Toomey & Co. Auctioneers to present ‘Art & Design’ sale on June 28

OAK PARK, IL.-Toomey & Co. Auctioneers will conduct its second Art & Design sale of 2020 on Sunday, June 28, showcasing nearly 600 lots of fine and decorative artworks, sculpture, early 20th century and modern furniture, art pottery, lighting, silver, jewelry, and more. Among the highlights of the auction will be works by notable Chicago and African-American artists and many fine examples from Art Nouveau and Arts & Crafts makers plus items by mid-century American and Danish designers.

The auction on June 28 will start at 10:00 a.m. CDT. at Toomey & Co. Auctioneers, 818 North Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois. In light of COVID-19, the sale will not be open to the public, but bidders may participate by phone (708-383-5234) or leave absentee bids ([email protected]). Early registration with Toomey & Co. is strongly recommended. In addition, bids may be placed via two real-time, third-party digital platforms (LiveAuctioneers and Invaluable).

Leading up to the sale, auction preview will take place both virtually and by appointment, pending local shelter ordinances. Those interested may contact [email protected] to schedule an appointment. The full catalog for Art & Design on June 28 is online at toomeyco.com.

Fine Art
Two works by Chicago surrealist Gertrude Abercrombie will lead the sale, a witch-themed oil on masonite, 4 Ladies Switches #2, 1951 (estimate $6,000-8,000) and a linoleum cut ($1,000-2,000). Ruth Duckworth, who spent many years in Chicago, will have a pair of sculptures available ($5,000-7,000 and $1,000-2,000). Two portraits by local Jewish artist Todros Geller will be offered ($10,000-20,000 and $5,000-7,000). In African-American art, an Aaron Douglas etching and aquatint ($3,000-5,000) plus works by Ernest Crichlow, Walter Sanford, and Wesley Willis will be featured. Early 20th century art includes landscapes from Carl Krafft ($6,000-8,000) and Gustave Baumann ($3,000-5,000). Other major artists featured are: Grant Wood, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Peter Max, and Joe Coleman.

Early 20th Century Design
Stunning Art Nouveau lighting from Tiffany Studios will grace the auction, such as a Moorish four-light chandelier ($15,000-25,000), a pair of Moorish pendant lights ($7,000-9,000), two Moorish table lamps ($6,000-8,000 each), plus Lemon Leaf and Acorn shade table lamps ($10,000-20,000 and $8,000-12,000). Furniture from American Arts & Crafts pioneer Gustav Stickley will include a director’s table and a library table ($10,000-20,000 each), a bridal chest ($8,000-12,000), an early chest of drawers and china cabinet ($7,000-9,000 each), and a wall plaque ($4,000-6,000). Notable art pottery consists of a rare tall Teco vase by Fritz Albert ($8,000-12,000) plus a vase or lamp base from architect William Le Baron Jenney ($1,500-2,500), multiple Grueby vases and a pine-themed tile ($2,000-3,000), and impressive forms by Roseville Pottery. Arts & Crafts silver and jewelry collectors will find items from Chicago’s Kalo Shop, Danish master Georg Jensen, and Californian Clemens Friedell. Various lots from Frank Lloyd Wright will be featured, including two of particular note: an architectural rendering for a mountain lodge in New Mexico ($10,000-20,000) and three seats from the Kalita Humphreys Theater in Dallas ($2,500-3,500).

Modern Design
The sale will also include a dining table and pair of chairs by Frank Lloyd Wright’s son, Lloyd Wright ($4,000-6,000), several Art Deco lots from Gilbert Rohde, and a selection of mid-century designs from Edward Wormley, including a rare table lamp with Tiffany Studios tiles ($2,000-3,000). Four lots by studio craft furniture maker George Nakashima will be up for bid: a splayed leg dining table ($8,000-12,000), six Grass Seat chairs ($8,000-12,000), a pair of Grass Seat stools ($3,000-5,000), and a daybed ($4,000-6,000). Vladimir Kagan’s salmon mohair Serpentine sofa ($10,000-20,000) will make a bold statement. Multiple lots featuring patinated bronze outdoor furniture from California’s Brown Jordan will go to the highest bidder. Other modern American designers of note represented in the auction are Charles and Ray Eames, George Nelson, Florence Knoll, Mies Van der Rohe, and Donald Judd. To conclude the auction, modern design from France, Italy, and Germany will be offered along with a wide array of Scandinavian design, comprising lots by the esteemed Finn Juhl, Hans Wegner, and Arne Jacobsen as well as a Grasshopper chaise lounge by Preben Fabricius and Jørgen Kastholm ($7,000-9,000).