Keep It Simple

Speaking of time, one of the undoubted highlights of this auction is the rare Vienna Cube Clock (Wiener Würfeluhr). Designed and manufactured for the City of Vienna in the early 20th century, these cube clocks were strategically placed in prominent locations, becoming iconic landmarks and popular meeting points. As an enduring element of urban furniture for over a century, Vienna’s cube clocks still mark NORMALZEIT at 73 locations across the city.

The first of its kind was installed in 1907 at the intersection of Opernring and Kärntner Straße in the heart of Vienna. Designed by the Vienna Municipal Construction Office in collaboration with Ing. Emil Schauer, the clock quickly captured attention with its innovative design.

Another standout feature of this auction is the extensive collection of furniture pieces by Peter Wigglesworth for the Zurich-based company Formatera, which also produced and distributed works by Donald Judd. Lots 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 originate from a Southwest German collection, were purchased directly from Formatera in 1996, and have remained in the same ownership ever since.

Following this, the auction presents design classics from renowned creators such as Ron Arad, Tom Dixon, and the legendary duo Charles and Ray Eames.

The auction then transitions seamlessly into a segment dedicated to Italian design, featuring Ettore Sottsass, Gino Sarfatti, Vico Magistretti, Gaetano Sciolari, Osvaldo Borsani, Paolo Piva, and Ico & Luisa Parisi. Scandinavian design is also well-represented with masterpieces by Tapio Wirkkala, Leif Alring, Arne Vodder, Henry Walter Klein, Torbjörn Afdal, Erik Buck, Niels Otto Møller, and Arne Jacobsen. Meanwhile, Austria is proudly showcased through the works of Johannes Spalt, Roland Rainer, Karl and Franz Hagenauer, Carl Auböck II and III, and Anna-Lülja Praun.

In short, the 153 lots presented offer something for every taste and budget, demonstrating once again how design can be both simple and complex, elegant and multifaceted.