T.H. ROBSJOHN-GIBBINGS | Console Table and Pier Mirror from the Casa Encantada, Bel Air, California

Mrs. J. O. Weber, Casa Encantada, Bel Air, California
Conrad Hilton, Casa Encantada, Bel Air, California
Sotheby's Parke Bernet Inc., New York, Neo-Classical Art Moderne Furniture, February 5, 1981, lot 57
Collection of John Delorean, New York
Sotheby's New York, November 7, 1992, lot 384
Acquired from the above by the present owner

Sam Watters, Houses of Los Angeles: 1920-1935, Vol. II, New York, 2007, p. 342 (for the present lot illustrated)
Daniella Ohad Smith, “T. H. Robsjohn-Gibbings: Crafting a Modern Home for Postwar America,” Journal of Interior Design, no. 34, 2008, p. 43 (for the present lot illustrated)
Jennifer A. Watts, ed., Maynard L. Parker: Modern Photography and the American Dream, New Haven, 2012, p. 33 (for the present lot illustrated)

Overall in very good condition. The piece presents with occasional light scratches and scuffing throughout. The wood surfaces throughout appear to have been sensitively and professionally refreshed to enhance the veridgris coloration, as well as some enhancement to the gilt surfaces. The table and mirror have both been discretely marked by the conservator, only visible upon close inspection. The mirrored glass surface with isolated surface scratches, two on the upper portion of the mirror measuring approximately 3 ½ and 1 ½ inches respectively; one on the right side of the mirror measuring approximately 3 inches; and a shallower scratch on the lower portion of the mirror measuring approximately 7 inches. The painted wooden surface with minor loss and fading to paint throughout concentrated to seams and gilded areas. The wooden tabletop with some loss and crackling to paint where wood meets the glass surface, as to be expected from gentle use over time. Two thin hairline cracks on either side of the countertop measuring approximately 11 and 6 inches respectively. The base with some isolated losses to the paint, probably due to prior rubbing or contact. The semi-circular foot with two areas of crackling to paint, not visually distracting. The mirror and frame have been professionally reduced in size by approximately 20 inches at some point following its removal from Casa Encantada in order to accommodate a lower ceiling height. This modification was seamlessly executed and the combination of mirror and console table continue to display elegant and complementary proportions. The two wooden elements on the upper corners of the mirrored surface are later additions as well and are stylistically consistent with the rest of the pier mirror. The work is stable, fully functional, and presents beautifully in person with strong visual and sculptural presence. This offering presents an exciting opportunity for collectors to acquire such a significant work from the legendary "Casa Encantada".
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

This console and its accompanying pier mirror, with columns terminating in exotic birds and resting upon a lotus leaf base, encapsulate the sense of neoclassical fantasy created by T. H. Robsjohn-Gibbings at Casa Encantada. The Bel Air home was created for Mrs. J. O. Weber between 1934 and 1938, and purchased intact by Conrad Hilton in 1952. Described as an eclectic combination of Georgian Revival style and Greco-Roman architecture, the manor’s interior was as carefully planned as its exterior. Robsjohn-Gibbings oversaw the décor and furnishings, successfully creating pieces that simultaneously evoked the art of ancient Greece, colonial American furniture, and aspects of Art Deco design. The work that he produced there epitomizes the style so often associated to his oeuvre, one that is dependent on no single historical moment or artistic movement. He rejected the aesthetic of the Machine Age and instead embraced an overall classicizing style. Earth tones and shades of cream were his palette of predilection, one he applied to the high-quality decorative designs that once furnished Casa Encantada. Robsjohn-Gibbings considered the two-hundred piece commission one his most important achievements, and the furniture he created for it has remained unique and timeless in the eyes of art and design collectors.