Sold!: Sir Jony Ive creates unique Apple wares for Design Museum auction
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To raise money for their relocation to Kensington, the Design Museum (opens in new tab) has partnered with Phillips to stage the 'Time for Design' auction in Berkeley Square.
In aid of the good cause, the Museum has been inundated with generous donations from globally renowned designers and collectors. For example, the Zaha Hadid Foundation has donated three 'Mercuric' collection tables; Ron Arad has contributed his striking 'D-Sofa' in stainless steel; and pop-philanthropist Bono has parted with his Gretsch 'Irish Falcon' guitar.fp
Keen to get in on the action, Apple's chief design officer Sir Jony Ive has created something new: a one-of-a-kind accessory collection for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
Ive has a long history with the Design Museum, which is due to close its Shad Thames location in May, and reopen in Kensington at the end of November. He won their inaugural Designer of the Year award in 2003 for the iMac, and he also showed a prototype of a mobile phone at the museum way back in 1990.
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His new accessory collection includes an iPad Pro housing, which has been anodised with a custom dye; a blue, suede-lined 'Smart Cover', crafted from supple French leather; and an orange cover for the Apple Pencil, created from fine grain Italian calf leather.
Ive's new products are in single editions, designed exclusively for the Design Museum event. To prove it, 'Edition 1 of 1' has been laser etched on the back surface of the iPad and the interior surface of the 'Smart Cover'.
'We are extremely grateful to the friends of the museum who had donated such outstanding pieces to help us fulfill our ambition of creating one of London’s most important new cultural sites,’ says Design Museum curator (and auction co-curator) Deyan Sudjic.
The auction will also include a range of iconic design objects, often donated directly from the creator's private collections. Pictured left: Gretsch 'Irish Falcon' guitar. Donated by Bono. Estimate: £60,000 – 80,000. Right: 'Poltrona di Proust' armchair, by Alessandro Mendini, 2009. Donated by Alessandro Mendini. Estimate: £30,000 – £50,000
'Bon Bon gold' chair, from the 'Personal Edition' series, by Marcel Wanders, 2010. Donated by Marcel Wanders and Friedman Benda. Estimate: £12,000 – £18,000
'Primitive' table, by Piergiorgio Robino and Stefania Fersini, 2009. Donated by Studio Nucleo and Ammann Gallery. Estimate: £30,000 – £50,000
Set of three 'Bianco Covelano' low tables, from the 'Mercuric' collection, by Zaha Hadid, 2013. Donated by the Zaha Hadid Foundation. Estimate £80,000 – £120,000
Pictured left: 'D-Sofa', by Ron Arad, 1994. Donated by Johannes and Helene Huth. Estimate £100,000 – £150,000. Right: Unique vinyl-wrapped Fiat 500 1.4 16v Sport Dualogic, by Ron Arad, 2008. Donated by Ron Arad. Estimate £20,000 – £30,000
INFORMATION
The ’Time For Design’ live auction will take place on 28 April, with an online auction running from 7 April – 2 May. For more information, visit the Design Museum’s website (opens in new tab)
Photography courtesy Phillips / Phillips.com
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Elly Parsons is the Digital Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees Wallpaper.com and its social platforms. She has been with the brand since 2015 in various roles, spending time as digital writer – specialising in art, technology and contemporary culture – and as deputy digital editor. She was shortlisted for a PPA Award in 2017, has written extensively for many publications, and has contributed to three books. She is a guest lecturer in digital journalism at Goldsmiths University, London, where she also holds a masters degree in creative writing. Now, her main areas of expertise include content strategy, audience engagement, and social media.
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