Roche Bobois Sofa Takes Top Billing at Modern Living Sale
22/03/2021
A vibrant, modular sofa, featuring bold combinations of Missoni fabrics (lot 31), was the top performing lot at Mallams’ Modern Living sale on 17 March. The ‘Rythme’ sofa, by French furniture manufacturer, Roche Bobois, was purchased by the vendor in 2010 and achieved a hammer price of £2800, well above its £300-£500 estimate.
Overall the sale achieved almost £88,000, more than 9% above its top estimate, and almost 40% of online bidders registered for the sale via MallamsLive, the auction house’s own online bidding platform.
Glassware also performed well in the sale and two notable lots were 376 and 397. Lot 376 was an Aurene fish vase, designed by Michael Harris (1933-1994) for Mdina glass which was signed and dated 1970. Estimated at £300-£500 it saw several interested bidders pushing the price to £800, eventually selling to an online bidder. A sixteen piece glass sculpture (lot 397), by glass artist Isabelle Monod (b. 1945), also proved popular and the successful winning bid of £300 saw this lot returning to the artist’s home country of France.
With silver prices creeping ever higher it is no surprise that silver lots are keenly contested at auction. Such was the case for lot 429 in Mallams’ Modern Living Sale - a set of eight silver spoons by Louis Osman (1914-1996), presented in a 16cm tall yew box - which eventually sold to an online UK bidder for the stunning hammer price of £1700.
A light oak wardrobe by Chester cabinet makers, Brown and Lamont (lot 18), saw a number of interested parties pushing the price upwards, with this lot eventually selling for £1100, more than double its top estimate. Dating from the aesthetic movement of the late 19th century it featured two short and two long drawers, with hanging compartment above, brass handles and crossbanded inlay.
Lot 316 in the sale consisted of five pieces of studio pottery by Dameon Lynn, in the manner of Hans Coper, each with an impressed potter’s seal. Estimated at £60-£100 this lot achieved a price of £380.
A screenprint (lot 264) by the British artist, Charlotte Cornish (b.1967), was another popular lot in the sale. Cornish is one of the leading exponents of the contemporary movement in abstract printmaking, and her signed, ‘Into the new’ piece, numbered 80/95, had a number of interested parties and sold for £400 to a UK bidder.
Mallams is now accepting entries for its next Modern Living Sale on 18 August. If you have any items of interest, please call 01242 235712 or email Mallams' Modern Living specialist, Chloe Wood, at chloe@mallams.co.uk
All prices are subject to a 30% buyers' premium (VAT inclusive).
