Esoteric Survey

I've been on the road.  More about that later.

Vintage bronze belt buckle by San Diego artist Jack Boyd. Image: Lisa Cliff Collection The "rare & authentic" 18K gold knock-off by Tom Ford. I've seen a lot of Jack Boyd belt buckles and there is no doubt that this is a direct copy. Image: eBay I used to think Tom Ford was kinda cool.  He owns a Neutra house and had Tadao Ando design a ranch for him. Those are the sort of things I would do if I had his bank account.  Image: eBay Tom Ford's Tadao Ando ranch in New Mexico.  Photo by  Guido Mocafico via   A AS Architecture Tom Ford's Richard Neutra house, originally the Brown residence, 1955 Photo: Triangle Modernist Houses Apparently, his taste in mid-century design not only includes architects like Neutra, but also artists like Jack Boyd.      You would think the former creative director of Gucci and YSL would be sensitive to fakes.  Although, instead of low-end copies  of  Gucci bags at the swap meet, Ford has

Haas house by A. Quincy Jones and Whitney Smith in Crestwood Hills ( originally the Mutual Housing Association ) / Los Angeles, 1950   House by Sam Kiyotoki, also in Crestwood Hills, 1958 Sturges house by Frank Lloyd Wright in Br e ntwood / Los Ang eles, 1939 John Lautner oversaw the con str uction of this Usonian masterpiece .   Jack Larson (not Lenor) lives in the house. He was Jimmy Olsen on t he 1950s   Adventures of Superman TV series .     Tha t 's how to cantilever.

Eames DKX Evelyn Ackerman / ERA Industries napkin holder Clay and fiber by Joyce McCullough

The Objects USA Garage Sale was held this weekend in San Diego. A lot of units were moved. Before After opening night Before After opening night The owl department went fast.

Gerard from Reform Gallery sent me this series of ads for Golden Oak Furniture Inc., staring Andy Warhol. Product placement at its finest.  The ads ran in Interiors Magazine in the late 70s or 80s. I had no idea he was such a product pimp! A Brillo pad box that was given to the creative Director who worked with Andy Warhol on the Golden Oak Furniture ads. I t sold at auction in 2012 for $1,000. Source:  Pacific Galleries Auction House Here he is in a TDK ad. Source:  tout ceci est magnifique Sony (Beta) and Pioneer This is the best one, Warhol and Sonny Liston for Branniff Airlines, complete with Alexander Girard fabric on the seats.  Source:  Girls of a Certain Age

Objects USA is having a garage sale this weekend. More information,  here .

Kenji Fujita for Tackett Associates Levels

  Cliff May / C.E. Chaote chairs at the Frank Lloyd Wright  Buehler House in Orinda Source: Sunset, 1950 Buehler House in 2011.  The coy pond is great, but not original. Strange, because it actually looks more original than the  swimming pool in 1950. Image: Art Jabber The Usonian house was built in 1948 and has been partially rebuilt after a 1994 fire. It's been up for sale since 2011. The price has dropped from $4.95M to $3.35M. Scoop it up,  here .  Image:  Art Jabber Now back to those  Cliff May and C.E. Chaote  chairs.  I'm not sure how this played out but there are a few patents for these chairs.  Some list May as the designer; another lists Choate and May; and this one just lists Choate.  When I first came across them, May was listed as the investor. What I do know is they're super cool. The table shown above swivels and can even detach from the chair when not in use.     Here is a pair in the courtyard of a Cliff May desi

Doyle Lane ceramics, table and reading material. I've never been able to figure these tables out.  I've had them before but I have no idea who made them.   Let me know if you.   It's square stock solid iron frame and two boards spaced apart from each other.   So the gunmetal glaze weed pot is joining a lamp I've had for a while with the same glaze.   It's a torchiere. Nuts right?  Doyle bead It's going to keep his nipply friend company now.    I also picked up this Eames Zenith rope edge fiberglass shell.  It has a Z in the fiberglass and no other markings.  It also appears to have never had shockmounts installed on it. Go figure.