Frank Gehry's "Icehenge" Desk Sells for Record Price
The "Icehenge" desk, designed by architect Frank Gehry and weighing over 7 tons, sold last week for $243,200. The sale set a new record for a Gehry design object.
An "Icehenge" desk, designed by the late architect Frank Gehry, has sold for a record $243,200 at auction last week. The monumental piece, weighing over seven tons, exceeded its estimates at Freeman's auction house.
"We are delighted with the result," said Roger Ward, Freeman's VP and head of design. "Significant works by Frank Gehry rarely come to market, and this sale reflects the continued strength of demand for museum-quality design with exceptional provenance."
Gehry, who passed away last year, was a pivotal figure in 20th and early 21st-century architecture, known for structures like the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Inspired by glass shards, he created "Icehenge" in 2012 as a security desk for the lobby of Chicago's Inland Steel Building. The desk, which debuted in 2013, features stacked, irregularly shaped forms that reach up to six feet tall, giving it a sculptural presence.
The design incorporates smooth, translucent green cubes and mirrored cabinets as legs supporting two flat desktop surfaces. Gehry himself likened its appearance to "an explosion in a glass factory." The sale underscores the enduring market value and legacy of Gehry's distinctive design work.