Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA)

The May 6, 2001 20th Century Design and Fine Art Auction featured 528 lots of modern design, fine art, sculpture, and furniture. The auction was held at LAMA’s Beverly Boulevard location in West Hollywood. Artists included Richard Anuskiewicz, Alexander Calder, Jim Dine, Ed Kienholz, George Nakashima, Charles and Ray Eames, Victor Vasarely, and Emerson Woelffer.

The cover lot, a rare and important Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen prototype armchair (Lot 296 est. $125,000 – 150,000) was designed in 1940 for the Museum of Modern Art’s Organic Design Competition. this chair was hand constructed with the help of Heywood Wakefield and Haskelite Corporation. This chair won first prize for “Category A – Seating for a living room,” and is one of only two or three known to have been produced. Another example of this chair can be found in the Vitra Design Museum.

Highlights included a Sam Maloof custom rocking chair (Lot 316 est. $15,000 – 18,000, realized $15,000), 23 lots of vintage photographs and Christmas cards from Charles & Ray Eames (Lots 74 – 96) that realized over $20,000, an RM Schindler lounge chair custom designed for the Druckman Residence (Lot 135 est. $12,000 – 15,000, realized $12,650), and a cast resin Vasa sculpture (Lot 358 est. $700 – 900, realized $1,995).