The Furniture & Decorative Arts portion of the April 18th auction will feature an impressive selection pieces. Featured is a sculptural Alvar Aalto bentwood tea trolley.
Crafted by Finnish modernist master Alvar Aalto, this elegant tea trolley exemplifies his signature minimalist form. Aalto’s visionary approach to design brought warmth and humanity to modernism — balancing clean lines with natural materials.
Learn more about the Alvar Aalto tea trolley to be offered April 18th!
This piece is not only functional — it’s a sculptural icon of 20th-century design.
An Alvar Aalto bentwood tea trolley. Estimate: $2,500–$3,500
Clars’ very own appraiser Deric Torres helped a customer who thought she had a rare Oscar Bach Hall telephone table worth a fortune.
Furniture & Decorative Arts
Stories & News
Sculptural, Iconic, and Effortlessly Modern
Design
Stories & News
This April 18th we will offer pair of Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen Swan chairs — sculptural, iconic, and effortlessly modern.
Designed in 1958 for the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen, the Swan chair is one of Arne Jacobsen’s most celebrated works. A master of Danish modernism, Jacobsen blended form and function with striking elegance. His designs, including the Egg and Swan chairs, continue to shape interiors worldwide.
Learn more about these iconic chairs to be offered April 18th!
This pair, produced by Fritz Hansen, represents the enduring legacy of Scandinavian design — minimalist, organic, and timeless. Offered at an estimate of $1,200–$1,500, these iconic chairs will be sure to enhance any space.
A pair of Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen Swan chairs. Estimate: $1,200–$1,500
Clars’ very own appraiser Deric Torres helped a customer who thought she had a rare Oscar Bach Hall telephone table worth a fortune.
Furniture & Decorative Arts
Stories & News
Contemporary Glass Collection
Design
Estate Spotlight
Clars is pleased to offer one of the most extensive contemporary glass collections in Northern California as part of a prominent Bay Area estate on Thursday, March 21st in our Spring Modern + Contemporary Art + Design Auction.
Dale Chihuly (American b. 1941), Translucent Violet Persian set with yellow-orange lip wrap, 1992. Estimate: $15,000–$20,000
The couple were tireless and passionate about the art of glass blowing, and spent over three decades acquiring important pieces. They were known nationally as top tier collectors. From this collection, Clars will be offering iconic pieces from several artists, including Dale Chihuly, Dan Dailey, Therman Statom, David Salvadore, and Joel Phillip Myers.
Dan Dailey, Moon Man, vase, 1992, blown, cut and etched glass, 20″h x 15″dia. Estimate: $8,000–$12,000
Jay Musler, Cityscape Bowl, sandblasted and airbrushed paint decorated glass, 9.5″h x 18″dia. Provenance: Marx Saunders Gallery, Chicago, IL 1999. Estimate: $5,000–$7,000
Joel Philip Myers, Contiguous Fragment Series, vase, glass, 14.5″h x 15.5″w x 3.5″d. Provenance: Maurine Littleton Gallery, Washington DC, 2000. Estimate: $4,000–$6,000
Richard Royal, R93-161 & R93-162, Relationship Series, lot of two, 1993, blown and acid etched glass, greatest 32″h. Provenance: Richard Royal Studio, Seattle, WA 1993. Estimate: $4,000–$6,000
John Littleton and Kate Vogel, Four Bags, 2006, blown glass 17.5″h x 12.5″w x 8″d. Estimate: $3,000–$5,000
Davide Salvadore (Italian, b. 1956), Chitimara 2, Murrini glass with fiber, 29.5″h x 12.5″w x 16″d. Estimate: $6,000–$9,000
Therman Statom (American, b. 1953), Agua de Esmerelda, glass with mixed media, overall: 84″h x 16″w x 5″d. Estimate: $5,000–$7,000
Steven Klein, Balance 64, two vessels on plinth, 2007, glass, 7″h x 7″dia; base: 1.25″h x 18.5″w. Provenance: Davis and Cline, Ashland, OR, 2008. Estimate: $2,000–$4,000
Petr Hora, sculpture Czechoslovakia, 1998, glass, signed, 13″h x 17.75″w x 3.25″d. Provenance: Heller Gallery, New York City, NY. Estimate: $3,000–$5,000
Concetta Mason, Wild Seed, glass vase on pedestal, 26.5″h x 15″w x 9″d. Provenance: Heller Gallery, New York, NY, 1995. Estimate: $2,000–$4,000
The sale offers a rare glimpse into the creative spirit of a connoisseur whose eye for the unusual and the beautiful resulted in a truly one-of-a-kind collection.
Clars Auctions is delighted to offer a collection of Japanese and Western arts from the Mitsui (Koishikawa) family on October 18th.
Estate Spotlight
Stories & News
PBS KVIE + Clars Furniture & Decorative Arts
Design
Event
Cristina Campion, Associate Director of 20th Century Design and Furniture & Decorative Arts at Clars, spoke to Rob Stewart, PBS TV Host & Executive Producer, on the importance of analyzing and authenticating furniture for 2023’s Antique Valuation Day.
Cristina and Rob discussing the work of master woodworker, Arthur Espenet Carpenter.
American Studio Furniture is commanding strong prices realized at auction, particularly for the masters, including Arthur Espenet Carpenter, George Nakashima, and Wharton Esherick, among others.
Cristina explaining to Rob the unique functionality and form of Espenet’s Wishbone armchair.
It’s always important to analyze the underside of a chair to see if there are any signatures or stamps. However, one cannot rely on a signature or stamp alone. It is equally significant to look at the form itself and the construction of the piece holistically to ensure that the form is consistent with other examples by the designer. Also crucial to the value of a piece is the provenance or history, if it’s been exhibited in any museum collections, or is referenced in literature.
Harry Huang spoke to Rob Stewart on the beauty of a Mughal style jade vase for 2023’s Antique Valuation Day.
Asian Art
Event
2022 Design In Review
Design
Stories & News
Clars had a strong 2022 Design auction season with bidders vying for the top lots, allowing Clars to achieve impressive auction records across the board.
Clars was pleased with the international response to American designers, like George Nakashima and Vladimir Kagan, at the March 25th Modern + Contemporary Art + Design Auction.
George Nakashima, 7′ overhanging walnut wall case, executed in 1971. Sold: $62,500
Leading the Design section of the auction was a wall hanging cabinet by master woodworker, George Nakashima, that topped off at $62,500 and sold to an international bidder.
Vladimir Kagan Collection, contour rocking chair. Sold: $16,900
A Vladimir Kagan Collection contour rocking chair, circa 1999, had numerous bidders competing for the lot, and found a new home with an online bidder for $16,900.
Another popular Designer among bidders was Hans Wegner, whose Papa Bear lounge chair realized $13,700.
Hans J. Wegner for A.P. Stolen Papa Bear lounge chair, Denmark, circa 1960. Sold: $13,700
Summer Highlights
The June 17th Modern + Contemporary Art + Design sale at Clars totaled $1,070,250 across 239 lots.
Mario Bellini, Cab Chairs Model 413, set of ten. Sold: $17,500
Highlights for Design included a set of Mario Bellini Cab chairs that sold for $17,500, and a Phillip Lloyd Powell New Hope Chair that brought $15,000.
Phillip Lloyd Powell, New Hope Lounge Chair and Ottoman. Sold: $15,000
Fall Highlights
Clars had a nearly 100% sell through rate for the Fall Design sale on September 16th, with just above 100 lots selling for over $210,000 total.
Angelo Mangiarotti Eros Dining Table. Sold: $18,750
Top picks included an Angelo Mangiarotti ‘Eros’ Dining Table, which sold for $18,750, and a set of Christian Liaigre Bazane Stools that sold for $9,375.
Christian Liaigre Bazane stools. Sold: $9,375
Winter Highlights
Design led Clars’ December 18th Auction with a large selection of pottery, including several pieces by Toshiko Takaezu. Takaezu, a Hawaiian ceramicist of Japanese descent, is most well known for her ‘Closed forms.’ Clars was pleased with the results of a set of four of these pieces which commanded $24,250.
