Untitled (Dandelion) by Harry Bertoia

Auctioned by Sotheby’s in New York for US$1.9 million.

A 10-minute bidding war at Sotheby’s May sale series of 20th and 21st Century Design pushed American artist Harry Bertoia’s whimsical steel sculpture far beyond its initial US$200,000 top estimate, setting a new auction record for his work. The sculpture – which is composed of stainless steel wires, chrome-plated tubular steel, and marble – was created in 1958 and stands 210.8cm tall. A work of both strength and delicacy, Bertoia’s dandelions (several of which were displayed at the 1964 New York World’s Fair Kodak building) mark a significant branch of his sculpture experimentation.