Single-owner Masterworks of Craft sale at Rago Nov. 9 celebrates 20th-century American artists

Wendell Castle Triad chair, estimated at $13,000-$17,000 at Rago.

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LAMBERTVILLE, N.J. — Fixtures of the Philadelphia art community for years, Jane and Leonard Korman meticulously collected select examples of fine 20th-century American studio furniture, monumental ceramics, and glass sculpture. Rago brings 96 examples from their outstanding collection to market with Masterworks of Craft from the Kormans on Thursday, November 9. The catalog is now available for bidding at LiveAuctioneers.

The Kormans were clearly fans of Judy Kensley McKie (b. 1944-), the well-known studio furniture artist who focuses on animal and floral forms. The sale has three of her works, with Fish Bench as the top-estimated McKie lot. Made in 1999 of patinated bronze, the work is marked 8/10 and is estimated at $75,000-$100,000.

Groundbreaking studio potter Lucie Rie (1902-1995) was also a Korman favorite, with three examples in the sale. Rie’s unique approach to glazing and firing can be seen in Vase with Flaring Lip, a 1989 work dating to near the end of her career. It carries an estimate of $15,000-$20,000.

Considered a father of the American craft furniture movement, Wendell Castle (1932-2018) was an active artist whose works perform positively at auction. In an unusual departure from his traditional medium of wood, Triad Chair features gel-coated fiberglass construction with gold leaf. It is number 7 from an edition of 8 and is estimated at $13,000-$17,000.

Monumental ceramic sculpture is a unique and rather remote area of art, occupied by only a few. A leader in this category is Jun Kaneko (b. 1942-), an educator and artist who has pushed the boundaries of ceramic sculpture. Untitled (Dango) is a large-format work, measuring 38 by 42 by 28in. It is estimated at $15,000-$20,000.

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Judy Kensley McKie Fish Bench, estimated at $75,000-$100,000 at Rago.
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Lucie Rie vase with flaring lip, estimated at $15,000-$20,000 at Rago.
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Wendell Castle Triad chair, estimated at $13,000-$17,000 at Rago.
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Jun Kaneko, ‘Untitled (Dango),’ estimated at $15,000-$20,000 at Rago.
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Betty Woodman, His/Hers Vases, 4th of July, estimated at $45,000-$65,000 at Rago.
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Bid Smart: Wendell Castle’s studio furniture stacks up fans and dollars

A custom chandelier in cherry, designed by Wendell Castle for a private home in 1976, achieved $90,000 plus the buyer’s premium in May 2022. Image courtesy of Rago Arts and Auction Center and LiveAuctioneers.

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A custom chandelier in cherry, designed by Wendell Castle for a private home in 1976, achieved $90,000 plus the buyer’s premium in May 2022. Image courtesy of Rago Arts and Auction Center and LiveAuctioneers.
A custom chandelier in cherry, designed by Wendell Castle for a private home in 1976, achieved $90,000 plus the buyer’s premium in May 2022. Image courtesy of Rago Arts and Auction Center and LiveAuctioneers.

NEW YORK — Dubbed the “father of the American studio furniture movement,” Wendell Castle (1932-2018) created innovative furniture designs that are highly coveted today. He also didn’t restrict himself to wood as a medium. His legacy lies in his craftsmanship, use of unusual materials and always challenging himself to produce work that pushed the boundaries of what furniture could be.

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Michener Art Museum spotlights three women who influenced Wharton Esherick

Wharton Esherick (1887-1970), ‘Fischer End Table with Lap Light,’ 1932. Walnut burl, 28 1⁄4 in by 26in by 28 3⁄4 in. Collection of Peter Fischer Cooke
Wharton Esherick (1887-1970), ‘Fischer End Table with Lap Light,’ 1932. Walnut burl, 28 1⁄4 in by 26in by 28 3⁄4 in. Collection of Peter Fischer Cooke
Wharton Esherick (1887-1970), ‘Fischer End Table with Lap Light,’ 1932. Walnut burl, 28 1⁄4 in by 26in by 28 3⁄4 in. Collection of Peter Fischer Cooke

DOYLESTOWN, Pa. – The James A. Michener Art Museum is pleased to host an exhibition highlighting the influences that shaped the work of sculptor and woodworker Wharton Esherick. Daring Design: The Impact of Three Women on Wharton Esherick’s Craft opened September 10 and continues through February 6, 2022.

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Eleven George Nakashima works featured in Freeman’s June 8 sale

George Nakashima Minguren I coffee table, estimated at $30,000-$50,000
George Nakashima Minguren I coffee table, estimated at $30,000-$50,000
George Nakashima Minguren I coffee table, estimated at $30,000-$50,000

PHILADELPHIA, Pa.—On June 8, Freeman’s presents a Select Design auction beginning at 11 am Eastern time, featuring 19 carefully chosen lots of fine 2oth century design pieces. It includes 11 works by George Nakashima, as well as pieces by Tiffany Studios, Samuel Yellin, and Michael Graves, among others. Absentee and Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers.

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Judy Kensley McKie: studio furniture crafted out of necessity

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A trio of snakes forms the legs of Judy Kensley McKie’s 1997 Serpent side table. All three snakes are engraved ‘JKM 97.’ It is numbered 15 of 16. It sold for $26,000 + the buyer’s premium in 2010. Image courtesy of Rago Arts and Auction Center and LiveAuctioneers

NEW YORK – Judy Kensley McKie didn’t aim to become a leading American studio furniture artist. Every step she took on her journey was guided by practicality and logic, not romance or fancy. She earned her Rhode Island School of Design degree in painting in 1966, and never entered a woodshop during college. McKie turned to furniture-making a few years later to solve a problem: She and her husband were too poor to buy it.

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