Heritage Auctions is set to offer artworks and furniture from the personal collection of the celebrated American industrial designer Viktor Schreckengost.
Schreckengost (1906-2008) was one of the leading figures of 20th century modernism, and an inspiration for generations of Mid-Century Modern artists.
His remarkable, wide-ranging career saw him produce everything from ceramic artworks and bicycle designs to pioneering research into military radar and prosthetics for inured soldiers.
"Viktor Schreckengost’s talents knew no bounds," said DR. Marianne Berardi, Senior Fine Arts Expert at Heritage Auctions. "His gifts for designing familiar items we use every day, so that they were not only more beautiful but also more functional, gave him a lifetime of joy.
"For products ranging from pedal cars to automobiles to dinnerware, Viktor developed streamlined designs with a modernist flair that forever changed the face of American products."
The auction in Dallas is the first to feature pieces from Schreckengost’s personal collection, including sculpture, ceramics, paintings, drawings, concept sketches and furniture.
Amongst the collection are a number of Schreckengost’s ceramic sculptures, led by The Seasons (Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring), a set of glazed earthenware four heads conceived in 1938 and valued at $150,000-$250,000.
Further sculptural highlights will include Saint Peter (1951) estimated at $30,000-$50,000; Birth of Boogie Woogie (1942), valued at $25,000-$35,000; Mrs Cassidy (1939) estimated at $20,000-$30,000; and Jeddu (1931) estimated at $15,000-$25,000.
A notable example of Schreckengost’s eclectic product design can be found in the shape of his iconic Pedal Pursuit Plane, a child’s pedal car toy produced in 1941 by the Murray Ohio Manufacturing Company. Viktor spent more than three decades with the company, and his own first-issue model of the popular toy comes with an estimate of $3,000-$5,000.
The auction will also offer pieces created by Schreckengost’s two brothers Paul and Don, who were both dinnerware designers, including Paul’s Tom & Jerry Punch Bowl Set, circa 1938, estimated at $25,000-$35,000.
The Viktor Schreckengost Auction: 20th Century Art & Design takes place in Dallas on May 13.
