On Wednesday, April 27, 2022, Toomey & Co. Auctioneers will proudly present a single-owner sale, The Ira Simon Collection: Sold for the Benefit of the Art Institute of Chicago. Curated by Vice President & Senior Specialist John P. Walcher, this unprecedented offering features over 300 lots with many rare and important examples of art and design from the Art Nouveau, Aesthetic Movement, Arts & Crafts, and Art Deco periods. Proceeds from the auction will go to the Art Institute of Chicago.
Ira Simon was a Chicago-based graphic designer who, in the 1970s and 1980s, began putting together one of the most impressive collections of late 19th and early 20th century material, in particular, works by Tiffany Studios and Émile Gallé. Eventually, Simon’s passion and expertise allowed him to make a full-time transition to buying and selling antiques and conducting appraisals for auction houses and private clients.