A.C.E. Series:
Modern and Contemporary Design
One of the country’s broadest collections of works dating back to the 19th Century, The Indianapolis Museum of Art boasts extensive examples of European painting and sculpture, Asian and African art, contemporary art, works on paper, and fashion and textiles. The Design and Decorative Arts Gallery is the largest permanent collection of gallery space devoted to modern and contemporary design in the nation.
The majority of the pieces for sale here are duplicates. Their mates will remain in the museum’s permanent collection and will be reinstalled when the new design gallery opens at the end of July. Some, like the Marcel Brueur Wassily and the Mario Bellini Amanta chairs, were used in lounges and public spaces by guests visiting the institution.
Encompassing modern and contemporary works from the 20th and 21st centuries, the collection for sale here displays a range of approaches to design: from the irreverent radicalism of Italian designers of 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s — as exemplified by Gaetano Pesche’s “Il Pede” chair — to Oscar Tusquets Blanca dinnerware: functional, beautiful, and with surprises pops of red ornamentation on the underside.
In many, the process or material becomes the driving force behind the design itself. Such is the case with the Philippe Starck “Miss Balu” table, with a curved base that gives a subtle nod to neoclassical form, but is rendered in modern polypropylene. Throughout the entire collection, the museum’s desire to show “objects of beauty at many price points” is evident.
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Tacori 18K Sonoma Dew Droplets Ring
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
1950s West Germany Floral Brooch and Earrings Set Including Rhinestones
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Pair of Old Staffordshire Figures of Cats
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Alexander McQueen Two-Way Handbag in Floral Leather
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Kitchen Aid Standing Mixing
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
BVLGARI Luky Cat Silk Scarf with Box
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
14K Longines Diamond Dial Stem Wind Wristwatch
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Hermes "Les Cavaliers d'Or" Scarf 90 in Silk Twill
EBTH Columbus - Hilliard
Block Langenthal Transition Interaction China Luncheon Set
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Pair of Danish Modern Teak and Custom-Upholstered Side Chairs, Mid-20th Century
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
C. Liton Copy Oil Painting After Cornelis Springer of Dutch Street Scene
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Walter Stomps Abstract Geometric Acrylic Painting "Galactic Border No. 7"
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Sterling Amber Ring
EBTH Columbus - Hilliard
Alexander Calder Color Lithograph from Derrière le Miroir, 1976
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Stanley Furniture Faux Bamboo Oak, Cane and Glass Illuminated China Cabinet
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
L. Hils Hafele Desert Landscape Acrylic Painting, 1989
EBTH Columbus - Hilliard
Carved Wooden Wall Plaque with Floral Design
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Sterling Citrine Necklace
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Block "Wyndham" Crystal Biscuit Barrels with Godinger and Other Biscuit Barrels
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Sterling Turquoise and Coral Cuff
Hans Wegner
So iconic it is sometimes referred to simply as “The Chair,” Wegner’s design took 7 years to refine. The result is a nuanced piece with attenuated curves on the crest rail and arms.
Philippe Starck
Known for designs that prize expression, Starck frequently updates neoclassical or French silhouettes with modern materials.
Monika Mulder
Once an IKEA intern, the artist is known for sleek, functional, Scandinavian design.
Alfredo Haberli
While some 1960s-1980s-era designers thumbed their noses at function, others like Haberli embraced a modern ideology that form should follow function. Champagne glasses, for example, should reduced down to their most essential part.
