Five Pieces of Alexander Calder's Family Jewellery Head to Auction
Five pieces of jewellery that Alexander Calder made for his own relatives are going to auction at Bonhams, the London-based auction house. They will be offered in its Post-War & Contemporary Art sale on November 19, and Bonhams values the group at nearly US$300,000.
Calder, the American sculptor known for his moving sculptures called mobiles, made about 1,800 unique, handcrafted pieces of jewellery during his lifetime. The five in this group were each made as a gift for his sister, his mother or his niece. According to ArtNews, they have stayed in private hands for nearly 70 years.
The lead piece is a silver necklace Calder made around 1940 for his sister, Margaret Calder Hayes. Bonhams estimates it at US$100,000 to US$150,000. Silver earrings he gave to the same sister carry an estimate of US$40,000 to US$60,000.
Two silver brooches bear the initials of Calder's mother, Nanette, and of his niece, Eva. A spiral-shaped silver ring was made for the niece as well. Together, the brooches and ring complete the group.
An estimate is the auction house's expected sale range, not a guaranteed price. The final hammer price, the bid the auctioneer closes on before fees are added, can fall above or below that range. Buyers pay a premium on top of the hammer price, so the total they pay is higher.
Anyone who wants to see the pieces in person can do so from November 7 at Bonhams' New York flagship, its main salesroom. The group then goes under the hammer on November 19.
Bonhams described the necklace as the centrepiece of the five-piece group. The sale will show how much a set of intimate, family-made objects can draw from collectors, and who ends up wearing or keeping them.
