The Trophy Room: The Karl Springer Lamp & The Dalí Dilemma

 A surrealist surprise. And one of my most unforgettable finds.

The estate sale was held in a sleek ocean-view condo—one of several residences left behind by a well-traveled family. The women running the sale were warm, gracious and clearly doing their best to sort through a lifetime of layered belongings.
Then I stepped into the living room.

And things got… surreal.

The walls were lined with vibrant surrealist prints, many bearing the signature of Salvador Dalí. Fantastical imagery, vivid colors—there had to be dozens. The prices? Surprisingly low. I paused. I know how many Dalí fakes are out there, and without paperwork or provenance, something didn’t sit right. So I kept wandering—and that’s when my inner Nancy Drew kicked in.

In the office, tucked behind some loose, Lucite desk organizers, I found a manila folder hidden inside a box at the very back of a drawer. Inside: high six-figure appraisals from respected auction houses on both coasts. And at the bottom: a Beverly Hills police report referencing confiscated Dalí works.

The pieces were real. Their backstory? Complicated.

I quietly handed the folder to the women running the sale. To their credit, they pulled the artwork immediately. A tough call, but the right one.
Then, in the next room—lightning struck.

A monumental sculptural lamp stood quietly in the corner of the living room. Its original black shade was still intact, and its metallic glaze shimmered like poured bronze in the afternoon light. I didn’t Google it. I didn’t overthink it. I just knew. I bought it on instinct.

Only when I got it home did look it up and see the name: Karl Springer.
Springer is a legend in the world of 20th-century design—known for redefining modern glamour with bold forms, exotic materials, and statement-making silhouettes. And somehow, I had just brought home a pristine original.

After a few outreach emails, Bonhams responded immediately. They wanted the lamp for their upcoming Modernism auction in Los Angeles. I said "yes."

I attended the auction in person, and the energy was palpable—bidders in the room, phones buzzing, the space electric with anticipation. When the hammer dropped, this architectural gem found its next home with a collector who truly understood its significance.

This is The Trophy Room.

Where instinct leads. Where stories surface. Where the overlooked becomes unforgettable.