‘The pinnacle of American dining’

As the historic restaurant closes prior to its reopening in a new location, so the furniture and tableware – designed by a host of design masters especially for the Philip Johnson-envisioned restaurant in 1959 – are seeking new homes. Wright will offer some 500 lots, from tables and chairs to ashtrays and cutlery, including works by the likes of Mies van der Rohe, Hans Wegner, Eero Saarinen, and Garth and Ada Louise Huxtable. Estimates range from just 100 US dollars for a selection of bread plates, to 150,000 dollars for Johnny Swing’s ‘Murmuration’ sofa sculpture. If you were lucky enough to dine at The Four Seasons, seize the opportunity to find a memento of what was inevitably a memorable occasion, and a small piece of design (and American dining) history. Just think of the countless celebrities who sat in those seats, drunk from those glasses or flicked their cigarettes into those ashtrays...

Photos: Wright