Idiosyncrasy: Sam Kaufman Collects 
26 April 2022
Jan de Swart, Unique cabinet from Allegro, Eagle Rock, California - Image 1 of 5
Jan de Swart, Unique cabinet from Allegro, Eagle Rock, California - Image 2 of 5
Jan de Swart, Unique cabinet from Allegro, Eagle Rock, California - Image 3 of 5
Jan de Swart, Unique cabinet from Allegro, Eagle Rock, California - Image 4 of 5
Jan de Swart, Unique cabinet from Allegro, Eagle Rock, California - Image 5 of 5
Idiosyncrasy: Sam Kaufman Collects 
Jan de Swart, Unique cabinet from Allegro, Eagle Rock, California - Image 1 of 5
Jan de Swart, Unique cabinet from Allegro, Eagle Rock, California - Image 2 of 5
Jan de Swart, Unique cabinet from Allegro, Eagle Rock, California - Image 3 of 5
Jan de Swart, Unique cabinet from Allegro, Eagle Rock, California - Image 4 of 5
Jan de Swart, Unique cabinet from Allegro, Eagle Rock, California - Image 5 of 5
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Jan de Swart

Unique cabinet from Allegro, Eagle Rock, California

The Netherlands/USA, c. 1960
wrought iron, painted wood 89½ h × 27 w × 25¼ d in (227 × 69 × 64 cm)
estimate: $5,000–7,000
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Features two doors concealing eight removable shelves flanked by six additional removable shelves above a desk.
provenance: Collection of the artist
literature: Angeles Magazine, October 1991, pg. 75

This work will ship from LAMA in Los Angeles, California.

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This unusual cabinet-with-desk was built by Jan De Swart for his own use, as a display cabinet for his smaller sculptures at Allegro, his magical house in the hills of Eagle Rock, California. A small desk surface just below the doors is illuminated by a lamp concealed under the projecting roof-form that caps the cabinet. The elaborate wrought iron locking mechanism is an antique component that was modified by the artist with other found objects. This is a unique piece from the estate of the artist.

Sam Kaufman Collects

Since 1999 Sam Kaufman's eye for objects with beauty, craftsmanship, and historical significance has made his Los Angeles gallery feel like a small museum—curated by an eccentric man described by Dwell magazine as “the walking encyclopedia”. Spanning decades, nations, and multiple fields of collecting, the eclectic mix shares one thing in common: the irrepressible enthusiasm of Sam Kaufman. With curiosity, knowledge, and a taste for the whimsical, Sam has traveled the world collecting expressive, compelling, and unusual things. The selection offered here represents the breadth of his interests. Every artifact has an accompanying narrative, a twist of history, or a rare detail that gives it a life of its own and makes it outstanding

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