Art deco furniture of 20th century Mumbai at Saffronart's Design sale

Furniture pieces highlighting the art deco style of 20th century Mumbai will go under the hammer at Saffronart's upcoming 'The Design Sale'.

The annual auction, to be held on August 8 and 9, will feature 59 lots of furniture including cabinets, tables, and seating among others.

"Brought to India through royal families and trade merchants, the Art Deco aesthetic influenced not just the architectural facade of Mumbai, but its interiors as well," Saffronart said.

The 20 art deco lots include a display cabinet made out of teak wood with glass and brass hardware (Rs 75,000 - 95,000), an ebonised teak secretarial desk with brass hardware (Rs 1.1 1.3 lakhs) and a teak and rosewood hat and umbrella stand (Rs 25,000 - 45,000) among others.

 

Also featured in the sale are chairs, tables and desks that heralded the arrival of modernist architecture in post-Independent India.

"Their iconic style, rooted in attention to functionality and comfort, provides an interesting contrast to the intricately carved furniture from Ahmedabad that is also part of the sale," the auction house said.

The highest value lot in this sale is an intricately Carved Davenport Desk attributed to the Ahmedabad Wood Carving Company.

Estimated at Rs 5.3 6.3 lakhs, it represents Gujarat's rich tradition of woodworking, seen in the local architecture and furniture.

The auction, which will be held online, will be preceded by viewings here from August 1 and August 9.