Oscar Niemeyer

originally designed for the SESC Hotel, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1990

Overall excellent condition with only a few gentle surface scratches to the base. The underside of the top of the table with some white residue.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Oscar Niemeyer turns 100 on December 15, 2007.  The last surviving father of the International Style, and one of Brazil's greatest cultural ambassadors, Niemeyer's tropical modernism shaped an entire city, Brasilia, and his unique synthesis of Le Corbusier and the Carnaval resulted in a global organic style that can be seen in such masterworks as the United Nations in New York and the Maison de la Culture in Le Havre.  

 

To celebrate this momentous occasion, the Oscar Niemeyer Foundation is producing Niemeyer's  entire catalogue of furniture designs, which date from the 1970s - 1990s.  The following thirteen prototypes represent the first models in the series to be produced.  Each of these forms will be produced in numbered, unlimited editions starting in December. Several of the designs are well known to collectors, such as the curvilinear bentwood "Rio" chaise longue, while other forms previously existed only in sketch form for unrealized projects.  No other prototypes exist, and subsequent examples in the edition will probably have subtle differences to the measurements and finishes, as the Foundation refines production techniques.       

 

Each of the thirteen lots has been marked with the Foundation's prototype label and is being sold with a certificate of authenticity.

 

The following four lots were designed for the SESC Hotel in Rio de Janeiro in 1990.  These pieces were never executed.  One prototype was made of the desk in 1990, and remains in a private collection.  The current examples were created from Niemeyer's original sketches for the hotel interior.