Page 14 - Journal of Antiques and Collectibles June 2019
P. 14
20th Century Design Design, TEFAF in New York and before that TEFAF in the
Dutch city of Maastricht, show that design sold well. This
Market: Hotter than Ever trend also showed up at several of the auction houses, so it
appears likely that the market will remain strong for years.
For the last few years, the market for art, design, and At the same time, a “mature” market with a wide variety
collectibles has resembled a Wall Street stock of design will see average prices drop due to the industry’s
transport problems and high costs that cast a shadow over
during one of the most positive economic conditions in mass-market, smaller sales. But when it comes to the top,
living memory. It has shown staggering increases in the high-class design objects, the market that was formerly local
value of everything from watches and diamonds to wine has become global and collectors have found it is worth the
and classic cars. added allowance and effort to move objects between coun-
When it comes to investing in art, design, and
antiques, I always give the same advice. Buy with your tries and continents.
heart, invest for your own wallet and remember that daily Designer Josef Frank as a Benchmark
enjoyment is the true return. For example, in Sweden, Josef Frank and Svenskt Tenn
The Barnebys Online Auction Report: 15 Designated
designers – Trends and Insights finds that design has often have long been popular, but today the US is the hottest
market for Frank’s design.
been the best investment. In the report, thanks to greater Josef Frank was born in Vienna, Austria in 1885 and in
transparency and increased access online, we can observe 1925, he founded with Oskar Wlach and Walther Sobotka
a strong growth of 20th century design. In other words, the interior design firm Haus & Garten. The firm was suc-
20th century design has gone from being overlooked to Joseph Frank’s designs for wallpaper and fabric cessful in the first years and as a result, Josef Frank met
becoming one of the world’s hottest interior design marked with his modern furniture design brought the Swedish Svenskt Tenn founder Estrid Ericson and they kept
trends so far and a really good investment over time. Swedish Modern design aesthetic to the forefront in touch. But the climate in Austria was becoming
In the years 2009-2016, the market for design
increased by nearly 330% at auction. Thus, we can rougher for the country’s Jewish population
because Nazism had taken hold and the Austrian
conclude that design in many cases can be a better government became increasingly authoritarian.
investment than art. Frank got fewer commissions in Vienna and in
As you can imagine, it is far from a better
investment of all art. However, compared with art 1933 he fled with his Swedish wife Anna to her
home country.
sold at auction during the same period, the furni- Meanwhile, the Austrian artistic scene was
ture that many of us grew up with seems to have completely depleted in the 1930s, when a whole
turned into gold. generation of artists, designers, and architects
Look to the Everyday Items either chose to leave the country or were displaced.
While collectors today pay millions for unique, In the early 1940s, anti-Semitism in Sweden
quality furniture and design objects by yesterday’s became increasingly evident when Norway was
stars, the mass market for everyday objects has also occupied by German troops. Once again Josef
exploded. Increased access means that everyone, no mat- furniture shown at one of the major inter- Frank was forced to flee, leaving Sweden for the United
ter where you are in the world, has the opportunity to get national exhibitions in the 1920s often costs States in 1942. During his time in the US, Frank worked as
their hands on iconic design furniture for a very modest as much as an antique dresser by one of the a teacher at the New School of Social Research in New York.
He also continued to draw patterns, and in 1944 Frank sent
price tag at any online auction or regional auction house French 18th century masters, if
that sells estates. not more. 50 new patterns to Estrid Ericson on her 50th birthday,
The value and price of design are controlled by the Where the items are sold, regardless of including Manhattan, Hawai, and Drinks.
quality, uniqueness, condition, provenance, and presen- where they originated, also played a crucial Josef Frank’s Manhattan was inspired by New York’s
role in the final price. Many of the highest
tation. Auction houses’ curated previews, extensive stylized urban planning. Hawai was added after Frank visit-
catalogs, and Instagram all play a crucial role in the final prices are paid by an international market, ed the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Drinks took shape
price - the better a piece is presented, the higher the bids especially in London, New York, and Paris. based on the American flora. The plant world was a constant
at auction. However, it is clear that the quality in both In many ways, this is a positive develop- source of inspiration for Frank. In 1946 he returned to
ment for small but strong design mounts
design and craft determines the value. Good design Stockholm and continued working for the Svenskt Tenn.
should be both aesthetically pleasing and functional. such as Scandinavia, where several of the Josef Frank’s design language was characterized by more
artistic aesthetics than the modern functionalism that earlier
most celebrated designers are from
The Upswing of Interest in Early 20th Century Denmark and Sweden. 20th century Swedish design advocated. His style incorpo-
rated rich color, light furniture and a sense of comfort that
Mass-Produced Goods According to several of the Nordic
created airy rooms reminiscent of nature, which in turn led
Functionalism’s real breakthrough came from the auction houses, 90% of Scandinavian
Bauhaus movement, which this year celebrates its 100th design objects sold at auction are exported to lively and eclectically designed homes.
to international collectors, interior
anniversary that brought about the 20th century Frank’s furniture and design objects have long been pop-
ular with collectors, reaching high prices at auctions world-
ambition for a more beautiful design that could be mass- designers, and design retailers, especially
produced on assembly lines around the world. Several of in the United States. wide. Barnebys report shows that almost every object
the iconic furniture models that were designed between designed by Josef Frank, from placemats to furniture, that
the 1930s and 1960s quickly became best sellers. The Long-Distance, Long-Lasting Trend has appeared at auction has sold. And as millennials increas-
growth of this market was helped by the new pheno- In the spring, the international trade ingly turn to vintage finds and the second hand market,
fairs, such as the recently concluded Basel
menon of mail-order; simplified by flat packaging of quality 20th century design will continue to be on the rise.
furniture that could be sent across the globe. Pontus Silfverstolpe is one of the founders of Barnebys, the world’s leading search aggregator for art, antiques,
Unique handmade objects, prototypes, and furniture design, and collectibles. He is an auction expert with more than 20 years of experience of fine arts and antiques.
made for special exhibitions have reached market price Pontus is well-known in Sweden as the host of antiques TV shows and as an antiques expert for several Swedish
levels previously only dreamed of. Today, a piece of
magazines. In his blog at Barnebys he writes about the art market, trends and gives analyses.
Journal of Antiques and Collectibles
12
Dutch city of Maastricht, show that design sold well. This
Market: Hotter than Ever trend also showed up at several of the auction houses, so it
appears likely that the market will remain strong for years.
For the last few years, the market for art, design, and At the same time, a “mature” market with a wide variety
collectibles has resembled a Wall Street stock of design will see average prices drop due to the industry’s
transport problems and high costs that cast a shadow over
during one of the most positive economic conditions in mass-market, smaller sales. But when it comes to the top,
living memory. It has shown staggering increases in the high-class design objects, the market that was formerly local
value of everything from watches and diamonds to wine has become global and collectors have found it is worth the
and classic cars. added allowance and effort to move objects between coun-
When it comes to investing in art, design, and
antiques, I always give the same advice. Buy with your tries and continents.
heart, invest for your own wallet and remember that daily Designer Josef Frank as a Benchmark
enjoyment is the true return. For example, in Sweden, Josef Frank and Svenskt Tenn
The Barnebys Online Auction Report: 15 Designated
designers – Trends and Insights finds that design has often have long been popular, but today the US is the hottest
market for Frank’s design.
been the best investment. In the report, thanks to greater Josef Frank was born in Vienna, Austria in 1885 and in
transparency and increased access online, we can observe 1925, he founded with Oskar Wlach and Walther Sobotka
a strong growth of 20th century design. In other words, the interior design firm Haus & Garten. The firm was suc-
20th century design has gone from being overlooked to Joseph Frank’s designs for wallpaper and fabric cessful in the first years and as a result, Josef Frank met
becoming one of the world’s hottest interior design marked with his modern furniture design brought the Swedish Svenskt Tenn founder Estrid Ericson and they kept
trends so far and a really good investment over time. Swedish Modern design aesthetic to the forefront in touch. But the climate in Austria was becoming
In the years 2009-2016, the market for design
increased by nearly 330% at auction. Thus, we can rougher for the country’s Jewish population
because Nazism had taken hold and the Austrian
conclude that design in many cases can be a better government became increasingly authoritarian.
investment than art. Frank got fewer commissions in Vienna and in
As you can imagine, it is far from a better
investment of all art. However, compared with art 1933 he fled with his Swedish wife Anna to her
home country.
sold at auction during the same period, the furni- Meanwhile, the Austrian artistic scene was
ture that many of us grew up with seems to have completely depleted in the 1930s, when a whole
turned into gold. generation of artists, designers, and architects
Look to the Everyday Items either chose to leave the country or were displaced.
While collectors today pay millions for unique, In the early 1940s, anti-Semitism in Sweden
quality furniture and design objects by yesterday’s became increasingly evident when Norway was
stars, the mass market for everyday objects has also occupied by German troops. Once again Josef
exploded. Increased access means that everyone, no mat- furniture shown at one of the major inter- Frank was forced to flee, leaving Sweden for the United
ter where you are in the world, has the opportunity to get national exhibitions in the 1920s often costs States in 1942. During his time in the US, Frank worked as
their hands on iconic design furniture for a very modest as much as an antique dresser by one of the a teacher at the New School of Social Research in New York.
He also continued to draw patterns, and in 1944 Frank sent
price tag at any online auction or regional auction house French 18th century masters, if
that sells estates. not more. 50 new patterns to Estrid Ericson on her 50th birthday,
The value and price of design are controlled by the Where the items are sold, regardless of including Manhattan, Hawai, and Drinks.
quality, uniqueness, condition, provenance, and presen- where they originated, also played a crucial Josef Frank’s Manhattan was inspired by New York’s
role in the final price. Many of the highest
tation. Auction houses’ curated previews, extensive stylized urban planning. Hawai was added after Frank visit-
catalogs, and Instagram all play a crucial role in the final prices are paid by an international market, ed the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Drinks took shape
price - the better a piece is presented, the higher the bids especially in London, New York, and Paris. based on the American flora. The plant world was a constant
at auction. However, it is clear that the quality in both In many ways, this is a positive develop- source of inspiration for Frank. In 1946 he returned to
ment for small but strong design mounts
design and craft determines the value. Good design Stockholm and continued working for the Svenskt Tenn.
should be both aesthetically pleasing and functional. such as Scandinavia, where several of the Josef Frank’s design language was characterized by more
artistic aesthetics than the modern functionalism that earlier
most celebrated designers are from
The Upswing of Interest in Early 20th Century Denmark and Sweden. 20th century Swedish design advocated. His style incorpo-
rated rich color, light furniture and a sense of comfort that
Mass-Produced Goods According to several of the Nordic
created airy rooms reminiscent of nature, which in turn led
Functionalism’s real breakthrough came from the auction houses, 90% of Scandinavian
Bauhaus movement, which this year celebrates its 100th design objects sold at auction are exported to lively and eclectically designed homes.
to international collectors, interior
anniversary that brought about the 20th century Frank’s furniture and design objects have long been pop-
ular with collectors, reaching high prices at auctions world-
ambition for a more beautiful design that could be mass- designers, and design retailers, especially
produced on assembly lines around the world. Several of in the United States. wide. Barnebys report shows that almost every object
the iconic furniture models that were designed between designed by Josef Frank, from placemats to furniture, that
the 1930s and 1960s quickly became best sellers. The Long-Distance, Long-Lasting Trend has appeared at auction has sold. And as millennials increas-
growth of this market was helped by the new pheno- In the spring, the international trade ingly turn to vintage finds and the second hand market,
fairs, such as the recently concluded Basel
menon of mail-order; simplified by flat packaging of quality 20th century design will continue to be on the rise.
furniture that could be sent across the globe. Pontus Silfverstolpe is one of the founders of Barnebys, the world’s leading search aggregator for art, antiques,
Unique handmade objects, prototypes, and furniture design, and collectibles. He is an auction expert with more than 20 years of experience of fine arts and antiques.
made for special exhibitions have reached market price Pontus is well-known in Sweden as the host of antiques TV shows and as an antiques expert for several Swedish
levels previously only dreamed of. Today, a piece of
magazines. In his blog at Barnebys he writes about the art market, trends and gives analyses.
Journal of Antiques and Collectibles
12
