Christie's Releases Results of First Contemporary Design Sale

The most expensive purchases were a sofa and a low table by Ron Arad.

Mairi Beautyman -- Interior Design, 9/16/2008 12:00:00 AM

On September 8, New York auction house Christie's concluded its first sale dedicated to international contemporary design. The curated 30 lot-sale included pieces by Forrest Myers, Zaha Hadid, Ron Arad, Maarten Baas, Shiro Kuramata, Ettore Sottsass, and Harush Shlomo and totaled $1.16 million -- on the low end of the $1.2-1.7 million estimate.

Two mirror-polished stainless-steel pieces by designer Ron Arad earned the highest purchase amounts: His D sofa, (estimated at $200,000-300,000) sold for $206,500 to a U.S. buyer and his Paved with Good Intentions low table (estimated at $100,00-150,000) sold for $122,500 to a European buyer. Two pieces by Japanese designer Shiro Kuramata clocked in at $86,500 -- the An Acrylic and Aluminum Stool with Feathers (estimated at $80,000-100,000) and the acrylic cabinet Cabinet de Curiosité' (estimated at $80,000-120,000).

A Zaha Hadid set of four gloss-laminated polyurethane resin stools, titled Nekton, sold for $86,500 -- over its estimate of $60,000-80,000.

"Christie's first ever Contemporary Design sale was greeted by enthusiastic global interest indicating a solid and evolving contemporary design market," says Carina Villinger, head of sale for Christies.

Each year, Christie's holds over 600 sales in some 80 categories, including fine and decorative arts, jewelry, photographs, collectibles, wine, and more. Prices range from $200 to over $80 million.

Above: Ron Arad's D sofa.