The brand new Christie’s rostrum by Jony Ive is ‘a modest object that celebrates craft and materials’

Christie’s rostrum – initially designed within the 1700s by Thomas Chippendale, with reproductions utilized in newer occasions – has all the time been a central factor of the public sale home’s operations. Now, it’s making method for a brand new design by Jony Ive and LoveFrom.

Unveiled on 5 March 2026 on the event of the 20/21 sale at London’s King Road, the redesign marks Christie’s 260th 12 months, and was produced by British woodworking specialist Benchmark.

Jony Ive and LoveFrom’s new rostrum for Christie’s

‘Our collaboration with Christie’s has been unforgettably particular,’ says Ive. ‘This has been a splendidly curious and difficult challenge requiring a lot analysis and sudden studying. The unique Thomas Chippendale design is masterful and stays reasonably intimidating.

‘We now have designed a modest object that celebrates craft and materials. The aim of the podium is to actually and figuratively elevate the auctioneer, offering a stage for his or her authority and experience that proudly carries the Christie’s mark.’

The podium is fabricated from sustainably sourced oak, from the identical forests that provided the timber for the current restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral, with additional components in chrome steel. For the design, Ive labored intently with the Christie’s workforce: primarily, the podium is conceived as a instrument and the British designer approached it with the reverence one expects for a purposeful, utilitarian object.