The year we first started to be particularly interested in Memphis design, back in 2006, it coincided with a burgeoning interest in the market, as well — the works of Sottsass and his peers were starting to see a serious uptick at auction, and we investigated that rise in a story for I.D. magazine, our alma mater. We all know what happened next. Earlier this week we felt that same sensation when a Current Obsession of ours, Italian glass, which has been at the top of our eBay saved searches list for a year now, had a featured auction at Wright whose key lots pretty much smoked their estimates. A Carlo Scarpa vase went for $75,000 (estimate $10-15k), a Gio Ponti glassware set for $32,500 (estimate $3-5k).

The takeaway? Get your Murano on, people, before it’s too late. If you’re not into it now, we’re pretty sure you will be by 2020. Oh, and if you come across some absolutely batshit candlesticks for under $400 — the crazier the better! — give us a call, please.

Meanwhile check out our favorites from Wright’s Important Italian Glass auction below.Napoleone Martinuzzi, 1929Artisti Barovier, 1920Vittorio Zecchin, 1925Angelo Barovier, 1952Carlo Scarpa, 1926
Murano, 1930Fulvio Bianconi, 1951Carlo Scarpa, 1940Toots Zynsky, 1999Yoichi Ohira, 1996Gio Ponti, 1955Fulvio Bianconi, 1965Benvenuto Barovier, 1878Fratelli Toso, 1920Flavio Poli and Alfredo Barbini, 1936Paolo Venini, 1950