It’s been an epic year for René Redzepi and Noma. First, Redzepi closed his fabled, pilgrimage-worthy restaurant in Copenhagen. Then he staged a spring pop-up in a palm-treed grove in laid-back Tulum. This summer and fall, he foraged for new ideas for his upcoming reboot (while several Noma staffers hosted a family-style pop-up under a Copenhagen bridge). And this week, to make way for Noma 2.0, Redzepi is auctioning off almost all of the tableware, furnishings, and decor that distinguished his original restaurant. Yes, bid right and you could own a piece of Noma’s distinctive Scandinavian design aesthetic—and a part of restaurant history.
The Noma auction takes place November 2, and features some 500 lots by Nordic artisans and designers—all hand-picked by Redzepi himself. Wright, the Chicago-based auction house running the show, is no stranger to iconic restaurant auctions. The contemporary auctioneer hosted last year’s record-breaking Four Seasons auction in New York, where sales from 650 lots topped $4.1 million—four times the original estimate. The restaurant’s landmark bronze lobby sign alone, estimated at $5,000 to $7,000, set the tone with a hammer price of $120,000.
Starting prices for Noma’s wares range from $100 (berry bowl with spoon) to $30,000 (KBH custom dining table). Expect tableware, including custom-made glass coffee carafes and cups by Nina Nørgaard; hand-carved wooden spoons and bowls from Wahl & Ross; and sets of ceramic dishes, including coveted white plates by the father-son duo, Aage and Kasper Würtz. You can also bid on furnishings, such as sets of J.L. Møller chairs from the main dining room, or decor, including the vintage map of Scandinavia from the private dining room.
Sign up to bid here. The action starts at 8 a.m. CT on Thursday, November 2, in Chicago and will be live-streamed. (Tip: Wright’s easy-to-use app is the best way to track lots and bid online.) Noma 2.0 is expected to open in early 2018; reservations open on November 16. In the meantime, check out the six auction items we’ll be bidding on, below.
Coffee and espresso cups by Nina Nørgaard in collaboration with Mads Kleppe, $500–$900
Set of four knives by Daghorn, $200–$300
Collection of nine serving pieces by Aage and Kasper Würtz, $300–$500
Vase by Würtz & Kjærgaard, $500–$700; sandpiper by Ole Høegh Post, $500–$700
Set of four dining chairs by Niels O. Møller, $4,000–$6,000
Custom dining table from the private dining room by KBH (Københavns Møbelsnedkeri), $20,000–$30,000
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