A new rostrum

About the project

For its 260th anniversary, Christie’s commissioned LoveFrom to reconsider the object at the centre of the auction room. The new rostrum made its debut at the King Street saleroom in London on 5 March 2026.

The starting point was Thomas Chippendale’s eighteenth-century design for James Christie. LoveFrom worked with British furniture maker Benchmark to develop a rounded oak structure that reads in the room and through a livestream camera.

The details extend to the places the audience rarely sees: internally operated folding stairs, a bespoke stainless-steel latch, and a Christie’s mark facing the auctioneer and art handlers. End-grain oak was chosen for the sound of the gavel. The design was announced for introduction across five international salerooms during 2026.