Antique auction table part of modern Italian film set

A circa 1780 continental walnut map table (lot 157) – used as part of the interior setting of Villa Albergoni in Lombardy for the 2017 Italian film “Call Me by your Name” based on the book of the same name by Andre Aciman – is a major highlight of Melbourne-based Gibson’s Auctions Autumn Auction Series from 11am on Sunday March 27 with a $20,000-$30,000 catalogue estimate.

A late 19th century Persian Zeigler rug (lot 180) carries a similar estimate, but one of the great attractions is that several auction items were made by Austro-Hungarian furniture designer and cabinetmaker Schulim Krimper (1893-1971) who emigrated to Australia in 1939.

After settling in Melbourne, Krimper opened a workshop in the bayside suburb of St Kilda where he rapidly developed a reputation for the superb construction of custom-made modern furniture, including that of the chapel in St Mary’s College at the University of Melbourne.

In 1975, the National Gallery of Victoria held a retrospective exhibition of his work and he is represented in the permanent collections of the National Gallery of Australia, the Art Gallery of South Australia and the Powerhouse Museum.

The highest estimate Krimper creation (at $15,000-$25,000) in the auction is a circa 1954 Australian blackbean dining suite comprising eight chairs (including two carvers) and a solid single plank table (lot 167).

The next is a teak dining suite comprising an oval table and eight cream leather upholstered chairs (lot 161). This was commissioned in October 1962 by Krimper’s close friend, who also was father to the present owner. After several years, Krimper replaced the original rectangular table top with an oval shape (including leaves) to better meet their changing requirements.

Also in the home were a Krimper designed and made circa 1960 teak hall seat (lot 166) and a teak and glass custom bar trolley (lot 149).

Other furniture items include a large and impressive late 20^th century Empire style breakfront bookcase designed by Italian craftsman Renzo Mongiardino (1916-1998) for Celeste dell’Anna Interior Design Milan (lot 150).

A creator of residential and theatre environments, Mongiardino was nominated for two Academy Awards in Best Art Direction. In the early 1950s, working from his home and studio in central Milan, he began to establish himself as an architect and was responsible for creating some of the most important and enchanting houses of the latter half of the 20^th century.

It was at this stage that Mongiardino also began his career as a production designer in theatre and cinema alongside such stalwarts as Franco Zeffirelli, Peter Hall, Giancarlo Menotti and Raymond Rouleau.

Among the porcelain offerings is a signed slender Galle eucalyptus cameo vase of elongated bottle form (lot 177).

Another major drawcard is the Chinese antiquities including a Qing dynasty heavily cast bronze censer (lot 84), two unusual bronze boxes containing a bronze seal (lot 89) and a celadon jade carving of a sampan with a bearded old man kneeling on the deck (lot 110).