Lot #47: 2 MCM Unsigned Bernhard Rohne Abstract Brutalist Acid Etched and Oxidized Brass Wall Art Panels- Framed

2 wood framed etched and patinated brass wood wall panels by German Canadian Artist Bernhard Rohne (see the bio of the artist below)

- The rectangular piece measures 12" T x 6" W x 1.25" D

- Smaller Square piece measures 6" X 1.25" D

These two pieces are unsigned, so I can't verify them, but they are from an estate purchase I made several years ago. I was told they were purchased from this artist in the 1970s and are likely earlier works. 

Please make your own assessment and compare them to his online signed pieces.

Artist Bio

Bernhard RohneGERMAN, CANADIAN, B. 1944Widely acclaimed for the range of case pieces he designed for Michigan manufacturer Mastercraft during the 1970s, metal artist and furniture designer Bernhard Rohne has been creating distinctive acid-etched brutalist furnishings, home accessories, sculptures, and other works for decades. 

Born in Peine, Germany, Rohne attended the WKS Hanover art school. In his material science class, Rohne immersed a small painted copper plate into a container of acid. After some time, he couldnt detect whether or not any chemical reaction had taken place, so he left the plate in the acid and went to lunch. When Rohne returned, yellow clouds filled the room, and the school had to be evacuated. However, when he was able to retrieve the copper plate, Rohne saw that there had indeed been a reaction between the metal and the chemical. The incident, while most definitely dangerous, sparked his interest and set him on a path of material exploration and design that collectors and art enthusiasts continue to celebrate.

Rohne moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, in 1967. During the 1970s, Grand Rapids-based furniture manufacturer Mastercraftknown to collectors of mid-century modern and Hollywood Regency designpartnered with Rohne and produced a large group of case pieces featuring applied brass plaques and panels, acid-etched with forms and patterns marked by the influence of Abstract Expressionism and Geometric Abstraction. 

 For his best-known pieces, Rohne worked with brass, aluminum, copper, and zinc metal sheets, which he oxidized and etched to create fascinating surface panels for his walnut console cabinets and sideboards. These cabinets and sideboards, with their patinated bronze and black lacquer doors, are sculptural, attention-grabbing works in todays interiors.