Cultural Capital: Webb’s Launches in Wellington

$65,000 - $75,000 est. A George Nakashima Conoid Bench, $68,137.00. price realised.

George Nakashima with his collection of wood, c1950s. George Nakashima is without question one of the leading innovators of the 20th century. His contribution to modernism, in my opinion, cannot be overstated, and the opportunity to present his exceptional work to market in 2021 has been one of the highlights of my time in the auction industry. After graduating from Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a Master’s in Architecture, Nakashima immediately sought inspiration from the world. He purchased an around-the-globe steamship ticket and travelled through France, India, and his ancestral home of Japan, where he engaged with the works of Le Courbusier, Frank Lloyd Wright, and worked closely with Antonin Raymond. He indulged in rich cultural experiences, all of which would inform his pre-war production. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour and the incarceration of all West Coast residents of Japanese ancestry led to a pivotal moment in his development as a craftsman. Assigned the role of designing and planning rooms within the camp, Nakashima collaborated with skilled ‘Issei’ carpenter Gentaro Hikogawa. It was during this time the carpenter trained Nakashima in the precise use and care of Japanese hand tools, refining his skills as a woodworker, and honing his knowledge of Japanese wood joinery to a level usually reserved for generational artisans. The skill Nakashima developed with Hikogawa became an essential feature of his post-war practice. The unique design philosophy of Nakashima is something that has fascinated me for some time. It’s well documented that within his Pennsylvania studio there were enormous racks filled with locally sourced slabs of timber. These imposing slices of American hickory, walnut and oak would remain untouched, often for years at a time, until Nakashima understood the purest way of expressing their natural form through design and execution.

His unwavering dedication to celebrating the materials’ imperfections with highly technical woodworking techniques is the hallmark of Nakashima’s practice. The conoid bench is the perfect example of this. Nakashima respects the natural form of the black walnut slab, keeping its free edge and enhancing a crack in the wood with a supportive butterfly join. This ensures no two benches are the same; each is totally unique to the wood it was created from. Testing the depth of the local market at the highest level is something Webb’s continues to excel in. Establishing a record for modern design at auction in Aotearoa with the successful sale of the Conoid bench, alongside two other individual offerings from the conoid series by Nakashima, is a clear indication that internationally renowned design has a firm place in the homes of New Zealanders. Nakashima is survived by his daughter Mira who continues to this day in her father’s legacy, creating and executing these design masterpieces that will be admired for generations to come. If you are considering consigning or investing in modern design with Webb’s, or to discuss current market trends please reach out to me directly, I would be delighted to hear from you. — Ben Erren, Head of Decorative Arts

Each flitch, each board, each plank can have only one ideal use. The woodworker, applying a thousand skills, must find that ideal use and then shape the wood to realize its true potential. — George Nakashima

George Nakashima with conoid chair, c1970s.

Ben Erren Head of Decorative Arts ben@webbs.co.nz +64 21 191 9660