Those of us who occupy the employment of the art and antiques business have an inherent rabid curiosity.
Constantly asking ourselves questions about what is presented to us but there is always that something that we’ve got so used to seeing that we ignore asking why does it exist. What sort of person came up with “that”.A couple of examples of such an item are to be offered in this coming Sundays Sale….
The “Bar Globe” who on Earth came up with that idea ?
We see them often, but I can’t help thinking who originally thought it was a amazing idea to to take “the Globe” (first mentioned to exist in 150BC and devised by the Stoic philosopher Crates of Mallus) and insert within it via a rising northern hemisphere a home bar (originating arguably again with the ancient Greeks or we could suggest from George Betjemanns invention of the Tantalus in 1881) to hold both bottles and Glasses ? A Globes a globe, a navigational aid and a bar is a bar, somewhere to keep your booze, I can find no reason at all to combine the two and the invention must have been the work of a mad irreverent genius with too much time on their hands or an alchololic colonial who liked to discuss how much of the world they’d conquered after a few Negronis.
The mad genius originator appears to be an Italian furniture maker Italo Zoffoli who started his own company in 1949 to especially produce what he believed would be a most sort after piece of furniture, truly something we didn’t know we needed. Well the crazily inspired Italian was on to something, in 1963 he was awarded the coveted recognition of the Golden Lathe from the Museum of Science and Technology in Milan for his invention of the Bar Globe.
Two engaging examples of this most incidental of breeds of furniture are going under the hammer at Lots Road Auctions this Sunday 19th March 2023 as Lot numbers 157 and 287.
Thank you to Italo Zoffoli and all those inspired furniture makers and designers for giving us something to think about not just to sit at or sit on.
If you would like further information regarding the lot or indeed any other lots, please contact Lots Road Auctions on email at info@lotsroad.com or by telephone on 020 7376 6800.
