Stockholms Auktionsverk held its Contemporary auction on 19 May 2016, bringing together Scandinavian design and contemporary art in a single sale.

The auction followed an extended viewing period running from 10 to 18 May, allowing collectors and professionals to examine the works and objects in advance at the auction house’s Stockholm premises.

The Contemporary sale at Stockholms Auktionsverk is a recurring format that places design objects alongside art works — a pairing that reflects the auction market’s recognition of Scandinavian design as a collectible category alongside painting and sculpture.

Specialists covered both disciplines: Ebba de Faire handled the art segment while Jonatan Jahn was responsible for design.

Founded in 1674, Stockholms Auktionsverk is Sweden’s oldest auction house and one of the leading venues for the secondary market in Scandinavian applied arts and design. Its Contemporary sales typically include works from the 20th and 21st centuries, with mid-century Scandinavian furniture and glass among the consistently strong categories.

The May 2016 auction represented a cross-section of the current secondary market — a useful indicator of which designers and manufacturers hold sustained collector interest beyond their primary commercial lives. For anyone researching the market value and cultural standing of Scandinavian design objects, the auction house’s sales records provide a documented reference across decades of trading.