Gio Ponti's Casa di Fantasia collection achieves white glove sale at Phillips London

Phillips London, in collaboration with Italian auction house Cambi, achieved a white glove sale for the Casa di Fantasia collection by Gio Ponti on March 2019. The 30 lots, including design pieces, furniture, and sculptures that furnished the Lucano family's home in Via Washington, Milan in the 1950s, sold for a total of £1.9 million (over €2.2 million), far exceeding estimates. Domenico Raimondo, Senior International Specialist of Design at Phillips, noted the unprecedented moment for the global Gio Ponti market, highlighting collaborations with Edina Altara, Piero Fornasetti, Fausto Melotti, and Giordano Chiesa. Top lots included two chests of drawers by Ponti with Altara, selling for £337,000 and £250,000, and a study and dressing room piece by Ponti with Fornasetti, Altara, and Guido Gambone for £225,000. The broader Important Design sale achieved over £3.3 million (€3.8 million). Alexander Payne, Deputy Chairman Europe of Phillips, cited high collector confidence in 20th-century European design. Gio Ponti (1891-1979) was a pivotal Italian architect, designer, and founder of Domus magazine, known for works like the Pirelli Tower and Superleggera chair.