Designer Spotlight: Niamh Barry

Designer Spotlight
Stories & News

Niamh Barry is a distinguished Irish artist and designer celebrated for her innovative light fixtures that seamlessly fuse exceptional craftsmanship with a deep appreciation for materials like copper and glass.

With a background in both fine arts and design, Barry’s artistic journey is rooted in a lifelong fascination with the natural world. Her creations draw inspiration from organic forms and the intricate patterns found in nature, emphasizing the dynamic interplay of light and shadow.

Niamh Barry (Irish, b. 1968), This Is What I Like #1, copper and glass light fixture, 2013, 48″ x 55″. — Niamh Barry (Irish, b. 1968), *This Is What I Like #1*, copper and glass light fixture, 2013, 48″ x 55″.
**Sold: $50,400**

Barry’s work is characterized by its ability to evoke emotions and create immersive atmospheres, transforming functional objects into stunning focal points. Each piece reflects her meticulous attention to detail and her commitment to quality, showcasing her skillful blend of traditional techniques with contemporary design principles. This unique approach has garnered her significant acclaim within the design community, leading to numerous exhibitions and collaborations.

Her work not only serves a practical purpose but also invites viewers to engage with the transformative power of light, making her fixtures an essential component of modern interior design. With a growing portfolio of work and a reputation for excellence, Barry continues to push the boundaries of design, establishing herself as a prominent figure in the art and lighting design world.

Niamh Barry (Irish, b. 1968), <em>Themes and Variations</em>, copper and glass hanging light fixture, 94″ x 12″.<br><b>Sold: $15,120</b> — Niamh Barry (Irish, b. 1968), *Themes and Variations*, copper and glass hanging light fixture, 94″ x 12″.
**Sold: $15,120**

Clars is thrilled to have featured one of Barry’s light fixtures in our October 18th auction, titled This Is What I Like #1, a copper and glass light fixture from 2013, measuring 48″ x 55″. The competitive bidding — both online and via phone — resulted in the piece selling for an impressive $50,400, well above its estimated value of $4,000–$6,000. This clearly reflects the strong demand for her work in the collectible market, and Clars is proud to represent her creations. Its new home will be in a Contemporary Modern mansion in California.

Sources:
Surface Magazine
incollect
D5 Magazine
Niamh Barry

Designer Spotlight: Philip & Kelvin LaVerne

Designer Spotlight
Modern + Contemporary

Philip and Kelvin LaVerne were a father son furniture making team who worked out of New York. They made works in pewter and bronze and opened their showroom in the 1960s on East 57th street.

Their earlier works focused on mythology and antiquities from across the globe, and the pair experimented with chemical reactions to create a patinated effect reminiscent of antiquities.

Philip and Kelvin Laverne, “Marriage Whirl” Table. — Philip and Kelvin LaVerne, “Marriage Whirl” Table.
**Sold: $12,600**

The LaVerne’s furniture pieces, including the “Marriage Whirl” table, have become highly sought after by collectors and enthusiasts of mid-century modern design. The intricate Eastern motif in the “Marriage Whirl” table depicts an ancient ceremony of great happiness. It was designed in patinated bronze and pewter with hand-painted polychrome enamels.

Philip and Kelvin Laverne, Fantasia Coffee Table. — Philip and Kelvin LaVerne, Fantasia Coffee Table.
**Sold: $7,500**

The LaVerne’s works were influential during the mid-20th century and continue to be admired and collected today for their artistic expression and innovative approach to furniture design.

Philip and Kevin LaVerne, Eternal Forest coffee table. Sold: $22,500 — Philip and Kevin LaVerne, Eternal Forest coffee table.
**Sold: $22,500**

Designer Spotlight: Finn Juhl

Designer Spotlight
Modern + Contemporary

Finn Juhl’s NV-45 Chair is highly regarded for its innovative design, craftsmanship, and contribution to Danish modernism.

Three Finn Juhl NV-45 Chairs commended a total of $41,580 at Clars Summer Modern + Contemporary Art + Design Auction.

Juhl initially began work on the NV-45 chair design in 1941, finalizing and first displaying the chair to the world at the annual Cabinetmakers’ Guild Exhibition in the fall of 1945. The NV-45 Chair is a striking and iconic piece of furniture. It features a sculptural wooden frame, with an exaggerated curved backrest, and organically shaped armrests.

Finn Juhl NV-45 chair.
**Sold: $16,380**

The natural and sinuous form starkly contrasted to Juhl’s previous chair designs, which tended to be boxier. Called “the mother of all modern chairs” by the Japanese professor and design collector, Mr. Noritsugu Oda, the iconic NV-45 chair is one of Finn Juhl’s absolute masterpieces. The chair’s design reflects Juhl’s interest in organic forms and his ability to merge aesthetics with comfort. It continues to be sought after by collectors and design enthusiasts around the world, serving as a testament to Juhl’s enduring legacy in furniture design.

Designer Spotlight: Arthur Espenet Carpenter

Designer Spotlight
Modern + Contemporary

California has a lengthy history of woodworking and studio furniture design. One of the most renowned master woodworkers was Arthur Espenet Carpenter.

Born in 1920, Arthur Espenet Carpenter was a self-taught furniture maker. He began making wood turned bowls at his studio in San Francisco in the late 1940s to early 1950s. By the mid-1950s, he had expanded to build custom furniture. Carpenter found that production was so busy that he felt disconnected from the furniture building process. In 1957, he decided that it was time to relocate to Bolinas, California, where he custom built his own house for his family. At his Bolinas studio, Espenet would create unique one-of-a-kind pieces for his clients, as well as his most well-known iconic pieces, such as the Wishbone armchair.

Arthur Espenet Carpenter, Bolinas, CA, walnut Wishbone armchair. — Arthur Espenet Carpenter, Bolinas, CA, walnut Wishbone armchair, having a shaped back with dowel construction, continuing to the contoured arms, above the blue upholstered seat, and rising on shaped legs.
**Sold: $5,937**

Espenet valued function as well as form. While his furniture pieces appear quite sculptural, they were also designed with comfort and utility in mind. For example, the arm hits the armrest of the Wishbone chair at just the right angle. Clars is offering a suite of eight Wishbone chairs, including two armchairs, with an auction estimate of $20,000–$30,000 in our June 15th Design auction. Also to be offered is a stunning dining table having five butterfly inlays, estimated at $10,000–$15,000.

Arthur Espenet Carpenter, Wishbone Chairs, eight, and Dining Table.
**Sold: $40,950**

While there’s a certain simplicity or minimalism to Espenet’s designs, great attention is also paid to the finer details. An example of this point is the drop-down cabinet, which features a wood turned locking knob above well carved hinged supports, that sold at Clars for $5,937.

Arthur Espenet Carpenter, Bolinas, CA, walnut cabinet, having a rectangular top, above a hinged front with a locking knob, opening to a fixed shelf interior, and rising on tapered legs.
**Sold: $5,937**

Another example of Espenet’s extraordianry attention to detail can be seen in a set of two nesting walnut low tables, which commanded $6,875 at auction. While seemingly simple, the tables feature exposed dovetail joinery.

Detail of dovetail joinery, Arthur Espenet Carpenter, Bolinas, CA, walnut nesting low tables.
**Sold: $6,875**

The featured Arthur Espenet Carpenter jewelry box below, while quite functional, is also very sculptural. The contoured form has six bandsaw-carved drawers that feature prominently on the case.

An Arthur Espenet Carpenter, jewelry box, executed in walnut, with six bandsaw-carved drawers.
**Sold: $3,125**

A Tripp Carpenter (Espenet Furniture) jewelry casket, of organic form with three lined drawers and crimson pulls.
**Sold: $250**

Though Arthur Espenet Carpenter passed away in 2006, his legacy continues with his son, Tripp Carpenter, who learned woodworking as a child, and now is a professional woodworker in his own right.

Designer Spotlight: Tiffany Studios

Designer Spotlight
Modern + Contemporary

Louis Comfort Tiffany was a prolific American designer whose career spanned from the 1870s–1920s. While he was most well known for his stained glass, he produced pieces in a variety of mediums, including pottery, metalwork, and lighting.

At the close of the 19th century, Louis Comfort Tiffany first developed Favrile glass. Deeply impressed from a recent trip to Europe in the 1860s, Tiffany drew inspiration from Roman and Syrian glass making. After much experimenting, Tiffany’s technique of ingraining color within the glass set it apart from other types of iridescent glass, resulting in the beautiful distinctive hues of Favrile glass.

Tiffany Studios, New York, Venetian table lamp, circa 1910.Sold: $106,250 — Tiffany Studios, New York, Venetian table lamp, circa 1910.
**Sold: $106,250**

Tiffany was also largely inspired by nature – he was captivated by the array of lush colors of flowers and plants. This attraction to color also contributed to the brilliant shades featured in Favrile glass objects.

Tiffany Studios, New York, Favrile Urn.
**Sold: $504**

Tiffany went on to win a grand prize at the 1900 Paris Exposition (the World’s Fair), for his Favrile glass. Later, he began producing lamps and large stained-glass Favrile pieces, cementing himself as one of the most influential figures in the Art Nouveau style through to the Arts and Crafts period.

International Women’s Day

Designer Spotlight
Stories & News

Clars is celebrating International Women’s Day by highlighting the career of Greta Grossman, one of the leading female designers of the mid-20th Century.

Not only was Grossman a furniture designer, but she was also an architect and interior designer. Her career spanned forty years and her reach was global. Although originally based in Sweden, Greta’s work became incredibly popular in the United States, and in the 1940s she opened a shop in Beverly Hills. It was there that she worked for celebrity clients, such as Greta Garbo.

Greta Grossman furniture and interior design.

Designer Spotlight: Toshiko Takaezu

Designer Spotlight
Modern + Contemporary

Toshiko Takaezu, renowned abstract Hawaiian ceramicist from the twentieth century, drew inspiration from her own cultural background as well as contemporary painting and sculpture.

Toshiko Takaezu (American/Japanese, 1922–2011) is best know for her ‘Closed forms’ which can be described as both sculptures and paintings all in one. Each form is unique and varies in shape, size, color and texture and captures a spirit that mirrors work of other postwar expressionist artists, like Joan Mitchell and Mark Rothko.

Designer Spotlight: Dirk Van Erp

Designer Spotlight
Modern + Contemporary

California has a long-standing tradition for metalwork. One of the most renowned metalworkers was a San Franciscan, Dirk Van Erp, who was prominent during the Arts and Crafts Period.

Dirk Van Erp, Arts & Crafts Vase.
**Sold: $1,520**

Mica Table Lamp — Dirk Van Erp hand hammered copper and mica table lamp circa 1912.
**Sold: $15,000**

While he is most well-known for his table lamps, Van Erp also designed a variety of decorative arts including vases, humidors, jadinieres, and tea kettles, among others. Dirk Van Erp table lamps were typically executed in hand-hammered copper with a mica shade.

An Arts and Crafts Dirk Van Erp Bean Pot lamp.
**Sold: $5,000**

Also prized are Van Erps hammered copper vases. “Warty” vases are particularly collectible. They feature a hammered warty body, and often have a fine original red patina.

What makes a Dirk Van Erp piece more collectible? Collectors often prize the original patina, or finish. Another important factor is the date of the piece — which can be determined by taking a look at the stamped mark on the underside. Dirk Van Erp pieces are typically marked with an impressed windmill signature with text below (Van Erp was a Dutch American artisan).

D'Arcy Gaw mark. — D’Arcy Gaw Dirk Van Erp mark in rectangle under windmill.

The earliest signature reads, “D’ARCY GAW DIRK VAN ERP.” In 1909, Dirk joined forces with D’Arcy Gaw, an interior designer. In 1910, the duo began to use an impressed mark bearing both of their names. This mark was used until 1911. Many collectors consider works from this period to be of the best and most desirable quality.

Closed Box Mark — Dirk Van Erp closed-box mark.

In 1911, when their partnership dissolved, D’ARCY’s name was removed (chiseled off) from the stamp. At this stage, the stamp became known as a “closed-box” mark, with Dirk Van Erp’s name only. This was used between the years of 1911–1912, and the box was inadvertently damaged due to chiseling, to become an “open-box” mark.

Closed box mark and San Francisco — Closed box mark with San Francisco.

In addition to the open box, it is thought that during and after the 1915 World’s Fair, Dirk Van Erp added “San Francisco,” which usually appears below the box. Van Erp exhibited at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition — the San Francisco World’s Fair that demonstrated to the world that the city had risen from the ashes, a mere nine years after the Great Fire. It was a world class exhibition that brought many of the world’s finest artists to California, and served as evidence that the San Francisco Bay Area was (and is) a world class destination bursting with talent.

This mark was used from 1915 through the death of Dirk Van Erp’s son, William, in 1977.

Niamh Barry is a distinguished Irish artist and designer celebrated for her innovative light fixtures that seamlessly fuse exceptional craftsmanship with a deep appreciation for materials like copper and glass.

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