Rago Arts ‘no reserve’ Discovery auction lets you name your price

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At 1 p.m. Friday, Rago Arts of Lambertville, N.J., will put nearly 900 items -- antiques, Mission chairs, midcentury modern furniture and tribal art -- on the block in its summer Discovery sale. It is a no-reserve auction, meaning no minimum price must be reached for the item to be sold. This everything-must-go event will accept Internet bidding through Live Auctioneers. (Don’t forget that there’s also a buyer’s premium of 23% plus shipping costs to consider!) One discovery I’d like to make: the crazy cool wood-and-laminate set shown here that consists of a bench and wall-hung four-drawer chest with inset tiles by Samson Berman. Mixing the function of Paul McCobb’s modular Planner group and the colorful style of George Nelson, the piece also has a coordinating queen-size headboard with a built-in desk. See that and more after the jump.

Just add bed: The Samson Berman headboard with built-in desk, nightstand and colored tiles is a companion piece to the bench-and-chest combo. (Anyone with info on Samson Berman? Please comment.)

Below, clockwise from top left: A framed set of blue Morpho butterflies, Central and East African carved wood figural staffs, a set of four Victorian matching side chairs and three parlor chairs (sold together) and a 1930s Norwegian silver rooster sugar dispenser and bird salt-and-pepper set. These items will all be sold with no reserve price at the Rago Arts auction.

-- David A. Keeps