Mumbai's art-deco furniture take centresatge in online auction

Mumbai : India's rich design history will be reflected in Saffronart's annual design sale as 59 lots of furniture from across the country will be up for grabs in an online auction.

The announcement was made by Saffronart, a leading player in art market, which said that the sale will take place on August 8 and 9.

Saffronart said that in the wake of UNESCO's recent addition of Mumbai's Art Deco buildings to the World Heritage List, the Art Deco style is highlighted through carefully selected cabinets, tables, and seating.

Brought to India in the early 20th century through influential royal families and trade merchants, the Art Deco aesthetic influenced not just the architectural facade of Mumbai, but its interiors as well.

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 included in The Design Sale.

The lots on offer are attractively priced, with estimates ranging from INR 15,000 - 6.3 lakhs.

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

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

This decorative tradition became popular in the international market through the pioneering efforts of American furniture designer Lockwood de Forest, who set up the Ahmedabad Wood Carving Company in the late 19th century, combining local craftsmanship with his unique design aesthetic.

The auction will take place on saffronart.com, and is open for viewings at the Saffronart gallery in Mumbai.

Founded in 2000 by Minal and Dinesh Vazirani, Saffronart is a leading international auction house with deep Indian roots.