31st Oct, 2023 10:00
Design
107
Carlo Bugatti (1856-1940)
Carlo Bugatti (1856-1940),
a walnut and ebonised, copper, bone and pewter-mounted side table, the rectangular top inlaid in pewter decorated with a setting sun with birds and bamboo, the edge lacking the vellum border, the apron with roundels inlaid with characters, over a spindle gallery and a shallow arched apron, raised on square supports, over turned and block supports,
81cm wide
67cm deep
76cm high
For a similar table, see Sotheby's, 'Important Design', New York, 14 December 2016, lot 225.
Carlo Bugatti (1856-1940)
Inheriting artistic talents from his father, who was an architect and sculptor, Carlo Bugatti was born in Milan on February 16, 1856. He studied at the Brera Academy in Milan and at the Académie des Beaux Arts in Paris. Towards the end of the 1860s, he began working for a cabinet-maker in Milan.
In 1888, Bugatti displayed his designs at both the Industrial Arts Exhibition in Milan and the Italian Exhibition at Earl's Court in London. Typical of the first phase of his furniture making, he used heavy, ebonised wood inlaid with copper, brass, ivory, mother of pearl or camel and deer hide which he then decorated with fringes or metal discs, exotic geometric marquetry or stencil work of oriental calligraphy or with flower, animal or insect motifs. Influenced by Moorish, Japanese and primitive art, his cabinets, chairs, tables, beds and other pieces were all highly individual, even theatrical.
After opening his own workshop in Milan in 1898, Bugatti exhibited at the Exhibitions in Turin in 1898 and Paris in 1900. At the First International Exhibition of Modern Decorative Arts held in Turin in 1902, he created his famous ‘Snail Room' and won the Diploma of Honour, its most prestigious award. However, the 1902 exhibition marked the last phase in Bugatti's furniture designs mainly because his experimentation with new materials like vellum failed to attract clients. On the brink of bankruptcy, he was forced to close his workshop.
To start afresh, Bugatti with his wife Teresa and three children emigrated to Paris in 1904. There, he opened another workshop, this time producing luxury items for clients such as the Bon Marché department store. On his arrival, he had met art merchant and artistic foundry owner Adrien A. Hèbrard (1865-1937) who convinced him to begin sculpting and who, in 1907, held an exhibition of his silverware designs, largely depicting animals, at the Galerie Hébrard. Bugatti also had regular exhibitions at the Salon des Artistes Décorateurs before moving, in 1910, due to his wife's ill health to Pierrefonds, a small village north east of Paris.
Sadly, the latter years of Bugatti's life were marked by tragedy. He was devastated by the suicide, in 1916, of his younger son, the brilliant but fragile sculptor, Rembrandt. This was followed, in 1932, by the death of his daughter, and soon after that, of his wife. Now alone, he went to live with his son Ettore, near the Bugatti car factory at Molsheim in the Alsace region of France. Carlo Bugatti died in April 1940 and was buried at Dorlisheim with full military honours for the courageous stand he took against the German occupation of Pierrerfonds, where he had been mayor during World War I.
Take advantage of our Sworders Delivery Service. Please see 'Shipping estimate' below.
A selection of Arts and Crafts & Art Nouveau featured in our 31 October Design auction.
Sold for £2,000
Condition Report
Garaged for many years and bought by the vendor in the 1960s.
One spindle loose, another with piece missing. Knocks and scratches to the top.
Missing border edge - which originally covered in vellum.
Some further knocks and losses to the star apron border.
Splits to the top edge and some losses to the joints.
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Auction: Design, 31st Oct, 2023
Viewing
London Viewing | Highlights
A selection of lots will be on view Friday 6 October - Wednesday 18 October at our London Gallery, 15 Cecil Court, London WC2N 4EZ, as follows:
Monday-Friday, 11.30am - 5.30pm
Saturday, 1pm - 5pm
Sunday - Closed
For more information, please contact 0203 971 2500 | london@sworder.co.uk
Stansted Viewing | Auction
Viewing will be held at our Stansted Auction Rooms, Cambridge Road, Stansted Mountfitchet CM24 8GE, as follows:
Friday 27 October, 10am - 5pm
Saturday 28 October, 10am - 1pm
Sunday 29 October, 10am - 1pm
Monday 30 October, 10am - 5pm
All lots are, however, extensively illustrated and carry detailed condition reports - see 'Condition report' at the foot of each lot description.
The auction will take place at our Stansted Auction Rooms, Cambridge Road, Stansted Mountfitchet CM24 8GE.
Please note that this item is not suitable for a pre-sale automated shipping estimate due to the items weight/size.
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