Wright Auction

I moved to Paris and after living there for almost a year, I ran out of money and had to return to the United States. In December of 1991, I found myself without a design rush, without a new adventure to keep my creative wheels turning. I was 29 years old and living in my parent’s basement in the suburbs of Chicago.

In an effort to get some design work, I called Knoll’s creative director, Carl Magnusson, to request a meeting to present myself and my work. Carl agreed to meet and immediately purchased my ticket to New York. At our meeting I presented my work, travels and experiences, although he probably expected me to present specific ideas. 

On November 10th of 1992 I received a call from Carl. He was sending me a product brief and contract for a series of tables to be presented the following June at Neocon in Chicago. The timing was perfect as I was headed to Martinique for holiday in December and planned to use the time to sketch for Knoll. Upon my return, I met with Carl to review my sketches. Carl went through each page one by one, not saying a thing until he was finished. Then he quickly picked two pages and said, “These are my favorites. Which are yours?” Thinking on my feet, I replied “those are also my favorites.”

The project had a quick turnaround and I set to work producing full-scale pen and colored pencil renderings for several table variations and their details. I recalled a beautiful full-scale rendering Ettore Sottsass had completed for Knoll and aimed to make my mentor proud. On January 6th, 1993 I sent thirty-six full-scale drawings along with eight models to Knoll. From my work, Carl selected eight tables and immediately started prototyping. I flew to New York on February 11th to see the first prototypes and returned again on March 30th to see the second generation of prototypes.

The Cactus Collection was introduced in June 1993 at Neocon as planned.

Renowned American designer Lawrence Laske has spent over three decades cultivating a remarkable collection of drawings, sketchbooks, models, and prototypes that capture his boundless creativity and meticulous approach to design. Known for his inventive concepts, Laske's work spans a diverse range of products, objects, and furniture, each meticulously documented through detailed sketches, hand-drawn renderings, and handcrafted models, often accompanied by prototypes.

After earning his degree from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana in 1985, Laske further honed his craft at the prestigious Domus Academy in Milan. He began his professional journey with the legendary Ettore Sottsass at Sottsass Associati, an experience that would shape his career and connect him with prominent designers and manufacturers such as Knoll, Alessi, Ingo Maurer, Philippe Starck, Matteo Thun, Andrea Branzi and Emilio Ambasz.

This collection offered here presents a unique opportunity to explore Laske’s visionary legacy, showcasing pieces that reflect his passion for the design process and endless curiosity.