Gavel & Grace: The Estate of the Honorable Sandra Schultz Newman

Provenance:

Mangel Gallery, Philadelphia

Acquired directly from the above c. 1975

Note:

This work is listed in the Harry Bertoia Catalogue Raisonné under the following number: S.WF.301. 

We are grateful to the Harry Bertoia Foundation for their assistance in cataloguing this work.

Lot Note:

“My Mother started collecting Alex Katz and Harry Bertoia in the 1970s. Art was always a lifelong passion for her and was enjoyed by the entire family in her home.” — Jonathan Newman

Four sculptures by Harry Bertoia (1915–1978) from Justice Newman's collection are offered in this sale, reflecting the extraordinary range of the artist's sculptural practice. Working across a variety of metals and alloys, Bertoia challenged the boundaries between design and art, developing a rich vocabulary of forms, motifs, and techniques.

The group spans nearly two decades of the artist's career and includes two distinct bush forms: an intimate tabletop example from the 1960s (Lot 35) and a larger welded and patinated bronze sculpture from the mid-1970s (Lot 37). Together, they demonstrate Bertoia's enduring fascination with texture, density, and the interplay of light across clustered forms.

Also included is a striking vertical spray sculpture in stainless steel wire (Lot 38), its radiating branches rising from a stone base with a remarkable sense of movement. Completing the group is an important large-scale bronze and copper sculpture from the 1970s (Lot 36), whose richly patinated surface and commanding presence exemplify Bertoia's ability to imbue metal with an almost geological character.

Bertoia's connection to Pennsylvania lends particular resonance to these works. After relocating to Bally in the 1950s, he spent the remainder of his career there, producing many of his most celebrated sculptures and establishing himself as one of the region's most influential artistic figures. Assembled over decades, Justice Newman’s collection reflects a deep appreciation for the breadth of Harry Bertoia’s practice and his unique ability to bridge art, design, and nature.