Naum Gabo Antoine Pevsner, The Museum of Modern Art, 1948. 84 pages, Softcover. First edition (9,500 copies). Covers are loose from the binding, losses to the covers along the spine, creases and chipping to the corners, title page with small tear.
International Window Display Walter Herdeg, Pellegrini & Cudahy, New York, 1951. 276 pages, Hardcover. Missing dust jacket. Binding slightly loose. Lower section of title page missing. Good reference copy.
Max Bill Eugen Gomringer, ed., Arthur Niggli, Teufen, Switzerland, 1958. 84 pages, Softcover. First edition. Rare. Tribute to Max Bill on his 50th birthday, featuring eight essays.—JZ The wrapper with damages and discoloration. The paperback presents well without it.
Modernes Glas von Ludvika Smrcková M. Holubová, Artia, Prague, 1961. 21 pages, Hardcover. Smrcková was a true “pioneer of modernism.” A designing woman, she was founder of the Czech modern glass movement who established closer collaboration between the art world and industry.—JZ
Advertising Art: International 1961/62, Studio Books, London, 1961. 167 pages, Hardcover with dustjacket.
Shops and Showrooms: An International Survey Karl Kaspar, Frederick A. Praeger Publishers, New York, 1967. 168 pages, Hardcover with dustjacket. First edition.
Peter Behrens und die AEG, Eine limitierte Sonder-Edition in Auszügen für die Freunde der AEG-Lichttechnik zur Premiere Neues Licht 89, AEG, 1989. 100 pages, Hardcover with dustjacket. First edition.
Philips: A Study of the Corporate Management of Design John Heskett, Rizzoli, New York, 1989. 162 pages, Hardcover with dustjacket. First edition.
Tschechischer Kubismus: Architektur und Design 1910-1925 Alexander von Vegesack, Vitra Design Museum, 1991. 343 pages, Softcover. Major exhibition on Czech design which did not travel to the USA.—JZ
Eckart Muthesius 1930: The Maharaja’s Palace in Indore Reto Niggl, Arnoldsche, 1996. 176 pages, Hardcover. First edition.
At the intersection of scholarship and connoisseurship lies Curated: The Design and Library of James Zemaitis—an offering that reflects a career spent exploring, documenting, and shaping the discourse around modern and contemporary design. This carefully assembled selection includes both a compelling group of design works and a rich library of publications that have guided and inspired James Zemaitis throughout his decades in the field.
As Director of Museum Relations at R & Company since 2016, James has played a central role in developing exhibitions and fostering institutional partnerships. His recent curatorial projects, including Born Too Tall: California Women Designers, Postwar to Postmodern, demonstrate a thoughtful and inclusive approach to design history. Prior to his time at R & Company, James held leadership positions at Sotheby’s and Phillips, producing over fifty design sales and helping shape the trajectory of the postwar and contemporary design market.
This collection reflects James’s deep engagement with the material and intellectual history of design. The included library—rich with foundational texts, rare catalogues, and scholarly references—provides a rare window into the ideas and research that have underpinned his work as a curator, advisor, and educator.
This auction brings together design and scholarship in a way that reflects a lifetime of passion and purpose. We are honored to invite collectors, curators, and enthusiasts alike to discover a collection shaped by insight, research, and enduring care.
