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LA Modernism / 2013

April 28, 2013, 10:17 pm
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 The 10 Ten booth at the 2013 Los Angeles Modernism show.
Scott always dials it in with a great display. Having some really good pieces to show off doesn't hurt either.

Vintage Cynthia Sargent rug at 10 Ten. 
The George Nelson sofa is a good one too.

David Cressey pots with Malcolm Leland door and birdhouse, at the Reform booth

Gimme that Doyle Lane. 
At Reform 

Espenet dining set at Reform

Jerry Ackerman messing around with Gerard in front of three Ackerman pieces at the Reform booth.
Jerry is such a cool guy. He remembers every little detail about his and Evelyn's pieces.

The wall of Myrton Purkiss at Reform

The Lisa Cliff Collection

Beatrice Wood and Paul Soldner at the Lisa Cliff Collection

Archive was showing vintage work by artist Brian Neary.
Back in the day Brian's graphic art studio was across from Bill Curry's Design Line showroom in El Segundo.
I like that they honored that history with the Design Line lamps. 

Didier from London was at the show again with their insane offering of jewelry by sculptors.
This is the Louise Nevelson case.

Earrings by George Rickey at Didier. Not just any lady could pull these off. 
They had a smaller pair last year.

You know, just some Alexander Calder jewelry at Didier.
They had some Bertoia as well.

Ettore Sottsass necklace at Didier

Claire Falkenstein at Didier

One of the cleanest George Nelson Home Office desks I've ever seen at the LAMA booth.
It looks great on a tatami mat too.

James Prestini photos at LAMA

James Prestini table at LAMA

Louise Nevelson prints at LAMA

The Window

Peter Shire desk at The Window

Always with a show stopper, Off the Wall had Raymond Loewy's custom Jaguar in their booth.

Loewy with his Jaguar Type E in Paris.
Source: Classic and Sports Car

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Paris Photo / LA / Shopping

April 29, 2013, 8:24 pm
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Paris Photo Los Angeles at Paramount Pictures Studio

In addition to the sound stages, galleries set up in the New York backlot  at Paramount.

There were galleries from around the globe showing but the one I spent the most time at was the Michael Kohn Gallery from LA.

 Photos by Charles Brittin at the Michael Kohn Gallery.
Brittin was in the mix at the Ferus Gallery.  The photos above are of Wallace Berman and his wife.

Wallace Berman verifax collages at the Michael Kohn Gallery.

Wallace Berman verifax collage at the Michael Kohn Gallery.

This isn't a photo but the BMW M1 Art Car #4 by Andy Warhol was there too.

I also took a trip over to JF Chen, you know because they have all the good rare stuff.
These Tony Paul chairs are super cool...canvas, iron, string and wicker.  

Dan Johnson chairs at JF Chen

Dan Johnson dining set
Photo: Maynard Parker

 Super super rare Dan Johnson chair at JF Chen
The price... Not For Sale.

Dan Johnson chairs on a Craig Ellwood patio. 

Greta Grossman Swedish grasshopper lamp at Galerie Half.
This place is just beautiful.

I picked up some Eames LTRs. You can never have too many.

One has an Eyeballs 'N Goo label. It must be a rare one. 

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J.R. Davidson / Kingsley

April 30, 2013, 8:03 am
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The Kingsley Jr. House by architect Julius Ralph (J.R.) Davidson, 1947
Davidson was also selected to design Case Study House #1. In fact, he designed it twice. Read more here. 
He also designed Case Study Houses #11 and #15.

LAMA will be auctioning off some of the original furniture from the home, including custom pieces designed by the architect.
You can read more about the Kingsley house on LAMA's blog: Fate of J. R. Davidson House In Peril
By the way, if aren't already on the the LAMA mailing list, you should be.

Photo: Julius Shulman  
Source: Getty Research Institute

Current photo of the Kingsley Jr. House

The house with 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths and a pool in Pacific Palisades sold earlier this month for $4,560,000.
At that price chances are the house will be destroyed or altered beyond recognition.
 This is a real shame because it's the only unaltered house left by J.R. Davidson.  

Image: MLS

Photo: Julius Shulman 
Source: LAMA 

Custom lamp from the Kingsley house. Lot 37 at May 19th LAMA sale. 
Source: LAMA 

Custom table by J.R. Davidson, Lot 39.
Source: LAMA 


There's the lamp and table.
Photo: Julius Shulman 
Source: LAMA

Still there in the real estate listing.
Image: MLS

Image: MLS

VKG in the 1947 shot.
Photo: Julius Shulman  
Source: Getty Research Institute

Image: MLS

Photo: Julius Shulman  
Source: Getty Research Institute


Photo: Julius Shulman  
Source: Getty Research Institute


These Eames DKX-1 chairs will be in the LAMA auction as well (Lot 8).
Image: MLS
The pool house was designed by Davidson almost a decade after the main house. 
Image: MLS
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Eames / Saarinen

May 1, 2013, 7:15 am
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Eames house photo from the Aline and Eero Saarinen Papers
Source: Smithsonian

Eames house photo from the Aline and Eero Saarinen Papers
Source: Smithsonian 

Eames house photo from the Aline and Eero Saarinen Papers
Source: Smithsonian

Eames house photo from the Aline and Eero Saarinen Papers
Source: Smithsonian

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Ruth Asawa / Christie's

May 1, 2013, 8:50 am
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Prouvé / House

May 2, 2013, 9:12 am
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Source: The Times UK

Source: The Times UK

Source: Wallpaper

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The Letterhead

May 2, 2013, 6:45 pm
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The Letterhead: History and Progress, 1955 by Ernst Lehner



The little yellow square is a nice touch.

Alvin Lustig went to the The Art Center School, for a year.

The A-D Gallery, where Alvin Lustig had his first exhibition in 1949, was at the Composing Room offices.
Lustig obviously didn't design the letterhead. It's a bit lackluster.


The compass design and topographic contour lines are really good.


Oh yeah, Eames

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Watts / 1966

May 3, 2013, 3:47 am
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Watts Towers, 1966

Sam Rodia, the man who built the towers, died a year before this picture was taken.
Sam named his towers "Nuestro Pueblo" / "Our Town". I think he would have liked these guys.  

Photos: Life Magazine, 1966
Via Ubora / Messy Nessy

More on the Watts Towers here and here.

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Sleepover LA

May 6, 2013, 3:46 pm
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Sleepover LA is a short film project. 
It's the first collaboration between director Lily Baldwin and producer Nicole Disson.
It was written by Andrea Claire Maio and Baldwin.

Nicole Disson is the producer. You might also recognize her from Reform Gallery;
hence the really good CA Design props- the Design Line lamp and Malcolm Leland ceramic in this scene.

Greta Grossman lamp and Stan Bitters tiles are seen here with Lily Baldwin. 
That also looks like a Wright catalog on the left.  I hope they're kicking down to help support the completion of this project.

Speaking of supporting, you should help out too..
You can watch the trailer and support their Kickstarer campaign: Sleepover LA.


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FLW / SLO

May 6, 2013, 9:22 pm
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Karl Kundert Medical Building by Frank Lloyd Wright, 1956
San Luis Obispo, CA




"Flow chart studies of Doctor Kundert's patients were taken, and utilized in the final outcome of the design. These extensive studies started in 1950 and it was not until 1954 that plans for the building were started. In the center of the building is a central island where the receptionist acts similarly to a control tower at an airport, directing traffic. The total construction time of the building was four to five months. It was originally going to be made out of Usonium Block, but the 5an Luis Building Codes would not allow it."  Source: usgwarchives.net
 The building has been in continuous use as a medical building since it was finished in 1956.
It's really good to see that they're still using a Frank Lloyd Wright table in the waiting room.

 The table is similar to this one that came out of the Price Tower in Oklahoma, which was also built in 1956.
It sold at Wright for $25,000 in 2011.
Source: Wright

 The back patio, with rain spots on my lens.
 If I lived in SLO I'd try really hard to make this the doctor I go to.


                       


                           
                       
                     


                   


                   
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William Armbruster / Edgewood

                     

                                              May 7, 2013, 11:38 am
                     


                     
                     

                     
                     
                                          
                     
                                          
                     
                   


                   
                   


                     
                     

                       
                       

                         
                              
                         

                          
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William Armbruster isn't a name you hear very much these days. It's curious since he was in so many of the mid-century design 
bibles: Modern Furnishings for the Home, Furniture Forum, George Nelson Chairs, An Exhibition for Modern Living, 
Good Design, and the list goes on and on.

 Just look at the who he's listed with here on the book jacket of New Furniture.

Armbruster was the designer and owner of Edgewood Furniture in New York City, which he founded in 1947.  The designs seem to have 
mostly been available to the trade only and Edgewood was more focused on commercial contract furniture as time went on.

A letter from Armbruster to Marcel Breuer's peeps. 
Source: Breuer Digital Archives 


Once in a while an Armbruster piece turns up, like this "Dounut Stool" that was at 20th Century Interiors

And this past weekend I saw this lounge chair at Stuff in San Francisco.

The perforated sections are a nice detail and the construction quality is pretty amazing. It's incredible heavy.

Sadly, in 1969 Edgewood was in financial trouble and had to close.  According to court documents, by 1977 Armbruster was 68 years old,
unemployed, homeless, broke and owed back taxes.


                       


                           
                       
                     


                   


                   
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Weekend / Stuff

                     

                                              May 8, 2013, 8:05 am
                     


                     
                     

                     
                     
                                          
                     
                                          
                     
                   


                   
                   


                     
                     

                       
                       

                         
                              
                         

                          
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Cool table, Ravenware, Raymor, and Paul Laszlo for Pacific Iron chairs

Richard Galef for Ravenware wastepaper basket and mini me pencil cup.

I missed this Daniel Wenger Lotus chair; too bad. Good job to whoever got it.

This Luther Conover table was too much and too refinished; too bad


                       


                           
                       
                     


                   


                   
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Tackett / Thursday

                     

                                              May 9, 2013, 11:49 am
                     


                     
                     

                     
                     
                                          
                     
                                          
                     
                   


                   
                   


                     
                     

                       
                       

                         
                              
                         

                          
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La Gardo Tackett / Hangers

Salt

Spice

Ashtrays

The packaging is so good. 
He signed his letters with that slash too: La/Gardo

                       


                           
                       
                     


                   


                   
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Galaxy / How to

                     

                                              May 9, 2013, 7:28 pm
                     


                     
                     

                     
                     
                                          
                     
                                          
                     
                   


                   
                   


                     
                     

                       
                       

                         
                              
                         

                          
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From: Peter M. Fraser for Marcel Breuer, To: Alexander Girard
Source: Breuer Digital Archives 

Here is "Galaxy" at An Exhibition for Modern Living. The exhibition was curated by Alexander Girard.
Image: Alexander Girard

From: Peter M. Fraser for Marcel Breuer, To: Charles Eames
Letter #2. I guess they really wanted it.
Source: Breuer Digital Archives 

From: Charles Eames, To: Peter M. Fraser for Marcel Breuer
Galaxay DIY
Source: Breuer Digital Archives 

Croquet ball and car parts
The light fixture design has been credited to Eames Office employee Don Albinson.
Image: Alexander Girard

The commission for the James H. Smith House came through Breuer's friend, Herbert Bayer, who lived in Aspen too.
This is a drawing of the house. I couldn't find a good photo of the completed project.  An interior shot would be great 
to see as well. I wonder if they tried to build their own "Galaxy" fixture? 
Source: Breuer Digital Archives 


                       


                           
                       
                     


                   


                   
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HUGE / Mongo! / I ♥ Junk

                     

                                              May 13, 2013, 8:15 am
                     


                     
                     

                     
                     
                                          
                     
                                          
                     
                   


                   
                   

                   
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JB Blunk / Leslie Williamson

                     

                                              May 13, 2013, 8:46 am
                     


                     
                     

                     
                     
                                          
                     
                                          
                     
                   


                   
                   

                   
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1964 World's Fair Kiosk / IBM / Eames 

                     

                                              May 14, 2013, 6:24 pm
                     


                     
                     

                     
                     
                                          
                     
                                          
                     
                   


                   
                   


                     
                     

                       
                       

                         
                              
                         

                          
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So you have a four stack ESU, a first generation Zenith rocker, a rosewood lounge chair with a rotating ottoman and slip on glides 
and maybe even a prototype of some sort, but I bet, unless you're Vitra, you don't have a piece of Eames architecture in your collection.

This kiosk was designed by Charles and Ray Eames for the IBM Pavilion at the 1964 New York World's Fair and
it's up for sale at the May 19th Los Angeles Modern Art & Design Auction.

 The kiosk was fabricated at DMI, Los Angeles, 1964
Image: Eames Design, Neuhart

This looks like the same one currently up for auction in situ at the World's Fair. 
Image: Eames Design, Neuhart

Image: Eames Design, Neuhart

This is the design under the center canopy of the kiosk at LAMA.
It's a Ray Eames concept that was photographed by Charles.  This design was also used on a Herman Miller stock certificate.
More about that later.

Think
Image: Eames Design, Neuhart

Image: Eames Design, Neuhart

The kiosks were used as "little theaters" on a terrace among the trees in the IBM Pavilion
Source: NYWF64.com

1964 Photo at the New York World's Fair
Image: Eames Design, Neuhart

1964 Photo at the New York World's Fair
Image: Eames Design, Neuhart


LAMA sold this kiosk in 2006 for $72,000
Image: LAMA

Image: LAMA

It was the one that had IBM's slogan "THINK" under the canopy.
Image: LAMA

It made the cover

Image: Eames Office via LAMA 2006 catalog

The kiosks were all located behind the IBM World's Fair "Egg"
Image: noprincipioeraoovo

The entire IBM pavilion was designed by Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen Associates.
Image: Eames Designs 

Image: Gorillasdontblog

The Pentagon/Little theaters held puppet-like devices which explained the workings of data processing systems to the "layman."
The puppet shows were titled "Computer Day at Midvale", "The Case of the Elusive Train, 
Or the Plurality of the Singular Green Mustache" and "Cast of Characters."
Image: NYWF64.com

Image: LAMA

Image: LAMA

Robert Staples and Harry Loucks are seen here working on the puppets.
Image: Eames Design, Neuhart



IBM Press release

You can read the entire memo here.

Map of the IBM Pavilion.
Source: Source: NYWF64.com

This video by Daniel Ostroff talks about the Ray and Charles collaboration that resulted in the flower design on the structure that 
was also used as the center image on the Herman Miller stock certificates, shown below.


 Image: Wright


                       


                           
                       
                     


                   


                   
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Testa / Rand / IBM

                     

                                              May 15, 2013, 8:59 pm
                     


                     
                     

                     
                     
                                          
                     
                                          
                     
                   


                   
                   

                   
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LAMA Auction / May 2013

                     

                                              May 17, 2013, 8:13 pm
                     


                     
                     

                     
                     
                                          
                     
                                          
                     
                   


                   
                   


                     
                     

                       
                       

                         
                              
                         

                          
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LAMA preview for the May 18th Auction

Ken Price

Ed Ruscha

Claire Falkenstein

Claire Falkenstein

Harry Bertoia

George Nelson


Isamu Noguchi Radio Nurse

Did you know that the Noguchi Radio Nurse had something to do with Charles Lindbergh’s son being kidnapped?
It's true. Here's the story.
Source: ArtInfo

J.R. Davidosn table for his Kingsley Jr. House
Read LAMA Director of 20th Century Decorative Art & Design, Dan Tolson's post on this table here.
He even get's a shout out from LACMA Curator Wendy Kaplan in the comments section. 

No food or drinks on the Nakashima!

Marcel Breuer Long Chair

Roy McMakin

Wright/ Knoll / Wright

Frank Lloyd Wright / Petroglyph logo

The big money painting is behind the desk...
This super early and rare Vija Clemins knife and dish painting is estimated at $300,000 TO $500,000
The still life with the Mouille lamp under the Clemins is interesting too. It has amazing depth. 
Seriously, those Billy Al Bengston paintings are way cool.

 There's Bengston now.
Read LAMA Director, Peter Loughrey's post on Bengston here.  
Image: LAMA 


                       


                           
                       
                     


                   


                   
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Taliesin West / Soleri

                     

                                              May 18, 2013, 6:25 am
                     


                     
                     

                     
                     
                                          
                     
                                          
                     
                   


                   
                   


                     
                     

                       
                       

                         
                              
                         

                          
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Last week, the folks from Cosanti were given a plaque designed by Frank Henry, 
Taliesin West Architect and faculty member, to honor Paolo Soleri's contribution to the architecture field.

The drawing on the plaque is this bridge that Paolo worked on during his time at Taliesin West in 1947.
Source: Arcosatnti

Related posts here and here.  More about Soleri here.

                       


                           
                       
                     


                   


                   
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