Nothing beats the thrill of a highly-anticipated auction and finding new pieces you love to bring into your home. Or, the homes of your clients if you’re a designer.
This newly-announced event at the legendary DOYLE Auctioneers & Appraisers in New York City could be the most outstanding auction you come across all year. Interior designer Eric Cohler, praised throughout his prestigious career as a “mixologist” for his penchant for blending pieces of different eras and styles, is parting with his finely-curated, personal collection of art, decor, furnishings, and more.
Planned for October 1st, the rare auction (which people can participate in online or in-person) will attract skilled designers and collectors worldwide. To give you the inside scoop, we recently interviewed Sal Trupiano, Furniture & Decorative Arts Generalist at DOYLE, about what you can expect from “The Eric Cohler Collection: The Designer at Home.”
Tell us about this wide-ranging collection and a bit of what it encompasses.
Eric is a very talented interior designer with great taste and many years of experience. He’s educated and well-versed in furniture and decorative arts from 2000 years ago to today. His Westchester home had pieces in all these areas, from a 1st-century-style marble sculpture to large, contemporary photographs. From Chinese Tang Dynasty to Danish Modern, there are 300 impressive lots to discover at the auction.
That sounds like a lot but where does that fall in terms of what you typically see at DOYLE Auctioneers & Appraisers?
Most of our auctions are in that range. Eric’s home was over 10,000 square feet, so it was easy to pick 300 lots for this sale.
Which item(s) has Eric been most attached to over the years, and why?
I cannot speak for Eric, but each of the items in this sale has a special story behind it—it is very hard to pick only a couple! But, one stands out to me: It’s a small silver bowl that Eric bought in the ’90s at the Diana Vreeland auction here at DOYLE, and almost three decades later it is back in our auction house! This truly felt like a full circle moment.
It’s clear Eric has an incredible eye. Where did Eric’s penchant for collecting come from and how did his collection begin?
Eric’s interest in collecting starting at a young age, when his grandfather gave him $1,800 and he decided to use it to buy one painting from Christie’s. From that first painting, the desire to collect more beautiful objects only grew bigger.
Eric has been given the nickname of a design “mixologist” referring to his renowned ability to blend pieces of various eras and styles in one room. What are some of his expert tips for how to do this that could be helpful for those participating in the auction?
He shows that you can put a modern, low priced vase over a $10,000 antique console and make them look perfect together. The trick is in finding beautiful low priced items.
With recent trends, more people are following Eric’s philosophy and trying to bring special antiques and treasures into their spaces. What are some pieces you see in this collection that bidders can incorporate into their homes most effortlessly?
Eric has a great collection of upholstered items in this sale. He took 18th-century pieces, left them with the original distressed finishes, and upholstered them with high-end, modern fabrics. What a great look.
Is there an item you think will be most popular, or some hidden gems you are especially delighted to have at the auction?
My favorite piece is a black-and-white photograph by Nick Brandt, “Cheetah and Cubs.” I recently went on a safari and can imagine how difficult it was to capture this scene. Just beautiful.
How can people preview the items before bidding, and what can they expect at the auction itself? Please tell us a bit about the DOYLE process.
The sale is now posted online, so people can see photos of each lot with descriptions and estimates. In Manhattan, the collection will be on public exhibition September 27, 28, and 29 so you can see the pieces in our gallery. Bidding is mostly done online, by live telephone calls with a DOYLE employee, or by physically attending the sale in the gallery.
Do you find there is more interest in antiques and auctions right now, or has this remained steady throughout the years?
The auction business has been booming for many years now. Auctions were mainly attended by dealers who bought items and resold them in galleries. Today, more and more people have realized the value in buying at auction and most sales are now to private clients. At DOYLE, we take the time to properly catalog items, take many photos of each piece, and provide detailed condition reports in order to give the buyer the most information to help in their decision.
Fine, luxury auctions like this don’t often get announced far ahead of time, usually just a few weeks before the auction date. Why is that and how can people stay up-to-date on the exciting auctions DOYLE has coming up next?
The turnaround time of selling at auction has become shortened with the ability to use technology to get everything done at a faster pace. We no longer need months to put a sale together. People should subscribe to our mailing list and pick the categories they are most interested in. On average, they will be notified three weeks in advance of a sale. With the ability to see everything online, you no longer need to make a special trip to an auction gallery.
Can you share what made the designer decide to auction off this cherished, personal collection now?
I think he realized that every room was filled and it’s time to start over. Let’s not forget, he loves to decorate!
As to why Cohler chose DOYLE to facilitate his auction, the reasons stack up high.
Headquartered in New York with offices and regional advisors from coast to coast, DOYLE has built a reputation as a leading global destination for fine art collectors and sellers alike. Their experts love to tell the stories of objects and people, and approach each highly-personal sale with genuine care. Again and again, estate executors, fiduciary advisors, collectors, and heirs trust the business to provide fair market value appraisals and state-of-the-art auction services with the utmost integrity, knowledge, and service.
Click here for more details about Cohler’s approaching auction—scheduled for 10 AM EST on October 1st—and don’t forget to sign up to become a DOYLE Auctioneers & Appraisers insider so you always know that’s coming next.