About Us
Founded in 1992 by Peter Loughrey, Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) is the first auction house to specialize in selling 20th century Modern Art & Design.
LAMA holds four auctions a year, plus occasional exhibits that are open to the public. From the casual buyer to the most dedicated collector, LAMA auctions offer quality, vetted modern material in every price range, including paintings, prints, furniture, and decorative objects. With 25 years experience in the modern art and design field, LAMA has carved a niche into the international market through milestone auctions featuring artists and designers such as Charles and Ray Eames, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Paul Laszlo, Pablo Picasso, Alexander Calder, and R.M. Schindler. LAMA has also conducted auctions for prominent California estates, including those of James Prestini, James Byrnes, and Max Palevsky. From a single work of art to an entire estate, LAMA is quickly becoming the choice auction house on the West Coast to buy and sell Modern Art & Design.
Expert
After moving to Los Angeles in 1988, Peter Loughrey opened a vintage furniture gallery in 1989. Several successful years concluded in his first auction on October 10, 1992, which featured 150 lots. In 1993, he closed the gallery to continue his education and work at Sotheby’s Works of Art Course in London where he apprenticed in the Vintage Car Department. Upon returning to Los Angeles he re-opened the auction house and has conducted over 50 auctions.
Peter Loughrey, the founder and director, is an established curator, trusted consultant and a well-recognized expert in Modern Art & Design. He is a prominent figure in the Los Angeles Modern Art & Design community through his involvement at LACMA as a board member of the Decorative Arts and Design Council and his contributions to Taschen books. Not only is he a repeat appraiser on PBS’s Antiques Roadshow, but he has also been featured on Forbes’ “Sold!” on Ovation TV.
Peter co-curated many Los Angeles gallery shows, including “Gio Ponti: Furnished Settings & Figuration” (2004) and “Dutch Design” (2005), both at ACME Gallery. Recently, Peter co-curated and published a catalog for Gaetano Pesce: Pieces from a Larger Puzzle at Los Angeles’ Italian Cultural Institute (2010). He has also written numerous articles and was a contributor in the books Case Study Houses (Taschen 2003), Julius Shulman Modernism Rediscovered (Taschen 2007), and Collecting Design (Taschen 2010). He was voted one of the 50 most powerful dealers in the Art & Auction “Power Issue” for two consecutive years.
Peter is not only the gateway to important collections, but in many instances he has helped build these collections. LAMA is a meeting point and source for high quality works of art, practiced knowledge, and professional relationships in the realm of Modern Art & Design. Peter’s own experience, expertise, and influence in this field allow him to work for the consignor and buyer satisfying both of their individual needs.