Established 1982, Lost City Arts has distinguished itself as a world-renowned source for mid-century art and design. James Elkind, owner and founder of Lost City Arts has continuously brought to market the beautiful, the curious, the heroic and the inspired. Lost City Arts began as an outpost for architectural artifacts; pieces of buildings otherwise slated to be lost to the wrecking ball.
“The scale and patina, the inspired and exacting craft of immigrant European stone carvers and metal workers, ensured that NYC would take its place as the leading metropolis of architecture in the United States,” says James Elkind.
A new era had begun, as demolition in the city waned, and our customers, the baby boomers, were starting their own families and buying more practical things like furniture and lighting. Lost City Arts moved into the familiar area of modern design and fine art from the period after the WWII. “Having grown up in a modernist home, with all the important trappings, including furniture from Knoll, Herman Miller and Jens Rissom, I immersed myself in the world of mid-Century Modern.” Traveling the world looking for singular works of art and design was a non-stop treasure hunt for James Elkind. By then his Soho gallery had become a go to destination for the creatively inclined, represented by architects and interior designers as well as film stars, artists, writers, producers and directors. His pieces showed up in Woody Allen movies, MTV videos, covers of Vogue, and was bought as gifts for special occasions.
The driving force behind our current success is a recent move to New York Design Center (NYDC) at Lexington Avenue between 32nd & 33rd Street. The NYDC with its incredible roster of important design manufacturers, as well as vintage and period dealers, draws people from all over the world. The NYDC provides one stop shopping for the trade and retail customers alike.
Our 4,000 sq ft gallery is set up as vignettes, with rooms dedicated to the work of Harry Bertoia (James Elkind is regarded as a leading expert on the work of Harry Bertoia), George Nakashima, the great Italian and Danish designers, and many more. Our goal at Lost City Arts is to find that singular piece that has been evading you for years. We are there to assist you with your personal requests, as an individual or as a collector
We ship all over the world.