Last Tuesday, an eclectic group of artists, designers, architects, collectors and art-world influencers kicked off the opening of Design Miami/ at a pig roast, cohosted by eBay Collective, R & Company and Cultured Magazine in Miami Beach. eBay Collective’s Sam Bright, R & Company’s Zesty Meyers, and Cultured’s Sarah Harrelson toasted the occasion, which celebrated the opening of the international design show. Art world notables such as Simon Haas of the Haas Brothers, Art Basel Magazine Editor in Chief Sue Hostetler, Design Miami CEO Jen Roberts, NY Times Art Editor Ted Loos and Elle Décor Editor in Chief Whitney Robinson were among the 250 guests in attendance.
eBay Collective launched in late 2016 and has continued to gain momentum, doubling the number of dealers and inventory, partnering with designers and generating a shoppable blog of related content. The platform provides a one-of-a-kind selection of furniture, art, antiques and design for eBay’s 171 million active buyers.
In the past few months, the platform welcomed such estimable dealers as R & Company, Michael Del Piero, French Art Deco Furniture, Inc. and Fred Silberman. All the dealers are showcased in the Dealer Directory, allowing users to Shop by Dealer.
In early October, eBay Collective teamed up with interior designer Brad Ford to present the opening night dinner of his Field + Supply fair in New York’s Hudson Valley. Brad Ford has also furnished the largest residential living room in New York, the One Hundred Barclay Penthouse, with furniture and décor from eBay Collective. Specifically, the design features inventory from such sought-after brands as Doris Leslie Blau, Bernd Goeckler, Maison Gerard, Todd Merrill, Newel, and R & Company.
For content, eBay Collective launched The Conversation Piece Design Journal, a blog populated with articles and video features by Architectural Digest, providing a shoppable guide with designer profiles, trend stories and featured properties.
About the new dealers:
R & Company represents a distinguished group of historical and contemporary designers whose work is among the most innovative and finely crafted of their time. It was founded by Zesty Meyers and Evan Snyderman in 1997 to realize their combined goal of promoting a closer study, appreciation and preservation of 20th and 21st century design.
Michael Del Piero founded Michael Del Piero Good Design in 2007 based on three simple principals: Strive for balance. Create interiors as current as they are enduring, as sophisticated as they are approachable, and as unusual as they are beautiful. And take care of clients as if they are royalty, serving their needs and lifestyles above all else.
David Hugon is the owner and founder of French Art Deco Furniture Inc. David started in the Art Deco business over 25 years ago. David is the premier Direct Importer of all types of French Art Deco furnishings into the USA. David's extensive reach directly to the best French sources allows him to offer the highest quality items sourced from Hotels, Chateaus and Private Estates. He often travels directly to France to personally acquire his treasures and offer them at a sharply reduced wholesale price.
Fred Silberman Antiques began collecting and dealing 20th century Italian furniture and decorative arts nearly 50 years ago. Purely out of his interest in the history and craftsmanship, Fred Silberman’s business reflects an understanding and deep appreciation for the art form and as he says, “nobody else was doing it.” The result is a uniquely curated inventory of Italian furniture and decorative arts. Naturally, none of the pieces were mass-produced, they are bought from previous owners, or acquired over the years from fellow collectors.
About eBay Collective:
eBay Collective takes the hassle out of searching by bringing together a single, curated experience of unique, high-quality items. eBay has always been known for uniqueness and selection. eBay Collective provides a premium experience bringing together antiques and collectables. The site offers a cutting edge interface, using eBay’s Corrigon acquisition for its “Shop the Look” technology which allows shoppers to match inventory with other featured items. eBay Collective also leverages eBay’s core commerce platform for check-out, providing a familiar and trusted process for buyers worldwide.
Highlights of five unique items currently available on eBay Collective:
Set of 16 American 1940s (F. Lloyd Wright Design) Geometric Form Dining Chairs
Achille Salvagni, Tango Console, 2014
Babacar Niang, Senegal, 2014 Sculptural "Etawen" carved African hardwood shelf
Jules Leleu, Meuble Feu d'Artifices, c. 1946
Bubble Chandelier by Simone Crestani (b. 1984) Italy, 2012
Photos by Manny Hernandez