Designer: Zaha Hadid (1950 – 2016)

Item: Beam Dinner Plate

Manufactured by: Swid Powell

Country of origin: Japan

Year made: 1989

Materials: Porcelain with overglaze transfer decal decoration and gilding

Dimensions: 12” in diameter

Description: Zaha Hadid was an important and prolific Iraqi-born and British modern architect, artist and designer of international fame. Hadid only did one design for Swid Powell that was realized for production; it was this Beam porcelain tableware. But it was only produced and introduced for sale for a single season. Thus it is scarcely found in the marketplace. It is likely that 300 or less of these were ever produced. Marked on bottom Swid Powell with the Hadid’s signature and the design name, as shown.  An example of this plate an be found in the Yale University Art Gallery.  We also have a set of six smaller Beam salad plates from this same collection that will be offered separately.

Condition: Excellent

References: Tapert, Annette. SWID POWELL: Objects by Architects, Rizzoli International Publications, Inc. (1990) page 66.

Provenance: Marc Hacker, Vice President for Design and Development at Swid Powell.  Hacker is an architect who studied with Michael Graves at Princeton University.  Upon graduating he moved to New York City and worked for architect Richard Meier.  As a result of his work for Meier, Hacker was hired by Swid Powell, because they needed a formally trained architect to work with their stable of architects and designers to achieve the final objects produced for sale.  Hamel20, LLC is honored to represent the Hacker collection of Swid Powell objects, which includes prototypes and designs that were never produced for sale.