Design

The Design Department is today one of the most dynamic and rapidly growing sectors of Gregory’s Auction House, attracting increasing interest from collectors, professionals and enthusiasts, including a younger clientele attentive to the language of contemporary living. With 2–3 dedicated auctions each year, the department focuses on the selection, study and enhancement of design works and furnishings.

A large proportion of the works handled by the department comes from private collections, often the result of carefully assembled collections built over time with taste, consistency and sensitivity. Enhancing these works requires a meticulous and collaborative approach, grounded in research and market knowledge. Each piece is carefully examined through the study of its bibliography, condition and comparison with market results achieved by works from the same designer or artist, allowing the department to accurately position the object and formulate a consistent valuation aimed at maximizing its auction potential. Gregory’s also agrees upon a reserve price with the owner, determined according to the characteristics of the object and current market dynamics, with the aim of protecting its value.

A central role is also given to catalogue presentation. Detailed photography and comprehensive descriptions are essential tools for conveying the quality of each work and attracting the attention of collectors and industry professionals in an increasingly discerning and competitive market.

The department works closely with consignors, offering a comprehensive and highly qualified service that begins with free valuations and accompanies clients through every stage of the process. This is complemented by dedicated support for buyers, particularly after the sale has taken place. Gregory’s provides assistance in obtaining shipping quotations and arranging specialized transport, with shipping available both within Italy and internationally. Particular attention is also devoted to export procedures, a fundamental aspect of a sector that increasingly engages with an international audience.

The department benefits from the collaboration of Damiano Baffa, a design specialist who supports the team in the selection and study of works. Drawing on extensive experience in the field, his contribution enhances research activities, the valuation process, the preparation of accurate catalogue descriptions and the strategic positioning of lots on the market, providing an additional level of expertise and insight.

Over the years, the Design Department has achieved significant results at auction. Highlights include important examples of Italian and international twentieth-century design, beginning with the pair of “Digamma” armchairs by Ignazio Gardella for Gavina (1957), sold for €14,260, an emblematic example of Italian rationalism applied to design. Equally elegant is the early twentieth-century French production represented by the demi-lune sideboard by Louis Süe and André Mare, sold for €11,970.

The department also features important figures from contemporary Italian design and art, including Alessandro Mendini’s “Golden Gate” table (2008), sold for €10,880, and Mario Ceroli’s “Rosa dei Venti” table, from the 1970s, sold for €10,625. These works reflect a free, experimental and highly expressive approach to design. Also belonging to this context are Massimo and Lella Vignelli’s “Ambiguità” table, an expression of an essential and conceptual language, and the “Corinto” sideboard by Ferdinando Meccani for Atelier Meccani, which demonstrates a design approach focused on materials and craftsmanship. Alongside them is Mimmo Paladino’s “Battaglia di San Romano” sideboard (2010), sold for €5,376, further confirming the increasingly fertile dialogue between contemporary art and furniture design.

Particularly noteworthy is the continued interest in the works of Carlo Bugatti, including an elegant centre chair sold for €9,600, a writing desk dating from the late nineteenth to the early twentieth century, sold for €8,680, and a twentieth-century mirror, sold for €7,068. These pieces exemplify the artist’s unmistakable decorative language, suspended between exoticism and Art Nouveau.

The department also includes significant examples of European decorative and artistic production from the second half of the twentieth century. These include Henri Fernandez’s “Grande Palma”, a French production from the late 1970s, sold for €8,680; the AD362 two-door sideboard by Alain Delon for Maison Jansen (1972), sold for €4,092; and the Carrara marble console by Up & Up, an Italian production from the same period, sold for €4,216. Within this context also falls Giuseppe Rivadossi’s “Blocco Galla” sculptural table (1968), sold for €6,572. Finally, the abstract glazed stoneware sculpture by Carlo Zauli (1968), sold for €5,544, further demonstrates the department’s interest in works that blur the boundaries between design, decoration and sculpture.

Alongside historic design, the department also embraces more recent and contemporary experiences. These include furniture and seating that have become true icons of modern living, such as Tosco Ticciati’s “Mod Table” dining tablefrom the “Botania” collection, distinguished by its use of refined materials and strong emphasis on craftsmanship and materiality, as well as Michel Ducaroy’s celebrated “Togo” model for Ligne Roset, an example of informal and innovative design that continues to hold strong appeal among collectors and contemporary audiences.

A prominent place is also reserved for lighting design, with works by leading figures such as Gino Sarfatti, represented by a set of three model 1073 floor lamps for Arteluce (1956), and Gio Ponti for Fontana Arte, with the adjustable “1967” floor lamp from the 1960s. These works are significant examples of a design approach capable of combining formal elegance, technical innovation and outstanding craftsmanship.

Over time, the acquisition of works from important private collections has enabled Gregory’s to build a network of design collectors and enthusiasts both nationally and internationally. By its very nature, design speaks a highly global language and attracts a broad and diverse audience, interested both in the great masters of the twentieth century and in more contemporary research. Within this context, the department’s auctions offer consignors the opportunity to present their works in a qualified and competitive environment, capable of increasing their visibility on the international market and encouraging significant sales results.

Evaluation

Would you like to know the value of your artworks and explore their potential sale on the market?

Our experts are available to provide free and confidential valuations, whether for individual works or entire collections.

You will receive qualified advice and be guided through every stage of the sale process, whether at auction or through private negotiation, with a careful and personalised service.

Images and information regarding your artworks can be sent via:

• email or WeTransfer: info@gregorysaste.it
• WhatsApp: +39 051 2960945

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