Gilbert Poillerat (1902-1988) was a French master of the hand made steel furniture and decoration. His biggest part of his life-long career represents creations of all kinds of tables.

For this editorial we have found some of his spectacular creations to show his style evolution which is significant for whole decoration scene of that time in France, Italy or elsewhere. We have named tables after their style which represent to illustrate this stylistic changes in times. From the historicism, to the surrealist and biomorphic designs to the decorative modernism and finally to the new 1960s steel minimalism, which was very popular in France.

Poillerat was a great chameleon of the styles and shapes. But in his every creation we can find his ultimate production mastery.

In the recent time we found several Japanese essentials around us. We selected them and made this styling mosaic of our actual Japanese inspiration.

1.
Influence of the Japanese contemporary architecture

Contemporary Japanese architecture is very powerful today. Every day you can find many new Japanese houses featured on design blogs. All of them are beautiful and discover new space possibilities and living habits. Czech studio A1 Architects is also influenced by Japanese architectural environment. One of their recent projects is the Hut tea house in Ostrava (model pictured), which illustrates some of the main ideas of Japanese architecture: minimalist space, craft work, traditional rituals, materials.

2.
Japanese modernists and conceptual spaces

Above we talk about contemporary Japanese dwelling architecture which is highly conceptual. But all of that starts many years ago with work of some celebrated Japanese modernist architects. One of them is Kazuo Shinohara (1925 - 2006). His architecture was based on philosophy and theory very much. In the recent published book titled Kazuo Shinohara, Houses by 2G you can find really interesting examples of his domestic architecture through his whole career.

3.
New playfulness by Muji

Global brand without label, Muji, has prepared several new toys including collaboration with lego, wooden puzzles inspired by Enzo Mari`s famous designs or these cardboard animals which you can assemble very easily.

4.
Stationary revolution by Midori

We wrote about Midori products some times ago. But now we have good reason to remind them. Our friends from Denim Heads store based in Prague delivered first Midori products to Czech customers. Do not hesitate and come to buy exclusive envelopes, brass pens or notebooks and diaries.

5.
Design domination from Nendo

Tokyo-based studio Nendo was one of the busiest designers this year. He collaborated on many products and exhibitions including chandelier for Czech company Lasvit or its own exhibition called Textured Transparencies at Salone del Mobile in Milan (pictured). No doubt that the studio won annual Wallpaper design awards as The Best design of the year.

6.
Wonderful hand-made denim

Via Prague-based denim store Denim Heads we know something more about the unique Japanese denim. Store sells denim from Japan Blue or Momotaro, whose denim calendar we have on the wall (pictured).

7.
New patterns

From Ijin Material, London-based denim brand inspired by the best from the Japanese denim goods, comes this delicate shirt.

In the recent work of some of the youngest French generation of designers we found some really interesting table lamps.

Table lamp as an art and visual object. It could be short description of this trend in the work of young French designers who produce design objects with the specific poetic way of thinking. Not so much function, they explore new visual and light possibilities of the objects more. None of them has a direct light for the exact purpose. They are essentials of light.

Just we received our first group of perfectly stylized tin toys. Why now? As christmas presents.

We are big fans of car models for long time. Tin car models create their own specific type in the design and collecting car models. Right now we start our own collection with two beautiful brands, Czech Kovap and French CIJ.

From CIJ we present here Renault Viva Grand Sport with camping-trailer. Vintage-styled tin toys from CIJ have really nice design based on the traditional tin models of the half of the last century.

On the other hand, Kovap is a classic Czech manufacturer for tin toys. Their tractors, cableways or other vehicles represent very specific tin models. But sometimes with a naive and not so detailed execution.

More about tin toys in the future!

Two beautiful use of the raw wood we found in the work of two young emerging designers.

Peter Simoník of Allt studio from Slovakia has created two furniture pieces based on the stacking the wood. Highstack and Lowstack represent library and bench made out of stacked pieces of fine wood. Inspired by wood storages of sawmills and warehouses, the pieces are beautiful domestic objects.

Quite similar material feeling we have from the work created by Swedish designer Peter Svensson. His Split all the way in cabinet, made out of splitting pieces of birch, creates raw natural texture and uses the material in the different way.

Both works explore new possibilities of traditional material and become nice domestic furniture pieces with the everyday modest atmosphere as well as discover hidden beauty of nature.

Yesterday we had here selection of the best pieces selling today at Phillips de Pury & Company Design Masters auction held in New York. But tomorrow starts another great auction, also at Phillips de Pury & Company, New York.

We read the catalogue and made some pictures illustrating qualities of the selling pieces as well as precise photos and graphic of the catalogue. We have created these simple collages to introduce you to the world of the modernist design from Italy and France, especially.

So do not miss pieces by BBPR, Ico Parisi, Fontana Arte, Paolo Porthogesi, Gio Ponti, Gino Sarfatti, Angelo Lelli or Jean Royere, Serge Mouile and many many others. Enjoy!

Design, 14 December, 2PM, 450 Park Avenue, New York

Two following days, 13 and 14 December, become good times for collectors. Two very important auctions are held at Phillips de Pury & Company these days. Both of them with rare pieces of the 20th century design.

Now we preview first of the auction called Design Masters which is held 13 December in New York. Our selection explores some of the most interesting pieces on sale including machinist design of Pierre Chareau, elegant modernism of Gio Ponti, Carlo Mollino, Max Ingrand and Jean Royere or postmodernist creations of Japanese master Shiro Kuramata, among many others.

Tomorrow we are here with the preview for the next auction from New York.

Design Masters, 13 December 2011 4PM, 450 Park Avenue,
New York

We continue with our "lamps theme". This time we present some very interesting lightning ideas from The Netherlands. From the chandelier that looks like visual artistic installation to the most minimalist table lamps which we have every seen, the all three projects bring the new shining ideas.

We received another Phillips de Pury catalogue for upcoming Important Nordic Design auction. We have used this very nice book to present some of the most interesting pieces which will be on sale next week in London

It seems that articles about Phillips de Pury auctions will become our regular tradition. Every auction held in New York or in London is full of spectacular modernist pieces from all around the world which we have never seen before. And that we like it. Upcoming Important Nordic design auction is no exception.

Curated by architect Lee F. Mindel, the auction is a great survey of Danish, Swedish and Finnish modernist design of the last century. In more than 120 pieces you can discover everything from unique jewelry by Tapio Wirkkala to the interior masterpieces by Vilhelm Lauritzen (1894 - 1984), Danish architect whose work is not so famous in the design world. He designed Copenhagen Airport terminal (1937–1939) or Embassy of Denmark in Washington (1960), among others. We like his decorative chandelier from living room of the Danish Ambassador’s Residence in Washington or his Vanity desk and stool from 1934. With its details, the table is original synthesis of functionalism a decorativism.

Another great Danish master including in the auction is Peder Moos (1906-1991), whose artistic wooden organic custom made furniture has cult status today. And this is why his Lady`s desk from the years 1953 - 1954 is the most expensive piece of the auction.

Our next favorites include Paavo Tynell, Josef Frank, Bruno Mathsson, Poul Henningsen. Anna Petrus or fantastic Timo Sarpaneva.

Important Nordic Design, 17 November 2011, London

Thanks Phillips de Pury for their kind collaboration.

Jacques Biny designed beautiful clamp lamp 60 years ago in France. Jon Harrison designed similarly beautiful clamp lamp one year ago in UK. Both lamps are great examples of functional, yet elegant design.