Palm Springs MCM Designer Estate Auction

The Kevin Lane Design Estate: West Coast Modern Art, Graphics, and Design for Living

This auction presents The Kevin Lane Design Estate, a cohesive and carefully assembled collection grounded in West Coast modernism, where art, architecture, graphics, and functional design exist in constant conversation. Originally from the Kansas City area and later based in California, Kevin Leigh Lane collected modern design as a lived practice rather than a theoretical one.

His career in marketing and entrepreneurship ran alongside a lifelong commitment to modern design, preservation, and the belief that good design should be used, experienced, and integrated into daily life. That philosophy is evident throughout this estate. As co-owner of Placewares, a respected California design shop and studio with a strong presence in Palm Springs, Kevin worked closely with contemporary artists and designers who understood production as an extension of artistic practice. The estate reflects those relationships and that way of thinking, blending studio-driven work with objects intended for real interiors.

A defining strength of the collection is an extensive group of Jim Isermann production pieces, representing Kevin’s long personal and professional relationship with the artist. Rather than focusing on singular works alone, the collection explores Isermann’s use of pattern, color, geometry, and repetition across functional objects meant for everyday use.

The estate also includes an Isermann painting exhibited at the artist’s 2020 “Copy. Pattern. Repeat.” exhibition at the Palm Springs Art Museum, firmly placing this collection within the contemporary design conversation. Another standout Isermann piece is the commissioned installation of swirl pottery.

Graphic and architectural modernism is further represented through multiple examples of Barbara Stauffacher Solomon Super Signs, works that trace directly to the origins of architectural supergraphics and the transformation of typography into spatial experience. These pieces underscore Kevin’s appreciation for design that engages architecture itself rather than existing independently of it.

The estate also includes a substantial group of signed silkscreens by Sister Corita Kent, whose work merges bold typography, Pop aesthetics, and social commentary. Her presence within the collection adds intellectual and cultural depth and reflects Kevin’s interest in design as a carrier of ideas as well as form.

Anchoring the collection as a fully realized modern interior is a strong selection of classic and influential design objects intended for everyday living. These include multiple examples of Alexander Girard textiles, chosen for their color, pattern, and architectural compatibility; Heller dinnerware, emblematic of democratic modern design; and Richard Schultz furniture, designed specifically for architectural outdoor spaces. Lighting is well represented by multiple works attributed to Le Corbusier and Sonneman, reinforcing the estate’s modernist foundation.

Decorative and functional arts further strengthen the collection, with repeated examples of Bennington pottery, Blenko art glass, and Italian design, including Raymor Italian ceramics, alongside additional modern textiles and decorative objects selected for their form, function, and context. A group of custom furnishings reflects Kevin’s commitment to cohesive, intentional environments rather than isolated objects.

Lastly, there are many items from his store being sold in bulk lots including Braun clocks, Alessi glassware, Isermann trays and more.

Taken as a whole, The Kevin Lane Design Estate represents a collector who understood how modern design moves fluidly from studio to showroom to museum and ultimately into lived space. This auction offers collectors, designers, and modernist enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire pieces from a thoughtfully assembled modern environment shaped by knowledge, proximity, and genuine engagement with design culture.