DIGEST 5: It's One Banana, Michael . . .
At Auction March 6-12, 2024
Number 10 this week is a four-figure garbage can and it does raise some questions. Preliminarily, it’s Maria Pergay—Russian born, French national, (1930-2023); she was an exceptional designer. The magazine rack and waste paper basket (“garbage can” is more fun) are in stainless steel from 1968, and they’re prime Pergay (this is a nice version). But yes, it’s more expensive than say, the Simple Human collection at Bed Bath and Beyond. The confounding part is that the Pergay will probably rise in value, while your Simple Human will not; the waste-paper-basket-as-store-of-value crowd can make a compelling economic argument for getting the Pergay. It’s really access to capital that’s holding you back. So . . . cash or credit?
There’s obviously more to say here about the power of brand, what collecting as a store of value entails, and why some garbage cans and not others achieve this status. The double life of things—qua “design object,” qua object of utility—is a driving interest to me and I hope you. So sometimes these listing are more about the spectacle and psychology of consumption than they are about shopping.
At the same time, I do get that you need a couch or a coffee table (you know who you are). Email me.
As always:
Landed Cost = Hammer Price + Premium + Shipping
Child Mascaron Stone Planter
I find the gaze of this masacron chilling. He’s seen too much . . .
Acrylic and Glass Dining Table
As many of you know, I struggle with glass dining table addiction. Part of my recovery is stopping myself from buying more of them by putting them here. Also: Millea Bros, where this is coming from, is a really fun auction house in NJ. They sometimes livestream the auctions on LiveAuctioneers and they’re fun to watch—good patter. Check it out.
Japanese Lacquer Boxes
These colors!
Robert Rauschenberg, 1968
Unsigned/not numbered, so kind of a glorified poster. I take it there were 300 numbered ones and then 500+ of these. But beautiful. And contemporaneous with the Pergays, which is kind of cute.
Medieval Stained Glass with Saint Simon the Zealot
Timeline Auctions is fishy to me in terms of their willingness to attest to the (very old) age of things without a preponderance of evidence. But people are out here selling DaVinci’s based on a hunch and a wish so who knows. Either way, if I didn’t have to deal with shipping, I would bid. It looks like someone threw a rock at it!
Maria Pergay Style Chairs
What is going on with me and M**** P*****? It’s getting weird . . .
Isabel O’Neil Style Lacquered Table
The Isabel O'Neil in question: here. Click through to see detail shots of the finish.
Black Forest Table
I have been mulling how insane it would be to have this in my apartment. The answer is criminally and I am, in truth, still on the fence. You have to click through to see the carving.
Tom Dixon Side Tables
Tom Dixon on The Arcades? Yes. I am a man of the people <3
Pergay Magazine Rack and Waste Paper Basket
They are kind of nice.