.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
The bold exotic character and feathered headdresses of the female busts supporting this console table distinguish it from other consoles where the use of upward-gazing bust supports is prevalent. Feathered headpieces are often found on morato or blackamoor figures carved and decorated in the Venetian manner.
This console was formerly in the collection of Jay Steffy (b. 1944), a designer of some reknown in the 1970's whose world-wide clientele included recognizable figures such as Candace Bergen. Working primarily in southern California, Mr. Steffy was an original figure in the design world; he refused to work with sketches and always worked with strong primary colors. He is remembered for his unusual winning entry for the Burlington House Young Designer competition of 1970, a house for his neighbor and client, art dealer Nicholas Wilder. For the commission Mr. Steffy designed a soft floor made from dirt which guests raked away at, creating patterns and changing footprints.
This console was formerly in the collection of Jay Steffy (b. 1944), a designer of some reknown in the 1970's whose world-wide clientele included recognizable figures such as Candace Bergen. Working primarily in southern California, Mr. Steffy was an original figure in the design world; he refused to work with sketches and always worked with strong primary colors. He is remembered for his unusual winning entry for the Burlington House Young Designer competition of 1970, a house for his neighbor and client, art dealer Nicholas Wilder. For the commission Mr. Steffy designed a soft floor made from dirt which guests raked away at, creating patterns and changing footprints.