175
175
Midcentury Modern monographs, sixteen
Midcentury Modern monographs, sixteen
bound printed paper
estimate: $500–700
result: $330
provenance: Collection of James Zemaitis
This work will ship from Chicago, Illinois.
Complete Lot Details
Design of Modern Interiors James Ford and Katherine Morrow Ford, Architectural Book Publishing Co. Inc., New York, 1942. 130 pages, Hardcover. First edition. The second of two iconic “Ford and Ford” titles. The photographs of the furniture (many by Ezra Stoller and Julius Shulman) have served as the primary source of identification for generations of collectors.—JZ Missing dust jacket, otherwise near fine.
L'Arredamento Moderno Roberto Aloi, Hoepli, Milan, 1947. Softcover. Poor condition, with fragments of dust jacket, tape repairs, etc. Strictly a reference copy.
Modern Furniture Mario Dal Fabbro, Reinhold Publishing Corporation, New York, 1949. 210 pages, Hardcover with dustjacket. Revised edition, 1958. Dal Fabbro designed furniture in Italy in the 1930s, then emigrated to America where he worked for various mid-century furniture firms, wrote books, and exhibited his sculptures. After his death, a generation of dealers and auction experts visited the attic of his Connecticut home and came away with works to sell, including yours truly.—JZ
The Herman Miller Collection. Furniture Designed by George Nelson Charles Eames Isamu Noguchi Paul Laszlo, Herman Miller Furniture Co., Zeeland, MI, 1950. 71 pages, Softcover. First edition, with library board covers. Provenance: Ex-Cincinnati University Library; Collection of Stephen D. Hachen; Main Auction Galleries, Cincinnati, May 20, 2018, Lot 74. Missing original front cover and one title page. Heavily used ex-library with all the markings. Strictly a reference copy.
Guide to Easier Living Mary and Russel Wright, Gibbs Smith, Salt Lake City, 1950. 201 pages, Softcover. Reprinted 2003. Introduction by Massimo Vignelli, foreword by Ann Wright.
The Herman Miller Collection. Furniture Designed by George Nelson and Charles Eames, with occasional pieces by Isamu Noguchi, Peter Hvidt and O.M. Nielsen, Herman Miller Furniture Co., Zeeland, MI, 1952. 116 pages, Hardcover. First edition. Provenance: Ex-Cincinnati University Library; Collection of Stephen D. Hachen; Main Auction Galleries, Cincinnati, May 20, 2018, Lot 73. Ex-library with all the markings. Missing dust jacket. Black cover framed with library tape. Handsome, sturdy example.
Chairs George Nelson, 1953. 174 pages, Hardcover with dustjacket. Reprinted by Acanthus Press, New York, 1994. An absolute goldmine of American and European designs. I will always appreciate it for the illustrations and explanations of Edward Durell Stone’s chairs for Fulbright Industries.—JZ
Industrial Design in America 1954, Farrar, Straus & Young, Inc., New York, 1954. 224 pages, Hardcover. First and only edition. Designed by Alvin Lustig.
Designs for Living: 175 Examples of Quality Home Interiors Katherine Morrow Ford and Thomas H. Creighton, Reinhold Publishing Corporation, New York, 1955. 215 pages, Hardcover with dustjacket. First edition. After the death of her husband James Ford in 1944, Katherine Ford married Thomas Creighton, editor of Progressive Architecture and continued her series of important publications.—JZ
New Furniture 6 Gerd Hatje, Arthur Niggli Ltd., Teufen, Switzerland, 1962. 164 pages, Hardcover. First edition. Missing dust jacket. Minor soiling to the cloth, otherwise near fine.
Curated: The Library and Design
Collection of James Zemaitis
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.