Hugo França chairs in top left and bottom right photos

R 20th Century Design showroom was the first stop of the day.

R 20th Century represents a distinguished group of historical and contemporary designers whose work is among the most innovative and finely crafted of their time.

Zesty Meyers and Evan Snyderman founded R 20th Century in 1997 to realize their combined goal of promoting a closer study, appreciation and preservation of 20th and 21st century design.

R is currently developing exhibitions and publications on the designers it represents — a diverse program that includes work from North America, South America, Europe and Asia produced between 1945 and today.(source)

Evan walked us through the store and talked about some of the artists they represent. He was very friendly, knowledgeable and cute. I was really intrigued by artists Hugo França, Jeff Zimmerman and David Wiseman.

Hugo França creates functional and sculptural work from discarded wood found in Brasil.

Finding wood left behind by deforestation requires constant scouting in the Trancoso, Bahia, area. Finding his way on foot, by donkey or canoe, he relies on the Pataxo Indians, local loggers and on his own knowledge of coastal southern Bahia, which he acquired during the fifteen years he lived there.

As long as the wood has not suffered irreversible damage, all parts of the tree may be utilized. Unearthed roots, trunks and branches are transformed by the artist into one-of-a-kind objects.

Due to the tremendous weight and difficulty in transporting the raw material, the first cuts are executed where the trees are found. And so begins the first signs of tables, benches, chairs and consoles.(source)

R 20th Century Design also publishes books.  I browsed through the book, Hugo França: The Story of the Tree which documents the process he goes through to create a piece.  You can order their books online.

David Wiseman. top: raw materials

Sculptor, David Wiseman attracted my fashion side because of his work with Dior. The second floor ceiling in the Shanghai Dior store features 500 porcelain lily-of-the-valley blossoms handcrafted by David.  Bronze, glass and crystal are also incorporated into his work.

David Wiseman

Wiseman, a Rhode Island School of Design graduate who majored in furniture design, started out with work that was often small in scale — porcelain pomegranates, anime-inspired deer hat hangers, resin castings of fallen branches and a series of off-kilter yet delicate faceted vases in bronze, porcelain and crystal. More recently (thanks to an ambitious ceiling installation, completed several years ago, of porcelain cherry blossoms and intertwined plaster branches), Wiseman has focused on larger-scale projects, including limited-edition chandeliers, for a range of clients from residential to retail. He painstakingly slip-casts the porcelain flowers and fruit himself and works closely with Zalman Aronow, a skilled metal worker, on the branches and blossoms for chandeliers, fireplace screens and wall pieces.(source)

Jeff Zimmerman - right: Leaf cluster hanging lamp

Jeff Zimmerman’s handblown glass light fixtures are stunning. Words cannot describe the “Leaf” cluster hanging lamp. It’s just stunning and it should be when it comes in at around $80,000.  It’s also made to order.

Jeff Zimmerman leaf cluster hanging lamp

His work evolves and involves idea-based design. His custom work encompasses sculptural chandeliers, lighting environments and glass wall interiors as well as abstract vases and mirrors. Through R 20th Century, Jeff creates site-specific commissions for an exclusive clientele.(source)

R 20th Century Design
82 Franklin Street
New York

This is one post in the series called I want – I got’s Bisha Adventure in New York City. Be sure to read the whole I want – I got’s Bisha Adventure in New York City series from the beginning. I want – I got would like to thank Matchstick and Bisha for providing for all travel expenses on this day trip to NYC.

The second stop was Craig Van Den Brulle.

Craig Van Den Brulle is the owner of the upscale Craig Van Den Brulle furniture store in the Nolita section of Manhattan, which opened in October 2007. Van Den Brulle has been in the home furnishings industry for over 10 years. In 1997 he opened Capitol Furnishings; the celebrated boutique featuring 20th Century home furnishings and his own “urban classic” designs. Capitol quickly became an essential shopping destination for the city’s most influential architects, interior designers and collectors.

Van Den Brulle has now expanded from the original Capitol Furnishings to a 3,000 square foot flagship store which is just one block away on Elizabeth Street. He is the designer of the VAN DEN BRULLE signature collection, a line of upscale furniture and home essentials inspired by clean lines and modern simplicity.

In addition to selling home furnishings, Craig Van Den Brulle buys modern designer pieces from the 1930’s to the 1980’s. They also have a rental service for the film, television, and magazine industries. To complete this total service shop, Craig Van Den Brulle also does design consulting and custom design work in upholstering, lighting, plating and restoration. Craig Van Den Brulle also has a small line of in house furnishings for sale.

Charles and Alessandro are customers of Craig Van Den Brulle so it wasn’t surprising that the young man remembered them as we walked in. It seems these stores attract cute young men as their employees. I wasn’t complaining.

The store was densely packed with an eclectic mix of 20th century furnishings.  It’s one of those stores that you can spend hours in discovering new things.  You can find artists like Paul Evans, John Widdicomb, Nils Landberg and de Majo IIluminazione.

Craig Van Den Brulle
192 Elizabeth Street
New York

This is one post in the series called I want – I got’s Bisha Adventure in New York City. Be sure to read the whole I want – I got’s Bisha Adventure in New York City series from the beginning. I want – I got would like to thank Matchstick and Bisha for providing for all travel expenses on this day trip to NYC.

Todd Merrill is located in a building with beautiful stone carvings.  It was another store that was packed to the gills with furnishings.   You always were discovering something new that was missed in this store.

Todd Merrill Antiques features American and European vintage furniture, antiques and lighting from the 1920′s to the 2000′s. Including rare and unique furniture by Paul Evans, Karl Springer, James Mont, Gio Ponti, Adnet, Fornasetti, Venini, Tommi Parzinger, LaVerne, Vladimir Kagan and many more.

Todd Merrill Antiques has opened a new 4000 square foot shop focusing on American and European designer furniture and lighting from the 1920s through the 1980s, at 65 Bleecker Street in New York City. The new showroom is on the ground floor of the Bayard-Condict Building, New York’s only building by esteemed architect Louis Sullivan. The historic landmark space is located at the top of Crosby Street at the intersection of Bleecker Street, and looks directly down into the heart of Soho.(source)

It was at Todd Merrill that I finally began to understand how important Paul Evans is.

Paul Evans (1931 – 1987)
Pennsylvanian Paul Evans studied sculpture and silversmithing at several institutions, including the Cranbrook Academy of Art. In 1951, while working as an artist in residence as a silversmith at the working history museum Sturbridge Village near Springfield, Massachusetts, Evans frequented artisan Phillip Lloyd Powell’s shop in New Hope, PA and asked Powell if he could put a few of his own pieces on display. In 1956 Evans moved permanently to New Hope and his acquaintance with Powell turned into a business and creative partnership.
In the late 1950s Evans began making copper chests with decorative doors, followed by sculpted steel-front cabinets that revealed Evans’ unique way with welding. Evans and Powell had big break when they had a two-man show in 1961 at America House, an exhibition eld at the Museum of Contemporary Crafts in New York, now named the Museum of Arts & Design. In 1964 Evans became the designer for furniture manufacturer Directional. With Directional, Paul Evans introduced his highly collectible editions such as the Argente series, Sculpted Bronze series, and the very popular Cityscape series.
Most Evans pieces were signed, and all of the custom items have a signature and a date. Paul Evans took a unique approach to furniture making, a combination of handcraft wedded to technology that anticipated the limited edition art furniture of today, such as the work of Ron Arad. More particularly, the artist’s relationship with Directional set a unique standard for creative manufacture by insisting every piece is made by hand, finished by hand, supervised by the artist at each step of production, one piece at a time.(source)

I understood that I was seeing his work in many of the stores we visited. I also immediately understood the appeal of his unique metal furniture.

Paul Evan table

Just like Craig Van Der Brulle, Todd Merrill Antiques is a full service shop. They purchase premium designer name furniture from the 1920′s through the 1980′s. Todd Merrill also offers customization and restoration services using their collection of master craftsmen in America on mirror or metal work, lacquering, gilding, wood refinishing and upholstery. Yup, they rent to film and television productions too.

Todd Merrill Antiques
65 Bleecker Street
New York

This is one post in the series called I want – I got’s Bisha Adventure in New York City. Be sure to read the whole I want – I got’s Bisha Adventure in New York City series from the beginning. I want – I got would like to thank Matchstick and Bisha for providing for all travel expenses on this day trip to NYC.

Moss is one part of a space that holds three stores. The other two are Flos and Moroso. This trio of stores were my favourites on this trip.

In 1994, former fashion entrepreneur Murray Moss opened Moss in a small gallery space in Soho, with a determination to transform the public perception of industrial product design. The store quickly became internationally known for its product selection and presentation, with clients ranging from highly informed design professionals, to celebrities, students, and tourists with maps.

The shop grew and evolved — expanding to nearly 7000 square feet in late 1999 when Moss’s partner Franklin Getchell joined the company. Together they expanded the product base to include furniture, especially from Italian manufacturers, lighting, watches and jewelry, books, tabletop and a significantly increased focus on the studio work of the designers we offered(source).

Moss also has a small section of unusual jewellery and watches. It’s just as eclectic as the other offerings in the store.  They aim to have more than just home furnishings for sale which attracts a diverse clientele.  Moss carries designers like Established & Sons, Tom Dixon and Studio Job.  I love the inflated metal stools by Oskar Zieta.

Many of the stores we visited were small and jammed packed with furnishings. Moss felt like a museum. There was lot of space and plenty of things in glass cases.  I really liked the sparse white background in the store design.  It allowed the bright, crazy pieces stand out on their own.

I had a few mistakes with the video option on the Olympus E-PL1. However, I’ve posted that mistake because it gives you a bit of an idea of the store.

Moss NYC June 2010 from Anita Clarke on Vimeo.

Moss
150 Greene street
New York

This is one post in the series called I want – I got’s Bisha Adventure in New York City. Be sure to read the whole I want – I got’s Bisha Adventure in New York City series from the beginning. I want – I got would like to thank Matchstick and Bisha for providing for all travel expenses on this day trip to NYC.

Flos occupies the corner of the shared building with Moss and Moroso.  It’s home to some seriously hot looking light fixtures. You can find designers like Philippe Starck, Jasper Morrison and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni here.

Today Flos is an international organization that offers a complete range of residential, commercial and even custom-made lighting products that can be seamlessly integrated in any office, hotel, or store, together with a specifically designed line of informative materials, among which a corporate manual.
Flos contract division assists architects with the know-how it acquired over its forty years of experience not only as a manufacturer, but also as a specialty lighting systems designer for a wide-range of challenging environments, such as museums, stores, and theatres.(source)

Left: Yes, there is a giant lamp in the store. Right: Hooo!!! & Haaa!!! Lamps

The store itself is quite minimal with a few tables. Most pieces are displayed on shelving built into the walls.  The standout item in the store is the oversized Kelvin LED lamp design by Antonio Citterio with Toan Nguyen in 2009.

Hooo!!! & Haaa!!! Lamps By Philippe Starck In Collaboration With Jenny Holzer And Baccarat For Flos from Anita Clarke on Vimeo.

The Hooo!!! & Haaa!!! Lamp By Philippe Starck, Jenny Holzer, Moritz Waldemeyer and Baccarat was incredible.  I had gotten used to hearing numbers in the five or six digit range but  I still almost hit the ground when the price tag of $126,000 was announced.  There are 9 lamps in existence. Hand made Baccarat crystal is the body and custom LED by Moritz Waldemeyer were used.  Jenny Holzer provided the text on display. You can’t customize the text, I asked. There is a table top version of the floor lamp for a more reasonable $12,000. You can see more photos of the lamps on Moritz’s website.

I also loved Philippe Starck’s Gun lamp series. I’m weird like that though. Alessandro confessed to me that he owned these lamps and that they were sexy. Ha, I can’t complain with that assessment.

Flos USA – Flagship Store
152 Greene Street
New York

This is one post in the series called I want – I got’s Bisha Adventure in New York City. Be sure to read the whole I want – I got’s Bisha Adventure in New York City series from the beginning. I want – I got would like to thank Matchstick and Bisha for providing for all travel expenses on this day trip to NYC.