New York – On December 14, the Modern Decorative Art + Design auction at Bonhams New York will be led with rare lamps by Alberto Giacometti, spectacular window panels by Frank Lloyd Wright and by George Grant Elmslie, and a selection of incredible Danish lighting design by Poul Henningsen, including an original iconic Artichoke lamp from the Langelinie Pavilion, Copenhagen. 

The top lots of the sale are two sets of lamps by Alberto Giacometti, famed for his attenuated representations of the human form. These elegant lamps, a pair of Étoile bronze table lamps in one lot (estimate: $80,000-120,000) and a single Osselet bronze floor lamp in another (estimate: $100,000-150,000), were commissioned by renowned minimalist interior designer Jean Michel Frank, and echo the artistic elongated style found in Giacometti’s sculptures.

Two masterful groups of windows are also among the highlights of the sale—one set exhibiting early Modernist design from the 1907 Babson House by George Grant Elmslie, and the other a complete set designed by Frank Lloyd Wright with his signature chevron pattern for the Joseph Walser House.

Important and early examples of lighting by Danish master Poul Henningsen offered in the auction include the revolutionary Artichoke lamp (estimate: $60,000-80,000), as well as several other lamps that showcase Henningsen’s iconic concentric ring design. The groundbreaking Artichoke design featured a system of multiple shades that would diffuse light more evenly, with more dramatic effect. This particular example was originally created for the Langelinie Pavilion in 1958, and one of the first five to have been produced.

Additional highlights include a rare-to-market Lucie Rie bowl (estimate: $8,000-12,000), an intricately designed and TIG welded silver vase by Kevin Grey (estimate $50,000-70,000), and a vibrant deep amber serpent glass vase by Lalique (estimate: $25,000-35,000).

The Modern Decorative Art + Design sale will preview at Bonhams New York from December 8-13 with the auction to be held December 14 at 2:00 p.m. EST. The full catalogue can be accessed here: http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/24294/