Esoteric Survey

While in Michigan, I visited the MillerKnoll Archives .  Amy Auscherman, Director of Archives and Brand Heritage at MillerKnoll, has been hard at work since I was there a decade ago. In addition to adding the Knoll archive to her workload, there is now a full fledged design museum. The collection starts in the 1920s and includes contemporary pieces.  Charles and Eero are sort of back together now. I guess Florence Knoll was stockpiling sculptures by her Cranbrook buddy, Harry Bertoia. There were several stashed away in a warehouse in Pennsylvania. They came with the Knoll archive when Herman Miller acquired the company in 2021. This is so good and rare Gilbert Rohde The strap area with Rapson rocker, Risom high chair and the rest is Sorensen.  I believe this is the same chair Eliel Saarinen died in at his house in Cranbrook. The death womb! It was the second Womb Chair ever made.  Eero gave it to his mother,  Loja. This chair sold at Wright from the collection o...

  The Saarinen House (1929) at Cranbrook Academy by Eliel Saarinen with help from Loja, Pipsan, and Eero. It was the home of Eliel and Loja from 1930 to 1951. Eliel was the master architect for Cranbrook and was the C ranbrook Academy of Art’s president from 1932 to 1946. Lilly Swann Saarinen and Loja Saarinen in the book room. Source: Courtesy of Cranbrook Archives, Cranbrook Center for Collections and Research Textiles and hangings by Studio Loja Saarinen. Almost every piece was designed by a member of the Saarinen family. They even let Pipsan's husband, Robert Swanson, have a piece in the house.  Kevin Adkisson, Curator at the Cranbrook Center for Collections and Research, showed us the house and was the best guide. He had some juicy stories about Robert Swanson. Eliel Saarinen dining set. Cranbrook Academy student Harry Bertoia gets credit for trimming the base of the sculpture to fit perfectly within in the center inlay.  Pipsan flower floater The home studio. We're ...