Golden Rods (1959), a melt coated wire sculpture by Harry Bertoia, was the top lot of two design auctions at Phillips New York on December 17.
It achieved $521,000 against a $150,000-200,000 estimate - an increase of 160.5%.
 The Golden Rods sculpture was sold along with its original receipt |
The two auctions, titled Design and Design Masters, featured work from some of the greatest designers of the 20th century - with the Bertoia sculpture appearing in the latter sale.
Italian-born Bertoia (1915-1978) was a furniture designer, sound artist and sculptor who often worked with wire and metal to create his airy and elegant forms.
The piece is made from brass-covered steel and bronze and was sold alongside its original 1959 purchase receipt.
The lot came close to his auction record of $578,500 - set for a similar work titled Screen Tree at Christie's Post War and Contemporary Art sale in New York last year.
In the Design sale, a George Nakashima "Slab" coffee table (1969) that sold for $102,500 against an $8,000-12,000 estimate was the highlight - up an impressive 754.1%.
 Nakashima built the 'Slab' coffee table in 1969 |
The table is made from American black walnut and Indian rosewood, and is signed in black marker on the underside.
Nakashima was a major furniture designer of the 20th century, renowned for his fusion of modernism with traditional Japanese artisanship.
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