Price and value of Alexander Calder's jewels, rings, tiaras and necklaces

Alexander Calder (1898-1976) is an American artist who is highly regarded on today's auction market. His extraordinary career testifies to his genius and the scope of his production. The artist's current market value bears witness to the infatuation his works arouse among collectors, defying time and trends.

If you own a work by or based on the work of the artist Alexander Calder and would like to know its value, our state-approved experts and auctioneers can help you. Our specialists will carry out a free appraisal of your work, and provide you with a precise estimate of its value on the current market. Then, if you wish to sell your work of art, we will guide you towards the best possible means of obtaining the best possible price.

Artist's rating and value

The success and renown of his works have established Alexander Calder as a major player on the art market since his lifetime. In recent years, the artist's market value has continued to rise. Calder's most sought-after works are his paintings, mobiles and volume sculptures (including jewelry), which are very popular on the French and American markets. A work by Calder can fetch thousands of euros, as demonstrated by his Flower necklace dating from 1938, which sold for €413,050 at Sotheby's in 2020, whereas its estimate was between €168,590 and €252,990.

Order of value from the most basic to the most prestigious

The artist's creations and style

Throughout his career, Calder's artistic output was prolific and varied. His works stand out for their innovative use of all types of metal, including brass and bronze. He meticulously researched the structure of his sculptures and paintings in order to achieve balance. His ingenuity is also evident in his pictorial compositions, where every detail is calculated.

His work and his style are quite distinct in the history of the 20th century, although they are part of the kinetic art movement, which consists in producing works in motion or giving the impression of motion.

Alexander Calder, his life and work

Alexander "Sandy" Calder was an American artist born in Pennsylvania in 1898 into a family of already talented and famous artists. His mother, Nadette Lederer Calder, excelled in painting, while his father, Alexander Stirling Calder, excelled in sculpture. From an early age, he was educated in the art world and developed a certain singularity and stylistic identity as an artist.

He graduated in mechanical engineering from the Stevens Institute of Technology. In 1923, he entered the Art Students Legaue of New-York, to complete his artistic training. He had been producing art since he was a child, using his father's equipment, and eventually never stopped. Arriving in Paris in 1926, the following year he presented a series of toys he had created at the Salon des humoristes.

From 1929, his passion for the circus led him to create a large number of sculptures for Calder's Circus. Here, he creates and sculpts miniature automata that he inlays. This was a real performance, which he presented all over Europe for around two hours. In Paris, he meets artists such as Joan Miro, Jean Cocteau, Robert Desnos and Le Corbusier.

It's possible to see a strong artistic affinity with Miro in some of his creations, particularly in the way he uses shapes and colors. He also uses the same color palette as Mondrian in the latter parameter. 

In 1932, he began production of his Mobiles, which Marcel Duchamp called by the same name. During the Second World War, he fled to the United States with other artists like Chagall to continue producing in peace. He won several awards, including the Grand Prix at the Venice Biennale.  

Alexander Calder's legacy and the success of his jewelry  

Alexander Calder is an artist who has inevitably left his mark on the twentieth century, with his absolutely gigantic output and ever-greater, unexpected innovation. Today, his value on the auction market continues to grow, making him a particularly sought-after artist.  

Calder's jewelry is a big hit at auction. Auctie's presented two exceptional pieces for sale in 2023, a ring and a tiara, which sold for €58,880 and €75,520 respectively. These results are just one indication of the current popularity and success of Calder's creations on the auction market. The pieces are completely unique and prized by collectors the world over.

His signature

Not all Alexander Calder's works are signed.

Although there are variations, here is a first example of its signature:

Appraising your property

If you own a work by Alexander Calder, don't hesitate to request a free appraisal by filling in our online form. A member of our team of experts and certified auctioneers will contact you to provide an estimate of the market value of your Dunand work.

If you're thinking of selling your work, our specialists will also guide you through the various alternatives available to obtain the best possible price, taking into account market trends and the specific features of each item.