67021: Wendell Castle (American, 1932-2018) Goose Desk

Wendell Castle (American, 1932-2018) Goose Desk, 1983 English walnut, curly maple, ebony, lacquer, India ink 31 x 65 x 32-1/4 inches (78.7 x 165.1 x 81.9 cm) Incised to underside Wendell Castle 1983 PROVENANCE: Alexander F. Milliken Gallery, New York; Malcolm Forbes Gallery, New York. EXHIBITED: Alexander F. Milliken Gallery, New York, "The Extraordinary Art of Wendell Castle", March 8-April 20, 1983. LITERATURE: U. Chapman, "Wendell Castle Tries Elegance...and pushes towards the limits of craftsmanship," Fine Woodworking, no. 42, September/October 1983, p. 72, illus.; E. Eerdmans, Wendell Castle: A Catalogue Raisonné, 1958-2012, New York, 2014, p. 205, no. III.260 illus. Wendell Castle's Goose Desk, 1983, is a compelling example of Wendell Castle's mastery of materials, creating fluid, complex and elegant works of furniture. By the 1980s, Castle had moved beyond his seminal stack laminated series whose forms were dominated by abstract sculpture forms and began to explore realism, as seen in his carved trompe l'oeil works, or in his inlaid furniture pieces. The latter often feature vaguely Neoclassical shapes, delicate elements, and intricate combinations of exotic woods. The present desk incorporates a simple yet elaborately inlaid top raised on straight legs leading to splayed feet, carved to a point. HID03101062020 © 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Condition Report: Overall in good condition with attractive appearance, structurally sound with very minor nicks to legs and edge, and faint surface scratches to top.