~CASSINA, CHARLES RENNIE MACKINTOSH DINING GROUP!!!~ SUPER RARE, 8-Chairs/DiningTable/Buffet, GreatCondition Start Price USD 19,749.75 Current Price USD 19,749.75 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price USD 24,974.75 Reserve Price - Start Time Friday, October 10, 2008 End Time Monday, October 20, 2008 Location Downtown Manhattan, NY See more about '~CASSINA, CHARLES RENNIE MACKINTOSH DINING GROUP!!!~' Description I can't Realistically lower these prices, so please bid now. You Ultra-Modern GO-MOD Design Addicts are looking at an Original ~~~"CASSINA, Charles Rennie Mackintosh Dining Group, c.1982 Original Matched Set!!!"~~~ SUPER-RARE-RETIRED-DESIGNS, CHAIRS & SIDEBOARD, OUT OF PRODUCTION FOR OVER A DECADE!!! design by C.R. Mackintosh, c.1900-1918, True 100% Authorized Licensed Editions, by Cassina. SET INCLUDES: G.S.A. Dining Table, Sideboard Buffet #2, and 8-Ingram Highback Chairs!!! EXCELLENT VINTAGE CONDITION, OPENING BID @ TURNBACK 1980's CASSINA PRICING!!! BUY IT NOW @ OVER 50% OFF CURRENT COMPARABLE MSRP of +$45,000.00usd!!! CONDITION REPORT: This is the "Once-In-A-Blue-Moon-Find," Never Ever Ever seen on eBay before, and probably never ever ever again!!! This is the only set of its kind available for sale currently on the world market, if you don't believe me, just go and check, call every dealer on 1stDibs!!! A TRUE 100% Authentic Certified/Marked/Engraved, "Original Matching Cassina Dining Group Set" consisting of a "Long Discontinued/Retired" Sideboard Buffet, and 8 Matching High-Back Chairs, neither of which are in production!!! The CURRENT PRICING for this set can only be estimated since "9" of the "10 pieces" in the set have been long-since Retired (everything but the Dining Table). The G.S.A. Dining Table currently sells for over $6,000.00, the only sideboard buffet (of the same size) sells for $12,000.00, and is only still in production because it is manufactured/shipped in 2 pieces (not 1 massive quality joined cabinet like this one). And the closest chair in size currently sells for $3,000.00/each in black (multiply times 8 chairs, places the chair set value at $24,000.00). That brings the CURRENT CASSINA PRICING VALUE of this set, to: $41,000.00 (plus tax and shipping and handling, easily another $4,500.00). TOTAL CURRENT VALUE has sky-rocketed to just over $45,000.00 USD!!! Overall Units are in Excellent Vintage Condition, and were very well taken care of, with Perfect Structural and Very Nice Cosmetic Conditions!!! All 8 Chairs (including fabric, are without a doubt PERFECT, and literally indistinguishable from brand new). Buffet is absolutely massive, and in great great shape. All Stained Glass inserts are flawless, as are the mother-of-pearl white kappa-shell inlays on drawer pulls, unit has no gouges or any scratches on face or top, although a few inside of cabinets and at very bottom edge underneath where unit touches the floor (comes with 1 brass skeleton key to unlock doors and cabinets). Dining Table is in very good condition, with a uniformly almost flawless top (minus only a small ding/dent here and there at side edge and underneath bracing cross-bars, both are signs from where chairs were pushed in (although nothing on top or sides goes through to the white wood, and none extend into the top surface). Inside Perimeter edge of the lazy susan has a good size abrasion on it's inside edge, which cannot be seen when it is installed flush). On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being highest: All 8-Chairs are a solid 9.75, Sideboard Buffet is a solid 9.5, and Dining Table is a solid 8.5. Keep in mind a "10," would be brand new and perfect. But perfect, is never something a true Design-Aficionado is ever looking for when they purchase a true rarity such as this, light signs of use show a distinguished "true-character" of natural age. New would certainly-not, play any part, in creating that "Allure-of-Sophistication". Any detractions are almost 100% Un-noticable when dining group is assembled. Please keep in mind, that they are very small and non-structural to the integrity of these units. You really won't see them, except upon super close scrutiny & shockingly close inspection. Literally ZERO significantly obvious detractions from even a few feet away, as you can clearly see in the photos. This group is however "Vintage," so it should not be mistaken for 100% Perfect, but like I said, it is in overall very good shape. If you feel these detractions would be terribly bothersome, I'd suggest that upon delivery, once the group is set up and positioned in it's new environment, that the new owner have a trusted/competent antique restoration specialist come to inspect the unit and give a thorough estimate on the cosmetic repair of the imperfections (although in my professional opinion, I believe we'd be looking at "less than" $500.00 total in that regard, isolated to the table, if even deemed an issue at all). Although many Cassina pieces are moreover almost prevalently found in the 2nd-hand market, this group is not to be mistaken for any of those pieces. This is part of Cassina's renowned MAESTRO (MASTERS COLLECTION), which was introduced in the early 1960's, with EXCLUSIVE WORLDWIDE LICENSE, to reproduce selected designs in very limited editions, of famed architects, Le Corbusier, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Gerrit Rietveld, Erik Gunnar Asplund, and Le Corbusier's protege Charlotte Perriand.To ensure authenticity, each Masters Collection piece bears the MAESTRI LOGO, author's signature, and a production number. Therefor, with "9 out of 10" of this set's pieces, having already been retired for over a decade, they will continue to become EVEN MORE INCREASINGLY RARE & SOUGHT AFTER, and overwhelmingly demanded; which will most likely result in turning your purchase into a long term "high-gain" investment. Designs: by Charles Rennie Mackintosh (10-Piece Dining Group, Complete) Produced under license from the Estate of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and so indicated by a stamped signature and serial number on each model. A. 304 G.S.A. Table, c.1904. Dimensions: 74.8"Diameter | 29"H (Lazy Susan Center Section 43.2"D); Weight approx: 300 lbs. Description: Round Table in black-stained ashwood, named after the Glasgow School of Art. Circular revolving “Lazy Susan” center section can be adjusted up to one inch in height, by means of a hidden lever. B. 309 Ingram Highback Chair, c.1900. Dimensions: 17"L | 17"D | 59"H (Seat Height: 16"H); Weight approx: 25 lbs/each. Description: 8-Chairs with black-stained ashwood frame, cushion with polyurethane foam and polyester padding, upholstered in fabric, designed for Miss Cranston's Ingram Street Tea Rooms. C. DS4, Sideboard 2, c.1918. Dimensions: 67"L | 20"D @ Base | 10"D @ Top | 63"H; Weight approx: 400 lbs. Description: Sideboard Buffet in black-stained ashwood. A classic buffet with decorative accents in lead-bound mosaic of colored stained glass, and inlaid mother of pearl (1 piece design). About Charles Rennie Mackintosh Born in Glasgow on June 7th of 1868, one of eleven children in the Townhead area of Glasgow, close to Glasgow Cathedral. From these beginnings, he has become one of the most celebrated architects of his generation. Mackintosh took his inspiration from our Scottish traditions and blended them with the flourish of Art Nouveau and the simplicity of Japanese forms. Much of his work has survived. It can be seen today alongside that of his close collaborators in the group known as "The Four" and the other artists and designers who collectively created "The Glasgow Style". By the end of the 19th century Glasgow School of Art was one of the leading art academies in Europe and after early success in the fine arts, the late 1890s saw Glasgow’s reputation in architecture and the decorative arts reach an all time high. At the very heart of this success was a talented young architect and designer, Charles Rennie Mackintosh whose reputation was to quickly spread beyond his native city and who, over a century later, is still regarded as the father of Glasgow Style. To complement his architectural apprenticeship, Mackintosh enrolled for evening classes at the Glasgow School of Art where he pursued various drawing programmes. Here under the watchful eye of the headmaster Francis Newbery, his talents flourished and in the School’s library he was able to consult the latest architecture and design journals becoming increasingly aware of his contemporaries both at home and abroad. He won numerous student prizes and competitions including the prestigious Alexander Thomson Travelling Studentship in 1890 that allowed him to undertake an architectural tour of Italy. Back in Glasgow, Mackintosh’s projects for Honeyman and Keppie during the early 1890s displayed an increased maturity. His design for the Glasgow Herald Building (1894) incorporated some cutting-edge technology including a hydro-pneumatic lift and fire-resistant diatomite concrete flooring. Later at Martyr’s Public School (1895), despite a somewhat restricted brief, he was able to introduce some elaborate but controlled detailing including the central roof trusses. At a public lecture on architecture in 1893, Mackintosh argued that architects and designers be given greater artistic freedom and independence. He himself began to experiment with a range of decorative forms, producing designs for furniture, metalwork and the graphic arts (including highly stylised posters and watercolours), often in partnership with his friend and colleague at Honeyman and Keppie, Herbert MacNair and two fellow students, Margaret and Frances Macdonald. In 1896 Mackintosh gained his most substantial commission, to design a new building for the Glasgow School of Art. This was to be his masterwork. Significantly, the building was constructed in two distinct phases, 1897-99 and 1907-09, due to a lack of money. Stylistically, the substantial delay in completion offered Mackintosh the opportunity to amend and fully integrate his original design (of 1896) which owed much to Scotland’s earlier baronial tradition with a second half to the building that looked very much to the 20th century through its use of materials and technology. Most dramatic of all the interiors was the new Library (completed in 1909), which was a complex space of timber posts and beams. Its construction owed much to traditional Japanese domestic interiors but ultimately the building was an eclectic mix of styles and influences. In Europe the originality of Mackintosh’s style was quickly appreciated and in Germany, and particularly in Austria, he received the acclaim and recognition for his designs that he was never truly to gain at home. He contributed to the 8th Vienna Secession and participated in international exhibitions in Turin, Moscow and elsewhere. He entered an open competition to design ‘A House for an Art Lover’, put forward by a German design journal, Zeitschrift fur Innendekoration, in 1900. Although he failed to win the competition, his architectural designs were judged to be of such a high standard that they were later reproduced as a portfolio of prints. Back in Scotland at The Hill House in Helensburgh (1904), the publisher Walter Blackie commissioned Mackintosh to design a substantial family home. In its appearance, it owed much to his House for an Art Lover designs and an earlier completed domestic commission, Windyhill (1900). Externally, The Hill House was notable for its simple and solid massed forms with little ornamentation, yet internally the rooms exuded light and space, and the use of colour and decoration was carefully conceived. Throughout his career Mackintosh relied on just a handful of patrons and supporters. The Glasgow businesswoman Catherine Cranston proved to be one of his most influential and her series of tearoom interiors (designed and furnished between 1896-1917) provided him with a virtual freedom to experiment. Responsible for their ‘total design’ Mackintosh provided the tearooms with furniture (including the dramatic high-back chairs), light fittings, wall decorations and even the cutlery. "Excerpts from the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society" About CASSINA Around the world, the name Cassina is spontaneously associated with Italian design. Cassina SpA, the parent company was founded in 1927 in the northern Italian region of Brianza. Operations were initially focused on woodworking and gradually expanded towards modern furnishing. During the mid-50’s Cassina engaged the talents of architects such as Gio Ponti, Afra and Tobia Scarpa, Mario Bellini and Vico Magistretti for design collaboration. In order to broaden the appeal of the Cassina Collection, Franco Cassina initiated a visionary collaboration between Le Corbusier and Cassina. Building upon the success of the Le Corbusier license, the company launched the I Maestri Collection (Masters Collection), which today includes major icons of design history: Le Corbusier, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Gerrit Rietveld, E. Gunnar Asplund, Frank Lloyd Wright and Charlotte Perriand. Contemporary architects and designers continue the company’s commitment to the landmarks of modern furniture design. Cassina was purchased by Poltrona Frau last year. Poltrona Frau has aimed high over the last few years, with a very selective strategy of acquisitions; which resulted in aquiring Cappellini, Thonet, Gufram, Nemo Italianaluce, and Cassina. Poltrona Frau provides the leather supply for Ferrari Group, Maserati, and BMW, as well as Pininfarina, and works closely with F.A. Porsche. Continuing on a 150 Heritage, Poltrona Frau now sits poised as the primary "powerhouse" world leader in the high-end furniture industry, continuing to bring to the world the best of the Italian culture of design. * NOTE, eBay's Online Freight Calculator Is GROSELY INNACCURATE * Shipping this Entire Dining Group will likely cost $1,000.00 and up to $3,250.00 within the USA. Worldwide International Bidders are welcomed, but I cannot yet estimate your shipping charges accurately. If you wish to contact me with a shipping question… YOU MUST PROVIDE the following ACCURATELY: (Or else I “will-not” be able to provide you an accurate freight quote). 1. FULL NAME /// 2. STREET ADDRESS /// 3. CITY /// 4. STATE /// 5. ZIPCODE *Commercial or Residential (with or without Loading Dock)??? *Ground Floor or Other (with Elevator, or Steps to Walk-up)??? *Long or Short Haul ( < or > 150’ from unloading point)??? *Pick-Ups* If you are local, feel free to contact me to schedule an appointment for viewing. You are free to coordinate your own couriers for pickup, provided payment is accepted and processed prior to pickup date. All Small-Sized Units (chairs, single cabinets, lounge chairs) can be moved throughout Manhattan and the 5 Burroughs simply and cost effectively, in a NYC Mini-Van Taxi Cab. Items can be picked up Free-of-Charge, less any handling fees, in Downtown SOHO, New York, NY 10013. Building features: 24/7/365 Access (9AM to 7PM preferred), Freight Elevator, Docks, Ramping, Carts, and Onsite Parking for Loading/Unloading. Medium-Sized Units typically require Pickup in any rental U-Haul / Enterprise / Avis / etc, 12’ Standard Cargo-Van or Box-Truck. *Deliveries* All Small & Medium Sized Deliveries will ship twice weekly: Domestically via DHL or UPS (Standard Ground/Insured), Internationally via USPS (Airmail/Insured). Additional Premium-Services can be Specified & Paid for, at buyer’s request. All Units exceeding either Size and or Weight restrictions of DHL, UPS, USPS, will ship via Commercial Freight Lines. Deliveries of units in the Tri-State-Metro Area are made approximately once weekly by seller, scheduled within 10 days of received auction payment, for fees of between $75.00 and $250.00 (respectively, depending upon size and quantity of units being delivered). All Large-Sized Items outside the Tri-State Metro Area are only shipped via Commercial Freight Carriers. You are free to obtain your own quotes, however since 9/11/2001, the shipping industry has changed dramatically. You’ll now be “hard-pressed” to find shipping companies that are willing to, Accept and Insure Used or Vintage-Used furniture items, which are not “brand-new sealed in original packaging being sold by the manufacturer.” And if you do find a shipper who will accept this, they typically will not pickup from a storage location, rather only from a “bona fide” incorporated commercial-storefront (and these companies usually will not feature packaging/crating services). I’m suggesting www.PLYCONvanlines.com and www.CratersAndFreighters.com as some of the only National “White-Glove” exceptions to the listed acceptable criteria. Alternatively, I work with a small select group of national shippers, whom frequent most metropolitan cities. My freight quotes and deliveries will take longer to obtain, but will cost you “significantly less.” The choice is yours. *INTERNATIONAL Freight Deliveries* All Large-Sized Furniture Items being shipped outside the USA, “MUST BE” Coordinated by Buyer, utilizing a Customs Broker. Custom Pallets, Packaging, and Crating Services must be utilized for these deliveries, of which I “cannot” provide. These units must be insured, and there are no returns on these items. *Terms & Conditions of Sale* All of my items being auctioned on eBay are featured in storefront and marketed simultaneously for sale through the design trade and several industry specific avenues. In some cases, an item is sold prior to the close of its auction, not through eBay and in accordance, as not to circumvent the selling policies of eBay. When this occurs, all active bidding will be canceled, and the auction will be ended and closed early, under the grounds “this item is no longer available for sale.” A rare occurrence sometimes develops within the final 12 hours of an auction’s end, where ending the auction is not always possible. This is due to the frequent and common use of BidSnipers and other BidSniping Programs, which enter bids in the last few seconds of an auction. There simply isn’t enough time to effectively cancel these bids, and close the auction. In this rare and seldom event, the sale of the item through an auction win, must be considered null and void. *Payments* For the successful win of an auction, all payments must be made within 7 days of auction’s close, prior to filing of unpaid item alert and winning becoming null and void. My preference for payment is Bank EFT or “Certified” Bank Check, due to online transaction fees. Thank You. Thank You For Taking The Time To View My Auction!!! Please Take A Look At My Others for more Great Finds!!! HAPPY BIDDING on these FANTASTIC & RARE ITEMS!!! Place a Bid!