Paris - Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr presented exceptional works by Roberto Rida yesterday in Paris, a live auction that featured a nice selection of furniture and objects directly from the artist's studio in Milan (12 March 2025). A figure of twentieth-century Italian design, known for his visionary work on glass and light, Roberto Giulio Rida made through his life mirrors, lamps, consoles, cabinets and screens inlaid with pieces of cut glass. The top lot of yesterday's sale was a unique 'Adone' chest of drawers in tinted glass, palmwood and brass by Roberto Giulio Rida executed in 2015. It was sold for €40,960, doubling its pre-sale estimate of €15,000 to 20,000.

Claire Gallois, Design Specialist at Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr in Paris, said: "This exceptional sale in Paris dedicated to Rida was an opportunity to discover the work of an extremely gifted artist who has spent his life working with glass and reinterpreting it in personal forms. His work has been exhibited in Europe but also in the United States, where his creations are collected by many lovers of glass and contemporary design who bought today. We are pleased to see that some pieces made strong prices."

Roberto G. Rida added: "I would like to thank Claire and her team for their efforts in promoting the sale. Offering my creations at auction was a turning point that allowed me to pass them on to new collectors."

Another notable lot was a unique pair of 'Vega' and 'Sirio' bedside tables executed by Roberto Rida in 2016 in brass, tinted glass, Murano glass and walnut and sold for €25,600 followed by a unique 'Lucrezia' mirror executed in 2016 by the artist in tinted glass, mirrored glass and lacquered wood sold for €21,760 more than 7 times its pre-sale estimate.

Other sale highlights were a unique 'Pace' cabinet in Murano tinted glass, lacquered wood and brass made by Roberto Rida in 2015, sold for €17,920 and a unique 'Tarocchi' cabinet in partially lacquered ash, glass, brass and paper executed by the artist in 2008, sold for €12,160, three times its pre-sale estimate.

Born in 1943 in Milan, Roberto Giulio Rida began drawing at an early age. His aunt, a cultured woman and artist, took him to visit museums, churches and historical monuments. A student at the Brera Academy, he proved to be gifted and on his return from his military service, he settled in Venice as an antique dealer. Close to the historic epicentre of glass production in Europe, he met the masters of Murano who taught him the glass trade for eight years.

In 1973, he returned to Milan where he specialized in the decorative arts of the twentieth century. At the same time, he began to create lighting and furniture dressed, covered or inlaid with glass and crystal. In fact, as an antique dealer, Rida has for many years amassed Italian glass elements from the 1900s to the 1950s, from the most important manufactories: Barovier & Toso, Fontana Arte, Venini and Seguso, an important manufactory in Murano. He would then polish, cut, face, and cut these elements to include them in contemporary lighting and furniture, which he designed himself. These exceptional glasses are thus given a new lease of life, combining the traditional know-how of the great Murano manufactures with the contemporary spirit of Rida's designs. References to Italian heritage and culture are omnipresent in his work and there are nods to ancient architecture and fashion.

Interior designers such as Laurence Graf or Gianni Versace were admirers of Rida's work. Peter Marino likes his work too and bought the Argo console at auction to exhibit it in Chanel's flagship store in London. Rida has also collaborated with Milanese artists such as Alessandro Guerriero in 2011 and Simone Crestani in 2018.

(Press Release)