Bonhams Presents Modern Decorative Art & Design Including the Strobel Collection of Art Pottery

The upcoming Modern Decorative Art & Design Including the Strobel Collection of Art Pottery auction at Bonhams showcases a remarkable array of early twentieth-century design, featuring masterworks of Art Deco sculpture and historic ceramics. Scheduled to end on 15 October 2026, the sale is anchored by exceptional three-dimensional works from celebrated European artists of the interwar period. Among the premier offerings is Paul Philippe's 'Round Dance', circa 1925, a striking composition in cold-painted bronze and carved ivory depicting three stylized female dancers on an onyx and black marble base. This piece, which carries an estimate of £60,000^[5] to £80,000^[2][2], represents the height of the era's sculptural elegance and is documented in major design literature.

Similarly prominent are works by Demetre Chiparus, whose 'Yambo', circa 1925, is estimated at £50,000^[9][8][7][6] to £70,000^[4][4][3][3]. This piece features Chiparus's signature combination of cold-painted, gilt, and patinated bronze with carved ivory details, set on a portoro marble and onyx base. Another major highlight from the same era is Marcel-Andre Bouraine's 'Harlequin' table lamp, circa 1925, which carries an estimate of £50,000 to £70,000. This piece showcases a female harlequin holding two pagoda-topped lustres with frosted glass shades, set atop an arched portoro marble base with dinanderie detailing. Beyond sculpture, the auction features a rare and monumental Sèvres porcelain exhibition vase from 1913, titled 'Naissance de Vénus' and designed by Adolphe Ernest Gumery, which is estimated at £40,000 to £60,000^[5]. This vase is decorated in low relief with scenes depicting the Birth of Venus alongside sea nymphs, satyrs, and sea lions.

This design sale joins a busy autumn schedule at Bonhams, which has recently concluded several specialized auctions. In October, the house held The Autumn Stafford Sale - The Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show, which realized £1,837,802^[1] with 181 lots sold. Other recent sales in October include the Online Watches, London auction, which achieved £85,734^[1] with 57 lots sold, and the Vernacular Furniture, Naïve Art, and Textiles sale, which realized £116,634^[1] across 101 lots sold.

On a broader scale, the design category remains highly active across the global art market. Across all tracked houses this year, the design category has realized $168,745,071^[1] with an average sell-through rate of 82%^[1], with Christie's leading the category. Bonhams's overall performance this year across all categories has reached a total of £104,792,150^[1] realized, achieving an overall sell-through rate of 79.9%^[1]. In terms of USD, Bonhams's year-to-date total across all its sales stands at $405,968,258^[1].