The Most Amazing Scandinavian Design Auction Drops Next Month

Anyone interested in sharing a moving van from Chicago with us?

While Christie’s and Sotheby’s duke it out over who will auction the next Rothko for $50,000,000, Chicago’s Wright has quietly become the go-to auctioneer for all things design. On May 5 they turn their attention to all things teak and minimal with their Scandinavian Design auction. All the biggies are here: Arne Jacobsen, Hans Wegner, Finn Juhl, Alvar Aalto. And while this probably isn’t the place to go hunting for bargains, if you shop wisely you can probably pick up an original from the ’50s or ’60s for the same price you pay for a modern, authorized reproduction. The entire catalogue is available here, but here are a few of the lots that have us excited.This clock from Arne Jacobsen for SAS isn’t cheap (estimate is $1,000 to $1,500), but it can be sent in the mail and and has a solid dose of effortless cool. Alvar Aalto wasn’t much for decoration, so finding this Cantilever Chair he did for Artek in 1933 covered in real zebra hide is simply amazing. Easily $3,000 to $5,000 amazing.To be honest, I had never heard of Svante Skogh, but now I know he’s the guy who made these sheepskin covered marvels in 1950. Estimate $7,000 to $9,000.These illuminated mirrors from Dane Poul Henningsen look like they were designed last week instead of 1955. Estimate $2,000 to $3,000.