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Wendell Castle (1932-2018) Too Soon Chair, 2005, $75,000. Image courtesy Hindman

Hindman’s Springborn contemporary craft collection tops $560K

Wyatt Barrett
Wyatt Barrett
Wendell Castle (1932-2018) Too Soon Chair, 2005, $75,000. Image courtesy Hindman
Wendell Castle (1932-2018), ‘Too Soon Chair,’ 2005, $75,000. Image courtesy Hindman

CHICAGO – Hindman Auctions’ Springborn Collection of Contemporary Craft sale on March 23 realized over $560,000, exceeding its pre-sale estimate. Absentee and live online bidding was provided by LiveAuctioneers. The auction offered furniture from respected collectors Robert and Carolyn Springborn, with works by premier designers known for their innovation within the American studio craft movement. The auction saw outstanding bidder engagement with works by Wendell Castle, Judy Kensley McKie, Sam Maloof, Toots Zynsky, and others.

“We were thrilled to see such excellent engagement with the truly exceptional works we presented in this auction,” said Hindman’s Director and Senior Specialist for Modern Design Hudson Berry. “The designers featured were pioneers in the American studio craft movement, and the response that we received shows that they continue to inspire collectors.”

Works by Wendell Castle, a leader of the studio craft movement, saw fantastic interest. Castle’s Too Soon Chair led the auction and realized $75,000, more than double its pre-sale estimate. The chair is an exceptional work created through stack lamination, a construction technique that Castle developed during the 1960s. The chair is an example of how Castle created one-of-a-kind works by merging his expertise in carving, finishes, and metal casting with digital technologies such as 3D scanning and CNC milling.

Castle’s Seven Days of the Week dining suite was another top performer, selling for $62,500 as well as his Lite Variation #3 floor lamp which realized $18,750, far above its pre-sale estimate of $8,000-$12,000.

Wendell Castle (1932-2018) Seven Days of the Week, $62,500. Image courtesy Hindman
Wendell Castle (1932-2018) ‘Seven Days of the Week,’ $62,500. Image courtesy Hindman

Other works by Castle that achieved top prices included his Voyage console table and The Secret to It All desk, which realized $17,500 and $20,000, respectively. Castle’s three-star console table also sold for a strong price of $16,250 against a pre-sale estimate of $8,000-$12,000.

Judy Kensley McKie’s works also saw competitive bidding, including her Swan Sconces which realized $28,125 against a pre-sale estimate of $2,000-$4,000. The designer’s Butterfly Cabinet (lot 34) also saw enthusiastic bidding and soared past its pre-sale estimate of $2,000-$4,000 to achieve $22,500. Her Snake Mirror sold for $11,875 more than tripled its pre-sale estimate.

Judy Kensley McKie (b. 1944) Swan Sconces, 1994, $28,125. Image courtesy Hindman
Judy Kensley McKie (b. 1944) ‘Swan Sconces,’ 1994, $28,125. Image courtesy Hindman

Other auction highlights included Sam Maloof’s rocking chair which exceeded its pre-sale estimate in reaching $28,500, in addition to exciting results achieved for creations by Wendy Maruyama, David Secrest, and Peter Dudley.

Sam Maloof (1916-2009) Rocking Chair, 1993, $28,500. Image courtesy Hindman
Sam Maloof (1916-2009) Rocking Chair, 1993, $28,500. Image courtesy Hindman

Bidding for the March 23 sale was available through LiveAuctioneers.

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