Lot 407: James Libero Prestini (American, 1908-1993), Construction No. 232 N, c. 1970, Stamped and numbered "PRESTINI" and "232" beneath the bas

James Libero Prestini (American, 1908-1993)

Construction No. 232 N, c. 1970
Stamped and numbered "PRESTINI" and "232" beneath the base element, titled in a letter from Triangle Gallery, San Francisco (see below).
Nickel-plated solid aluminum or steel, 18 x 18 x 18 in. (45.7 x 45.7 x 45.7 cm).
Condition: Dust, finger marks, and dirt to surfaces.

Provenance: From Triangle Gallery, San Francisco, May of 1972, to a private Massachusetts collection.

Exhibitions: Triangle Gallery, San Francisco, December 14, 1970-January 23, 1971.

N.B. James Prestini was a master craftsman, sculptor, and teacher. His early works in the 1930s and 1940s focused on turned wooden bowls. He studied sculpture in Italy from 1953 to 1956 and subsequently worked in California creating sculpture in steel, aluminum, and bronze. He also taught design at the Illinois Institute of Technology and U.C. Berkeley School of Architecture.

The lot includes a photocopy of a letter from Jack Van Hiele, director of the Triangle Gallery, that provided the title of the piece and recommended cleaning the sculpture with Tarnishield and a cotton cloth. There is also a photocopy of the front page of a publication or announcement from Triangle Gallery, illustrating this piece.