arizona, they began building their reputations as artists able to work in various media. Allen was a sculptor in metal and wood and a furniture designer. Lee was known for her skill as a graphic artist and could execute her designs in clay, oils, fabrics and fibers. Her work was sold at fine galleries nationwide. Together, their commissions include works of dramatic size and scope in the architectural and commercial field throughout the United States as well as intimate pieces for homes and small offices. Their work adorned numerous banks, offices, restaurants, churches and university buildings all over Phoenix, Arizona. Lee passed away in Paradise Valley, Arizona in 2004. Allen died in 2007. Exhibitions: - Syracuse Ceramic National Exhibition, 1948 - Art Institute of Chicago, 25th Annual Exhibition by the Society for Contemporary American Art...

“Geometrics in Space”, Acrylic on Canvas in White Artist Frame, signed H Karp ‘80. Great graphic painting in vivid shades of blue, green, red and white. Artist unknown. Hard-edge style that also fits in with the Post-modern style and interiors. The painting is somewhat reminiscent of Soviet constructivism...

Cornelia (Corrie) Johanna Schmidt-Tom (1934-2020), Dutch-American, Fabulous Rectangular-Form Fiber Art in vivid red, purple, pink, blue, orange and white with a tan border around the...

A pair of fabulous T7 Tractor seat stools designed by Rodney Kinsman, a British designer, for his company OMK in 1971. Truly an avant-garde design in a highly desirable red color. Th...

Karim Rashid Shroom Stool designed for IDEE, Japan in 1998. This silver vinyl version was a limited edition and is signed and numbered #4/57 on the IDEE labeled fabric on the bottom of the stool. It was part of the TOTEM Design collection; TOTEM - The Objects That Evoke Meaning - was a a progressive and influential retail design gallery in Manhattan operating between 1994-2004 that represented cutting edge modern design of the period. Overall the stool is on good condition with a couple small tears, minor dents and scuffs to the vinyl, and wear as shown in the detail photos. The stool measures 18" high x 16 ½" wide x 14" deep. Karim Rashid (born 1960) is an Egyptian-born and Canadian raised industrial designer. His designs include luxury goods, furniture, lighting, surface design, brand identity and packaging. Time magazine has described him as the "most famous industrial designer in all the Americas" and the "Prince of Plastic". He is based in New York City, as well as Belgrade, Miami and India. Rashid's work is featured in 20 permanent collections. His pieces are exhibited in museums worldwide, including the MoMA, Centre Pompidou, and SFMOMA. He is known for designs such as the "Garbo" waste can and "Oh Chair...