Achille Salvagni has united once again with Benoist F Drut of Maison Gerard on a new project, this time shifting the focus to Salvagni’s expansion in the US. A vast new gallery on Madison Avenue, New York, is a work of collaboration between the two, and an elegant showcase for Achille Salvagni Atelier’s works.
Achille Salvagni New York showroom: a search for excellence and love for tradition
A reading nook recreating in the New York Atelier featuring a Tato armchair paired with Vatuele, a 24c gold plated bronze and onyx wall sconce
The 4,000 square-foot space encompasses the exquisite juxtaposition of materials Salvagni champions in his work, with pieces in bronze and precious stones making a sumptuous foil for warm-hued textiles and striking lighting. The space features new pieces, such as a new edition of the ‘Spider’ chandelier in pink and green, alongside more coveted works, with the ‘Spider Maximus’ in red and a pair of ‘Tutankhamun’ armchairs sitting alongside rare works by Gio Ponti, Fontana Arte, and Jacques Adnet.
Wall panels installed throughout the Atelier in New York were designed and created in Rome to Salvagni’s exacting standards. In the main salon, the parchment and bronze Circeo screen is placed behind an Alcyone sofa upholstered in Phinda Re Dix-Huit designed in collaboration with Toyine Sellers. A pair of Bubbles sconces and a Dumas chandelier both made from bronze and onyx and a sculptural alpaca, polished finish Apollo coffee table are featured
For Drut, the partnership was a natural one, with his patronage of French art deco an organic accompaniment to meeting Salvagni’s celebration of traditional techniques to create wholly modern pieces. ‘We have a great appreciation for each other – it’s always a fit,’ Drut says of their rich collaboration history.
Maison Gerard, instrumental in introducing Salvagni to the American market in 2013, built on this experience and their ensuing close partnership over a decade as well as Salvagni’s creation of his London flagship in 2015. ‘When he actually decided to open in Mayfair in London, I was puzzled,’ Drut says, but adds. ‘It was a treat and it turned out to be a really smart move on his part.’
Detail of the top of a round Constellation table designed by Gio Ponti, with a Fontana Arte glass globe featuring the zodiac signs sits in the client presentation room. This table was originally presented at the 1937 World’s Fair in Paris to represent Italy
This trust made possible the New York venture, which sees a rare and exquisite craftsmanship take centre stage in a space defined by sweeping lines, high ceilings and panelling crafted in Italy.
Details are carefully considered: in the client presentation room sits an oversized round table designed by Gio Ponti, with a Fontana Arte glass globe featuring the zodiac signs, originally presented at the 1937 World’s Fair in Paris to represent Italy. An art deco-style bar cabinet inspired by the Maharaja of Indore’s cigarette case nods to Maison Gerard’s emphasis on authenticity in the adjoining room.
An oversized parchment and bronze Gio cabinet sits in a recessed area in the back gallery with a Nemo table lamp and Melt box from the Aldus collection are placed on top
‘We share the same search for excellence or quality and the same love for tradition,’ Drut adds. ‘We always use the best craftsmen and make sure that those who know are not lost.’ Ultimately, Drut was keen to create a comfortable atmosphere for visitors. ‘Whenever I walk through to create a room, it’s a room that somebody can live in. And so the idea here is that you have, you know, little vignettes, and hopefully one can feel like it could be home or they can imagine that vignette in their own home.’
Detail of Dido, a one-of-a-kind double door cabinet designed by Achille Salvagni, made of rare pink dyed parchment with Murano glass and Ninfa from the Salvagni’s Aldus collection is a hand-blown Murano pink and green centerpiece
View from the main salon towards the front gallery shows a variety of seating including (counter clockwise, left) Tutankhamun armchair upholstered in Indi or Cinq Cent Quatre-Vingt, (top, right) Amboseli armchair, (bottom, right) Milano upholstered in smooth velvet and lacquered multi-coloured feet
-
The return of the bullhead: the watch design that refuses to conformLittle known outside of watch circles, but enthusiastically collected within them, bullhead watches have always been divisive. Identified by the crown at 12 o’clock, it made design sense – no digging into the wrist, allowing easier function as a stopwatch - but remains a speciality. But now, the bullhead is back
-
Tour Peridot, Hong Kong’s hypnotic new barLocated on the 38th floor of The Henderson, Studio Paolo Ferrari’s latest project is a study in ‘light, refraction, and intimacy’
-
Lighting designer Andi Watson on creating Mitski’s sculptural stage for 'The Land'In Mitski’s live show and new concert film, a single beam of light becomes her dance partner. Lighting designer Andi Watson discusses turning shadow, movement and restraint into the architecture of feeling
