Estate of Peter Knoll Auction at Showplace Antiques + Design Center

New York, NY – Auctions at Showplace is excited to announce that we have acquired the Estate of Peter Knoll, who was raised by Florence Knoll, the celebrated designer who passed away on January 25^th 2019, and Hans Knoll, founder of Knoll Associates, a company whose reputation for combining design excellence and technological innovation with mass production techniques attracted the talents of such luminaries as Harry Bertoia and Eero Saarinen; over the years the company also acquired production rights for masterpieces such as the Barcelona chair designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Hardoy butterfly chair by Jorge Ferrari-Hardoy, and Wassily chair by Marcel Breuer. Today the company manufactures furniture by, among others, Bertoia, Breuer, Saarinen, Florence Knoll, Frank Gehry, Richard Schultz and Maya Lin, and its products can be found in the permanent collections of The Museum of Modern Art and Cooper-Hewitt Design Museum in New York City.

Lot 49, Art Deco Rolex 18K Gold Antimagnetic Men's Watch; Estimate $30,000-$40,000

The product of exclusive boarding schools and universities, Peter Knoll spent decades traveling the world; later in life he split his time between New York and Florida and practiced philanthropy, donating money to Habitat for Humanity and numerous other causes. He had an unmatched eye for fine cars, books, watches, art, furniture, silver and decorative arts. On February 3^rd Auctions at Showplace will offer Part I of this magnificent and eclectic collection to be followed on February 17^th by Part II. Additional selections from the Estate of Peter Knoll will later be included in our biweekly auctions throughout the winter of 2019.

Watches were a particular love of Mr. Knoll’s; through the years he amassed a grouping including an 18K Rolex Oyster Perpetual Model 331; Rolex Datejust Tapestry stainless and 18K with Jubilee bracelet; Rolex Oyster Perpetual Model 1024; mid-20^th century Primalux Hi-Matic 30 jewel Incabloc; early Wittnauer wristwatch; circa 1950 Swiss Berney De Marche Model 3167-A; early 20^th century Lemania 17-jewel chronograph tachometer and telemeter with two registers, and a Primalux 18K rose gold.

Books were another passion, and we will have copies of a signed 1927 limited edition of Charles Lindbergh’s “We,” an autobiographical account of the events leading up to and including his New York to Paris solo trans-Atlantic flight in the Spirit of St. Louis; an 18-volume edition of the collected works of Charles Dickens, circa 1890; Samuel Pepy’s “Diaries” in a 9-volume 1918 edition; and approximately 100 other publications from the 17^th-20^th centuries.

Lot 3, Modern Mies Van Der Rohe for Knoll Barcelona Chair; Estimate $600-$800

Naturally, there are a number of vintage Knoll company pieces, including rare unproduced prototype “QE2” folding lounge chairs, one in the original box; a walnut and white laminate chest of drawers; International bed; Florence Knoll nightstand, wall-mounted cabinet, and bed with caned headboard; marble-top credenza; red-upholstered office chair and club chair; van der Rohe coffee table, “Barcelona” lounge chair, frame, and daybed, and pair of “Bruno” chairs;  Saarinen marble top “Tulip” side table; nickel steel and glass coffee table by Warren Planter; Mario Vignelli “Handkerchief” chair; swivel office chair; pair of Richard Schultz outdoor chairs; marble table lamp, and Angelo Mangiarotti marble bowl and many more.

Lot 82, Hans Wegner Peacock Chair for Johannes Hansen; Estimate $2,000-$3,000

Other notable 20^th Century furniture pieces by sought after designer include a pair of “Paradisoterrestre Marcel S Poufs” and “Tule” chairs by Kazuhide Takahama for Simon Gavina; Rik Gunnar Asplund “Goteberg” side chair; set of four Arne Vodder “#418” armchairs for Sibast Denmark; “Frisco” low table by Folke Ohlsson for Tingstroms Sweden; Giancarlo Piretti folding chair; pair of Hans Wegner / J. Hansen teak “Model 501 – The Chair” armchairs; Wegner “Peacock Chair”; Charles Pollock leather desk chair; Ron Arad chromed tubular rocking chair, and Vincent Cafiero desk chair.

Additional Mid Century Modern items feature a Carvers Guild mirror; aluminum and wood bar cart; circular ottoman / bench; Art Deco satin-upholstered sofa; German adjustable lounge chair and sofa; “Pelto” leather-upholstered bentwood side chairs; antique American rush seat side chairs and set of 4 Empire rush seat chairs with marquetry; Italian architect’s work table; pair Arne Vodder-manner caned fauteuil; Asian split bamboo folding lounge chair, foam-upholstered womb chair, and a Gucci desk.

Sterling Silver is strongly represented with flatware by Tiffany & Co., Bigelow, Kennard & Co,; Black, Starr & Frost; Sanborn, and others, including antique English; Marcus & Co. snake bowl; German tea caddy; Gorham nut dishes; Shreve Crump & Low tray; Reed & Barton candlesticks, and assorted unsigned boxes, tea service, creamers, dog-form inkwell, and a silver overlay vase attributed to Tiffany or Rockwell.

Lot 32, Ellsworth Kelly "Black/Green" Color Lithograph, 1970-72; Estimate $3,000-$5,000

Luxury accessories include an Hermes wallet passport; Louis Vuitton canvas-covered trunk and black-branded “Peter Knoll” suitcase; Mark Cross suitcase, and vintage sunglasses by various makers, while fine art features an Ellsworth Kelly 1970 lithograph; Ernest Trova silkscreen; Erwin Blumenfeld poster; Robert Indiana mirrored “LOVE” wall art; James Boynton prints; woodcut by Carol Summers; Josef Albers screen print; Jack Youngerman print from 1966; Ken Price gouache; Stow Wengenroth watercolor; and assorted photographs.