About 200 design objects and furniture from the WYETH gallery collection, starting at $1,000, will be showcased in a June 7 sale at Sotheby’s New York. Up for bid are works from Hans Wegner, Finn Juhl, Poul Kjaerholm, Paavo Tynell, Gino Sarfatti, George Nakashima, Edward Wormley, Charles and Ray Eames, James Prestini, and Carl Auböck, as well as pieces created by WYETH Studio. “WYETH: The Art of Timeless Design” embodies Scandinavian, American and European modernism. The full contents of the sale will go on public display at Sotheby’s New York galleries beginning June 3, in tandem with the annual spring Important Design auction.
John Birch, co-founder of WYETH, says, “The selection presented in this auction is a collection of my personal favorite objects gathered over 20 years. These pieces and the people who created them have inspired me and brought me great knowledge and joy. The collaboration with the remarkable staff of Sotheby’s has been a unique and awesome experience.”
“John Birch possesses one of the strongest curatorial visions I have encountered in this field,” says Jodi Pollack, co-head of the Sotheby’s 20th Century Design Department. “Truly appreciating his design philosophy and aesthetic requires firsthand experience with the objects and artists that inspire him. The pieces in our June sale reflect his unwavering commitment to good design principles and integrity of material and craftsmanship. John only acquires what he loves, and that personal approach radiates throughout the offering.”
