Adjustable Assets

       by Saxon Henry 

In 1972, Eileen Gray’s popularity as a furniture designerresurfaced after a thirty-five year hiatus when Yves Saint-Laurent bought herfour-panel lacquer screen Le Destin at aParis auction for over thirty-six thousand dollars. Her response: “C’estabsurde.” Were she still alive, she mightfind the frequency with which her furniture designs are knocked-off even moreabsurd. Writing for the London Times, Lucia Van der Post, who has followed the marketability of Gray’s worksince the 1970s, dubs her one of the most plagiarized designers in the world.

Of her frequently copied designs, one of the most reproducedis her E.1027 adjustable table. Peter Adam—Gray’s friend and author of thebiography “Eileen Gray: Architect/Designer”—compiled a Catalogue Raisonné of her furniture, listing only six known originals,half of which are in private collections and half in museums.

Though I found that none claim to have originals, a plethoraof Internet sites and retail design shops sell the “Eileen Gray E.1027 Table,”and by naming it so create the illusion that the designer authorized theirproduct. An E-Bay ad lists one that was produced in Italy for $239. DesignWithin Reach has a replica for $398, while ClassiCon’s “licensed, numbered andsigned” version sells for $896. Of these, only ClassiCon’s table is as close toan original as you will get without forking out thousands of dollars (when or,more likely, if one were to be sold at auction). That’s because the latedesigner personally authorized Londoner Zeev Aram to reproduce three of herdesigns—among them the E.1027—in the early 1970s, and Aram markets the tablethrough his Aram Designs and ClassiCon, a German company.

Why are there so many renditions of this iconic table?Terence Riley, the former Philip Johnson Chief Curator of Architecture andDesign at The Museum of Modern Art—where one resides in the permanentcollection—says it’s due to its smart design. “It is light weight and can bemoved about the room,” he explains. “The height can be raised and lowered sothat it serves many functions. It is said that one of Gray’s sisters liked tohave breakfast in bed and the table was designed so that the raised positioncleared a mattress.”

According to Riley, MoMA chose the E.1027 for its collectionbecause the original chromed metal tables with either glass or enameled topswere so progressive. “In its day, it would have appeared quite daring comparedto the staid, dark wood furniture that was popular,” he explains.

Penelope Rowlands, author of Eileen Gray: Compact DesignPortfolio, states that Gray’s designsremain surprisingly fresh, though they were designed decades ago: the E.1027table, which was designed in 1927, is a keen example. Though the name seemssomewhat mechanical, its origins are highly personal. The table shares itsmoniker with a seaside retreat in Roquebrune-Cap Martin, France (near Monaco),which architecture critic and editor Jean Badovici commissioned Gray to design(they were lovers when the home was built). E stands for Eileen; 10 representsJ, the tenth letter of the alphabet; 2 equals B and 7 is for G. “The table andthe house were designed at the same time, and there is a strong relationshipbetween the two,” says Riley. “In her best work, she is not only a craftsman, conceivingand making objects, but an architect designing the total environment.”

Miami-based interior designer Anna Suarez-Burgos, who isalways searching for original and licensed furnishings for clients, says,“Anyone who values the integrity of original designs should be willing to paythe price for authorized copies, no matter how cheap the knock-offs are.” Aramagrees for an important reason: “Authorized versions cost more becauseroyalties are paid to the estate of the designer, thus encouraging designinnovation by rewarding design innovation.”

So how would you tell the difference between an authorizedE.1027 and a knock-off? “The quality of the authorized versions is superior andtruer to the original designs,” says Aram. “Most of the pieces sold throughofficial dealers (especially the tubular steel furniture) have numbers and/orEileen Gray’s signature imprinted somewhere on the frame.” If there is nosignature or number, ask an expert for an opinion or educate yourself beforebuying; check the provenance of the piece and go to a museum to see an originalif possible. And always ask for a certificate of authenticity.

“Priorto my collaboration with Eileen Gray, her designs were only really known todesign academics,” remarks Aram. “Being instrumental in making her designsavailable around the world to the extent that she is almost a household namehas been the most satisfying and worthwhile challenge of my career.” A lessworthwhile challenge for Aram is protecting his product from those who reproduceit without the designer’s consent. 

 More at http://bit.ly/mCKzh